


A Lamb Among Wolves

by Wastedtimeee



Series: The BellHunterVerse AU [2]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Drama, F/M, Family Drama, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-07-26 01:44:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 52
Words: 543,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20035828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wastedtimeee/pseuds/Wastedtimeee
Summary: Set in the six month period between chapter 28 and 30 of "The Rehabilitation of Dawn Bellwether", Dawn is writing the book that will become "Predator seeking Prey" when Vernon's annual family re-union comes up. Vernon does his best to ease Dawn's fears, but as the weekend progresses things seem to get more and more out of control. Will they survive the four day holiday weekend?





	1. A Brief History of The Northern Roaropean Wolf

**A Lamb Among Wolves**

**Chapter One: A Brief History of The Northern Roaropean Wolf**

_"The wolves of the world of Animalia come in all shapes and sizes. From the sizeable red wolf with its dusky auburn fur, to the arctic wolf with its thick and luxurious white pelt, to the more compact and sandy colored desert wolf. Wolves are as diverse a species as sheep, goats, or any other mammal on the planet. However, from a cultural standpoint the wolf usually falls under two types when it comes to mammalian history. The North Mammalia wolves who were native to the continent that would later become the home of Zootopia, and the Great Northern Wolves of Norwulff and Sibearia."_

_"To set a proper chain of events, we must start with the history of the wolf packs of Greater and Lesser Norwulff. The grand and feared nomadic warriors that were seen as the scourge of Roarupe, and more often than not the mammals of Scottram and Irelamb"_

_"Time is often a fuzzy thing when it comes to the advent of civilizations. It's hard to pinpoint exactly when any one species across Animalia became aware of the concept of time, and the necessity of keeping it. When we finally started to question why we are at all, instead of just continuing to survive. Historians ballpark the time when most mammals transitioned from simple savages to hunting and gathering to be about 35,000 years ago. But where each species made it's individual leap forward from small tribes and city states to full on societies and nations differs greatly within the two-thousand plus year span since the founding of the first recognized nation, 'The Pridelands'. This is common knowledge, it's why we use the B.P. and A.P. metrics when citing the year. The abbreviations standing for 'Before Pridelands' and 'After Pridelands' respectively. The invade and conquer mentality of the Pridelands in it's first thousand years is largely responsible for the adoption of this year system into modern society."_

_"But the Lions were not the only aggressively expansionist species around, and thus we come back to the Roaropean wolf packs. These largely nomadic packs could be found all over Northern Roarope and Sibearia, but came to concentrate in Northern Roarope around the 600's A.P. The Great North Wolves were very concerned with expanding their territory, and the males of each respective pack spent a great deal of time exploring and finding new resources. With every new town they discovered, they would simply take it over. If the residents resisted then the wolf pack would fight until either the villagers were beaten into submission or driven out. Those who were particularly defiant usually found their lands razed as penance for not swearing allegiance to the invading pack."_

_"By this point wolves already had their infamous recognition among caprids for quite some time, but with their full-time occupation so close to the sheep home-lands came a sharp increase of butting heads with the local caprids. Over the next three centuries, the rapid expansion of wolves drove most of the sheep and other mammals out of Northern Roarope. From there they continued to press hard against sheep occupied lands, with various packs intermittently attacking the Scottram shores ultimately leading to the birth of Scottram as a nation in 954 A.P. The need for a unified effort at keeping the wolves from taking over the caprid homeland ultimately becoming a catalyst to the Blackwool's rise power, which is something I will discuss in greater detail later."_

_"The nation, now unified and with a dedicated army was able to successfully drive individual packs out of Scottram. But it was still not an end to the wolves attempts at invasion. While they could no longer successfully take over a town in Scottram with the King's Army on guard, it didn't stop them from trying. Thus this bloody back and forth continued into the next millennia, until a startling change developed within the homeland of the Northern wolves."_

_"It is known that the North Wolves were very superstitious and spiritual, and the one thing they respected more than anything were the wolves the dubbed as 'seer's'. These wolves supposedly had been blessed with a direct line to the will of the gods, and thus their visions were taken with gravity and reverence. In 1210 A.P, Anja D_ü_claw, alpha female of the largest pack amongst the Great North Wolves had received one of these so called 'visions'. In it she described seeing a spectacular kingdom which all mammals lived under in harmony and unity. It was then the gods told her how displeased they were with the behavior of all the wolf packs. The constant war and bloodshed disgusted them, and they further warned that the wolves would be denied a place in the kingdom she had seen if they continued to behave as such. The time had come to break bread and mend old wounds with other species, starting with the sheep they continually warred with. They also wished to see the pack dynamic which bound the wolves by rank to be done away with, that in order to progress all wolves must stand on equal ground."_

_"Despite the severity of the call, it would still take almost another century to unite the wayward packs under the beliefs of the D_ü_claw clan, especially among the wolves in the southern province that would become Lesser Norwulff. While the northern province unified officially in 1295 A.P. under the banner of Greater Norwulff, the southern wolves refused to join them for another half decade. The southern wolves continued their attacks on Scottram, and thusly the sheep didn't want anything to do with the Great Norwulff nation's call for peace under the D_ü_claw family. By the time the D_ü_claw's were able to get the southern wolf packs to come to heel, formally becoming Lesser Norwulff in 1343, Scottram had become the aggressors. The Blackwools, more specifically the newly seated King Declan Blackwool was unwilling to hear the wolf nation out on their calls for making peace. This was despite the pleading of his wife, the much beloved Queen Moira Blackwool. To the King, the wolves were 'bloodthirsy savages' who had taken too many sheep lives to ignore, and thus he was set on a formal war with the relatively new nations."_

_"In 1345, Declan set off with all of Scottram's able bodied warriors on forty-five of his finest warships in order to launch a sneak attack the nation of Lesser Norwulff. However, not a single ship made it to their frozen shores. A sudden and great storm swallowed the ships, the King, and his men in one fell swoop. The wolves never even knew how close they were to war, and Scottram was not prepared to endure such a loss. Nearly all the families in Scottram had lost their fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons. The economy also suffered immediately with the loss of more than half of their tradesman, farmers, and so-forth. The now in-charge widow Queen Blackwool had to act quickly to stabilize the nation and save her people. So she began to formally pursue the truce with the wolves, stating to the mammals of Scottram that the ships lost on their fatal errand was a direct response from the gods. That it was truly time to end the bad blood between the two races and move forward. "_

_"Just a year later, the formal peace agreement was finally achieved. The leader of the D_ü_claw pack sent his son, Erik D_ü_claw as their official ambassador in order to negotiate the treaty. According to historical documents, Erik was not King Gier's first choice to send out to meet with Queen Moira. That honor was originally set to go to his eldest son Sigurd. However, the personal journals of Erik D_ü_claw reveal that he had dreamt of Queen Blackwool despite having never met her. In the dream she had told him to come to her, that if he didn't act as the ambassador then relations between the species would collapse. Erik then beseeched his father to allow him to be the ambassador. Despite King Gier's reluctance, he felt he couldn't argue with what was seen as a 'seer's vision' and sent Erik in Sigurd's stead."_

_"When the Queen and ambassador finally met, they were reportedly quite friendly with each from the start, as if they had long since known each-other. When it came to the negotiations, despite the plea of her bodyguards, the Queen insisted on being alone with the wolf. To her it was an effort to build confidence in her fellow Shcotts, to show them that wolves were no longer something to fear. No one knows exactly what went on during these private meetings, but the end result saw the official Norwulff-Scottram peace pact of 1346, as well as Erik's installation as a live-in ambassador and personal body guard to the Queen."_

_"Again, the Queen's official statement on all of this was that it was to build confidence among the sheep that wolves were truly peaceful. That they would help Scottram build itself back up, and the trade and immigration between countries would lead them all to a shining utopia. With a D_ü_claw being so close to her at all times, it actively reminded the populace how much wolves have changed. But some mammals today have different theories, the most popular being that of a secret tryst between the pair. The proof of such a thing is arguable of course, but their relationship was quite a curious one. The Queen, already having two sons by the former King was not in a position where she had to remarry, and strangely Erik never 'tithed' to another wolf either. There is more I will discuss later as we get into Norwulff culture that could be argued as evidence of this relationship, but I imagine any concrete information would be hidden away in the Queen's personal journals which the Scottram government refuses to release to this day."_

_"With the truce in place, brave caprids began to settle in the Norwulff provinces, and wolves began to settle in Scottram. But despite the Queen's best efforts the tension between species didn't dissolve as she had hoped. Wolves in Scottram were still seen as untrustworthy and hulk-ish brutes that would eat a lamb in the blink of an eye. When it came to employment wolves were limited to jobs in the royal army, or among the local peace keepers. In fact they were preferred thanks to their imposing look and natural strength as an easy way of keeping the mostly prey populace in line. Over time the local wolves became accustomed to being in enforcement roles, and despite such prejudices on wolf employment sort of fading away, wolves still more or less preferred those jobs. In time it became natural to pred and prey alike that a wolf was synonymous with a police officer, guard, or soldier. Even in modern society wolves still are largely drawn to positions of protection and defense."_

_"1614 saw Richard the Lionhearted take the throne of the struggling New Pridelands just south of Scottram. The young King was a visionary and an idealist. Using the rise and fall of the previous Prideland Empire as a catalyst for change, he argued that the future of civilization lied in working together with other nations rather than simply conquering them. He believed that unifying all mammals under the banner of co-operation, both predator and prey was the key to true utopia. The young lion had heard ancient tales that across the ocean lie a new and more prosperous land, and it was intended to be shared by all the mammals of the world. That this new world would become a beacon to all other mammals, a shining example of what we all should strive to be. Thusly, he began to mount an expedition to this 'new world', and beseeched the local nations to join his efforts. The Scottram royals were reluctant to join this search, many still certain the world was flat and any ships they sent would simply sail off the edge. The D_ü_claw pack however, saw this as a sign that Anja's prophecy was on the cusp of becoming true. Having sailed the Animalantic ocean many times in their history, they did not share the Shcotts belief of a flat Animalia."_

_"In 1630, twelve ships, one from each nation that had agreed to join King Richard's quest began their journey across the expansive Animalantic Ocean. the arduous voyage took three months, but eventually the ships made landfall on the perfect little peninsula that Richard would dub Zootopia. The climate of the region made it nearly ideal for most of the new settlers, and each nations migrants settled in the ecosystem that was most similar to their own. In the case of the Shcotts, that would be the region that would become "The Meadowlands", and as for the Norwulves they would settle largely in the region we know as "Alpine Glade". To the wolves, the discovery of Zootopia was fated, finally confirming Anja's prophecy and leaving them ecstatic."_

_"This new land was to be its own nation, not owned by any one country according to King Richard. And so after much discussion and debate it was decided that each of the twelve nations would chose one among them to represent the region of Zootopia where their people had settled. Later this council of mammals would the propose candidates to be in charge of the city as a whole, which the citizenry would vote for, and that mammal would become the mayor. But at this early a juncture it was simply this council of mammals that ran Zootopia."_

_" The first to be elected out of the Meadowlands was Archibald Bellwether, a descendant of the Blackwool royal class. While the first to be elected out of "Alpine Glade" was Leif Hunter, a descendant of the D_ü_claws. Unfortunately for him, despite his families reputation for being unifiers between wolves and sheep, he would end up bringing the opposite relationship between the districts, mostly by fault of Archibald Bellwether."_

_"When Zootopia was settled, the natives who were already living there were mostly eager to be absorbed into the more advanced society that the migrants had brought with them. However a large pack of Native North Mammalian Wolves who were living in the North Meadowlands wanted no part in this new society. They rebuked the idea of sharing the land with the migrant sheep, and despite Bellwether and his flock doing everything they could to resolve the dispute peacefully, the native wolves began to actively war against them. The area quickly turned into a miniature replay of the ancient Norwulff proxy wars. With the native wolves and migrant sheep frequently swapping ownership of swaths of The Meadowlands for thirty years. No matter how many times they were driven out, the native wolves would always return and take over the North Meadowlands again and again."_

_"What made it worse than the old wars was the fact that these native wolves were more violent and aggressive, and they were more than fine with eating sheep unlike the Norwulves, who even in their pillaging days didn't eat the enemy. Archibald was incised by their actions, and it began to cause strain between the relations of The Meadowlands and Alpine Glade as they were of the same species as the natives. Sheep trust in wolves was quickly declining as the populace became reminded of the old wounds and old ways their species interacted and discussions between Bellwether and Hunter became more and more heated. None of the other delegates were willing to pledge standing citizen armies to help the Meadowlands oust the wolves permanently, and Hunter was dubious about attacking the other wolves because they always came back to retake the land anyway. Leif made a point that the only chance they had at beating them were to learn about them. Archibald raked him over the coals for that, labeling him as a sympathizer because they were the same species, and his rhetoric began to bleed outside of the closed doors of the Zootopian council. The Alpine Glade residents were being seen more and more as no more evolved than the native wolves that attacked them."_

_"What pushed Bellwether over the edge though, was when Hunter began to trade with the native wolves. The ram saw it as a betrayal, and said as much to his citizenry. It was proof that wolves were no good, and that they only cared about their own kind. In truth, Hunter had begun trading to learn more about the beliefs of the local tribe. In time he was able to meet with the leader of the pack that continually fought over the Meadowlands and it was during that meeting he discovered why they wouldn't cede the land despite being defeated so many times. The North Mammalian Wolves believed that all the world's land was owned by wolves under a divine right, and that they would only recognize land owned by other wolves as marked territory. As long as sheep were the ones fighting, the land would never truly belong to them."_

_"In 1666, Leif Hunter soldiered up every able bodied Norwulff immigrant and lead a surprise attack on the North Meadowland wolves, successfully driving them out for the last time and leaving the land un-contested. This also ended up creating an animosity between the native and non-native wolves that lasts to this day. The native leaders were disgusted with both Hunter's trickery, as well as allegiance to what they saw as lesser life forms."_

_"Additionally, finally gaining full control of the Meadowlands didn't seem to soften Bellwether's increasing animosity toward wolves. While Hunter had done a great service for them, Archibald would blame wolves violent brute-like nature for the whole affair coming about in the first place, as if Hunter's people were somehow responsible for the actions of the native wolves. Hunter, saddled with the guilt of the lives lost during the war, as well as feeling as though he contributed to the poor image of wolves stepped out of the political eye. He was the last Hunter on the council as Zootopia continued to grow, the family remaining out of politics all together. Meanwhile the Bellwether's continued to play a pivotal role in the cities evolution into what it is today. But the Bellwether's attitude toward wolves also persisted, soaking into the caprid community of the Meadowlands leading to a generally agreed upon silent mistrust of wolves all together."_

_"Even today, when you ask most sheep about wolves they will tell you how horrid they are. How they are massive, lumbering and violent beasts, hungry for sheep flesh. Fangs dripping with hot saliva, waiting to sink their teeth int-."_

The ewe's train of thought crumbled as she felt a pair of claws gently tracing their way up the side of her leg.

"Vernon?" Dawn looked away from her laptop, attempting to spy the wolf cuddled up behind her.

"Hmm?" Came a throaty, tired reply.

"Are you awake?" Dawn asked.

"Nope, still sound asleep." The wolf said in an amused tone.

"Really?" Dawn chuckled. "Because I could swear I feel your paw creeping its way up my thigh." By now the wolf's fingers had slipped under her night gown, and his paw came to rest directly against the side of her hip.

"Must be sleepwalkin'." Vernon muttered, still clearly pleased with himself. "You know they say it's dangerous to wake 'em up."

Dawn felt his paw clutch her hip tightly, sending a shudder of pleasure through her. In turn she pulled herself away from the laptop and back into Vernon's embrace. She buried herself against him, letting out a contented sigh.

"Mhh...you and I both know sleepwalking doesn't work that way." The ewe chuckled.

"Sure it does." Vernon replied. Dawn could feel to wolf plant a few gentle kisses against her neck. "Can't stop me or it may throw me into a fit or somethin'."

"You're such a bad Puppy." Dawn chuckled, reaching a hoof up to the side of his muzzle and giving it a playful swat.

"Me bad?" Vernon chuckled. "You're supposed to be sleepin' Honey Lamb. You told me you wouldn't write tonight."

Dawn sighed, it was true she had sort of promised that. But with her mind actively ruminating on what was to come, she couldn't sleep. Writing was a distraction, something to keep her restless fears at bay.

"You're worried about tomorrow aren't you?" Vernon mumbled, his lips still pressed against her neck.

Dawn gave an uneasy grunt.

The wolf drew back, placing paw on Dawn's shoulder in an effort to comfort her. The ewe turned to face him, still somewhat balled into his chest. Vernon gave the lamb a dull look.

"Hon, you've got nothin' to worry about. The family reunion is gonna go fine. My parents will love you almost as much as I do. I know it." The wolf gave her a reassuring grin.

Dawn gave the wolf a nervous glance, fidgeting her hooves together idly.

"I-I know I know." The lamb shook her head. "B-but I can't help it..." The lamb buried her face into Vernon's chest.

Vernon gently placed a paw on Dawn's back and pat reassuringly.

"There's just so many things that can go wrong." Dawn muttered into the wolf's fur.

"Like...?" Vernon asked playfully. Dawn pulled back, wiping her glasses before giving the wolf a dull, half lidded stare.

"Y-you know..." She pouted.

"Enlighten me Lamb Fry." The wolf smirked.

Dawn gave Vernon a weak push, glaring at the wolf in disbelief. "I'm serious Vernon."

Dawn knew what the wolf was playing at, this wasn't the first time they discussed Dawn's apprehension at staying at the family ranch for the annual _"Harvest Festival"_. For every reason the lamb could present to prove why this meeting was something to worry about Vernon simply waived it off. To Dawn it felt as though he wasn't taking her seriously, writing off her fears as insignificant.

"You're just going to ultimately ignore any reason I give you Puppy, I'm really scared! " Dawn huffed.

Vernon placed a paw on her shoulder, his face looking somewhat mournful.

"Dawn." The wolf paused. " It's not like my family is going to hurt you or anything. That's why I can't wrap my head around what's got your stomach all knotted up."

"We're different species!" Dawn replied.

"Five of my brothers are dating outside their species and my parents are okay with that." Vernon replied.

"B-But I'm a sheep and you're a wolf." Dawn frowned. "You're a predator and I'm-"

"Prey?" Vernon wrapped his paws around the lamb, pulling her back into his embrace.

"You know Wade is bringing his new mate too Darlin'. She's a Giraffe. Far as I'm concerned the spotlight's going to be more on them then on us. Her size alone-"

Dawn pushed away from Vernon weakly, levying a serious stare at the wolf.

"But I'm still _'Dawn Bellwether'."_ She pouted. "It kind of trumps one son bringing a giraffe home when the other brings an ex-con."

"You also saved the city from your own Father's attempt at destroying it." The wolf smirked. "I imagine that has to count for something."

"Oh Vernon!" The lamb buried herself into the wolf's chest again, weakly swatting at him as she sobbed. The wolf was somewhat startled, and began to gently pet the ewe's head.

"Hey, hey...easy Darlin'." The wolf cooed. "What's really eating at you?" Vernon eased the ewe out of his chest, and gently dabbed her eye as she tried to compose herself.

"I-I'm..." The ewe stuttered through weak sobs. "I'm just so scared I'm going to make a terrible impression." She choked.

"I know how much you care about your family, a-and I really want them to like me." Dawn's head dropped into a sulk. "I-I just want everything to go perfect and I know it's impossible."

The wolf slowly pulled the lamb back against his chest, gently rubbing her back as he did his best to calm her down.

"Well no mammal is perfect Dawn." The wolf chuckled weakly.

"I know..." Dawn mumbled.

Vernon let out a heavy sigh. "Do you remember the first time I met your Mother?"

Dawn quickly drew back from the wolf's grasp, eyeing him with confusion.

"I thought that went really well Puppy Love, besides you already met her at the hospital." Dawn said.

Vernon placed a paw on his scalp and leaned his head back letting out a groan. The wolf stared at the ceiling.

"Yeah, I know." He sighed. Dawn could see his ears droop. "But I mean that was the first time I got to...y'know, formally meet her."

"So that does-" Dawn stopped, a brief chuckle escaping as a smirk spread across her muzzle. "You can't possibly be talking abo-"

"She invited us in and what did I do?" The wolf tightened his paw into a fist, before bringing his arm against his head stiffly. He staggered his head back slightly, allowing his tongue to dangle out of his mouth as he pantomimed the regretful event.

"I hit my head against the door frame like some kind of simpleton." The wolf muttered dully.

Dawn stifled her laughter. "O-Oh Puppy!"

Reaching out, she pulled the wolf back down to her eye line, giving the big dog a kiss on the forehead.

"You can't still feel embarrassed over that!" Dawn tutted.

"For the rest of the night I had a big ol' welt right here." Frowning, the wolf pointed above his left eye. "Talk about a first impression."

Dawn placed her head against Vernon's and let out a sigh. " You weren't used to sheep sized townhouses, it wasn't your fault." Dawn said with a snicker.

"Still-"

Dawn leaned back, placing a single finger on the wolf's nose." Besides, as I said you already met my mother. And despite that welt you know she thinks the world of you."

"Yeah, I know. " Vernon muttered. " But my point still stands about fretting about being perfect makes it impossible to even get close to it. I was so nervous about really spending time with you and your mother I forgot to mind the door frame." Vernon chuckled.

"But that's not exactly the same." Dawn crossed her arms. "First off you only had to impress my mother, where-as I have to impress eight wolves, and at least five other mammals." The ewe shook her head. " And that's for a whole four day holiday, not an afternoon."

Vernon let out a terse sigh. "Alright, alright, so it's a tall order I'll admit."

Dawn nodded smugly as the wolf finally conceded to her point.

"But you know if anything goes wrong." The wolf frowned. "If they say anything out of turn, or you feel threatened you know I will be there to back you up."

Dawn smiled meekly. "I know."

"You come first Honey Lamb, you know that." Vernon smiled broadly.

Dawn leaned into to the large wolf hugging him tightly. Vernon in turn, grabbed the ewe and gently lay her down against the pillow with him. Keeping his paw wrapped around her, he laid his head on top of the large wooly poof atop her head.

"And if anything goes really wrong we can just leave." Vernon said, snuggling in close to Dawn. The ewe turned on her side, reaching her hoof out to close her laptop before turning back into Vernon's chest.

"I chose you Dawn, and I won't let anyone stand between us. Even them."

Dawn frowned slightly. She tried to stare into the wolf's eyes, but from her position all she could see was the bottom of his muzzle as he rested against her.

"Y-you'd give up your family for me?" Dawn's voice trembled uneasily as she spoke.

"Without hesitation." The wolf sighed.

Dawn turned back to face the wolf's chest, biting her hoof as she mulled over the weight of Vernon's words.

"Now get some sleep, we have to be at the platform by ten tomorrow."

Dawn sighed, doing her best to get comfortable against the wolf's normally inviting pelt. But tonight it felt scratchy and abrasive as Dawn continued to mull over all the terrible things that the next four days could bring. She swallowed hard as she added a new fear to the seemingly endless list, ruining Vernon's relationship with his family.

"Love you Honey Lamb." The wolf sighed contentedly.

"Love you too Puppy Love..." Dawn replied weakly. she stared blankly into the dark form of the wolf's chest as the doubt crept deeper into her mind. Clearly it was going to be a long night.


	2. Culture Clash

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Two: Culture Clash

"When talking about the history of the Great Northern wolves there were a great deal of elements I neglected to cover. Mostly I had set aside that section to purely discuss the history of the mammals in question, their rise to power and vilification when it came to sheep. I had made brief mentions of things such as 'packs', and spiritual visions but didn't delve into them in greater detail. This is because there was far to much to explain without dedicating a section to these subjects on their own. I felt that mixing the detailed explanation of cultural beliefs and practices of the Great Northern Wolves and their history would end up muddying them both. I also felt it would perhaps make these sections far too long. After all the bulk of this novel is supposed to be about myself and Vernon, and our relationship. But I felt it was important to educate those who choose to read this novel on the hardships that were set-upon us by virtue of the species we were born into. Without that preface, it would be difficult for an outsider to glean all the social and historical bindings working against us. So let us begin by tackling just what a 'pack means when speaking in terms of the Great north Wolves."

"The ancient North Wolves social structure during it's hunting and gathering days were made up something called a 'pack'. These packs usually consisted of family members. The leaders, which were known as Alphas, were usually the parents of the litter that would fill the other roles of the pack. Then there were the Betas, which were essentially the most dominant offspring of the pack just under the Alphas. They would assist the Alphas in protecting the pack and hunting parties. The wolves below the level of Beta were left un-classified. While the males still fought and hunted with the rest of the pack, they differed to the stronger siblings in choices made among the family. Once the pups were fully matured, they would leave to find a mate and make a pack of their own while the Betas usually remained to take over the pre-existing pack after the death of the Alphas."

"With evolution and the complications of culture came a shift in pack structure. Packs became more than just family clans, and extended to outside wolves who either 'tithed-in' to the pack, or had sworn allegiance to it for mutual benefits. The title of Alpha Male was given to the smartest and strongest wolf of the pack. The Alpha female was chosen much the same way, but more often than not they were the mate of the pack Alpha male. However in some circumstances the title was bestowed upon those the wolves saw as 'seers'. The Beta class now went to describe the right-hand mammal of the Alpha, his royal court and military strategists and generals. Below that fell the rest of the pack wolves, but it now extended to all the wolves in community the pack lead. This status was also extended to the few mammals who agreed to live under wolf rule, sheep included."

"Oddly enough the mammals that lived under wolf rule, whether it was before or after the death of the 'pack' and the founding of Greater and Lesser Norwulff were treated almost the same by the wolves as the wolves treated each-other. The only catch was that during the days of pack structure these mammals were in-eligible to rise to the ranks of Beta or Alpha. The sheep who lived under wolf control, regardless of the fact that they were prey lived much as they did before the wolves took over, and in most cases ended up having a better standard of living under the North Wolves. After the death of the pack, several even became part of the Düclaw royal council. These sheep who lived under the control of wolves are often referred to today as "The Shepherded Flocks". The term Shepherd being coined to describe sheep being lead by non-sheep."

"Today pack roles play no part in Norwulff's modern politics, and most wolves of Norwulff ancestry pay little attention to the old system. However the terms Alpha and Beta, and Omega which I will discuss later, are still used in pop-culture and part of modern wolf vernacular."

"Another element that helped shape the direction of North Wolf development was their spiritual beliefs. We touched briefly on the important roles played by those the North Wolves deigned as 'seers' in the short write-up on the history of the species, but never really went over them. As I mentioned the 'seers' were those thought to have a direct link to the gods and goddesses of the ancient wolves. In the case of the Düclaw's they spoke to the Goddess Freyja, who represented fertility, and the God Oldwyin, who represented glorious victory. These gods, among others ruled over a great hall where all of the greatest fallen wolf warriors came to rest. But the god believed to be responsible for those chosen as a 'seer' was the Great Lupa, or the goddess of the moon who was in effect the moon itself . The seers were believed to see the future, and their prayers were given priority to all others as their voice were the rare few that could reach the hallowed halls where the gods resided. But the nature of the visions were fickle, and so the wolves could not constantly rely on these seers to predict every victory, defeat, famine or otherwise."

"Those responsibilities fell to the Goddess Lupa, and by that I mean the moon. Ancient wolves knelt to the moon above all gods, and it remains one of the few icons that hold reverence among modern wolves. She was, and still is by some believed to be the soul of the first den mother, the origin of all wolves, who flies across the sky each night to watch over her children. The phases and colors of the moon ruled over the functions of Norwulff society and the choices made in regards to most heavy decisions. The lunar phases and seasons told the wolves when to plant, reap, mate, of good and bad omens, and even what the next season would bring. When the wolves went to war, a full moon over the battlefield was an assurance of blessings and victory. Wolves often howled to the moon specifically in a sort of prayer. These prayers could range from health, to wealth, a good hunt, finding a proper mate and so on."

"Which reminds me, I never went over 'howling', that trait so nearly unique to wolves that it has become somewhat of a joke today. Howling among the wolves of old was a form of emotional communication, and is largely practiced for the same reasons today. Wolves howl for a variety of reasons, to express joy, sorrow, fear, excitement, ecstasy, (Note to self, might want to remove 'ecstasy' from final draft.) and so forth. As Vernon himself told me, it's a left over trait from ancient wolves. The urge to howl is brought on by strong emotions, and is hard to suppress. When a howl is sounded, it is like a call of solidarity. And when other wolves hear it, those same urges drive them to respond. Most wolves can tell by the tone of a howl exactly what the emotion being expressed is, despite it sounding all the same to pretty much any other mammal. I also know from personal accounts that a distressed howl can often draw wolves to another's aide. (Thank you Wade.) Unfortunately, due to how easy it is to egg-on a howl by outside species, howling has become somewhat of an embarrassment to most wolves."

"Anyway, back on topic. Today, the lunar phases still play an important role in the descendant of the Norwulves today. When it comes to important deals, pacts and 'tithing' ceremonies wolves prefer to officiate them under the glow of the full moon in the belief it that unions and agreements formed under it would be blessed to succeed."

"Now, on to 'tithing', just what it is it? The closest equivalent I can make to what a tithing ceremony is to wolves, is what a marriage is to caprids. However unlike marriage, it involves neither rings nor a state official to perform."

The ancient form of ‘tithing’ was deeply ingrained in the pack culture of the Great North Wolves. The ceremony was the way in which not only two wolves were tied together as mates, but it had the dual effect of committing their consummate packs to one another. It was the way in which packs grew and expanded outside of conquest, and most members of the pack were heavily involved in the ceremony. The first step in seeking a tithing ritual was getting approval by the highest ranking member of each pack that were blood relatives of the wolves to be mated, usually the parents. With the approval of both parties’ parents the ritual is then performed.”

“The ceremony is limited to the blood relatives of each pack, which assemble at night preferably under the full moon. At the head of the ceremony stands to couple, flanked by the assenting blood relatives from each side. On the outskirts the rest of the pack watches as each of the approving pack leaders recite the ancient rite, which goes as follows.”

“We come here to witness the tithing of two souls. They shall be bound by their love, by their strength, by their joy and by their sorrows. The souls which inhabit these mammals will be forever connected, and even in death and beyond they shall always return to one another. With the permission of the pack Alphas, the rite shall commence.”

“At that point, the two be tithed once again ask for approval from the pack heads, and with final approval the ceremony continues. This is where it gets a bit unconventional, and perhaps to you readers a bit savage. At this stage, the Alphas each produce a small dagger that is given to each of the tithing wolves. One makes a diagonal cut in the palm of their right paw, and the other the left while holding them over a collecting bowl. The cut is made deliberately deep enough to scar, but not enough to require stitching. Once a small sample of each of the wolf’s blood is collected, they are mixed together. At that point the mammal are instructed to clasp each-other’s wounded paws together, allowing their fresh wounds to mesh together. Today, the bloodletting has been completely removed from the ceremony. Instead, the blades have been done away with. The mixed blood has been replaced with a special dye that is used to tattoo the palms of each wolf with representations of the moon. From there, regardless of method the following rite is spoken.”

“Through these wounds, through our blood, are souls are connected. For now and for always.”

“The pair are then presented with the blood bowl, which they use to paint a half circle symbol on each-other’s foreheads. These symbols are meant to represent ‘The Great Lupa’ and the two halves of their souls making a whole. In modern blood free ceremonies, a powdered dye is used.”

“It is then that each of the couple each recites the following.”

“The pact is sealed, and with it our packs become one. I pledge my eternal love and devotion to you (insert mates name). I swear to protect you, to…to…”

Dawn groaned. She had been over this several times with Vernon already, but couldn't remember the whole 'tithing' rite word for word. And of course now that the pair were on the subway the ewe couldn't easily get to the meticulous hand written notes that were crammed beneath mounds of clothing in their respective suitcases. Dawn let out a derisive sigh, slowly leaning back toward the adjacent seat. She continued to lean until she felt the back of her head gently press against what assumed was Vernon’s arm.

“Hmm…?” Came a mumbled reply, confirming Dawn had indeed leaned on the wolf she was aiming for.

“Oh, sorry Vernon, were you napping?” Dawn asked. 

“Little bit.” Dawn turned to find the wolf starting to stretch, he raised an arm, bracing it with the other as he stretched out. His muzzle opening wide and his tongue curling as he let out a prolonged yawn.

“I honestly don’t know how you can nap on the subway.” Dawn chuckled. “I find it so noisy.”

The wolf awkwardly scratched his head, his ears cocking in different directions.

“I try to zero in on that hum it makes while it’s moving; it’s comforting in a way.” The wolf said groggily. “Our stop coming up?”

“No.” Dawn shook her head. “We’ve still got a few more stops before we hit Haymarket.” Dawn sighed, adjusting the tilt of her laptop screen for better visibility.

Vernon glanced out the window as the hum of subway whined down. It slowed to a stop as it came in at another station on the Rainforest line, The wolf watched the mammals disembark and board the train for a bit as if to affirm Dawn’s conclusion before turning back to her in mild confusion.

“So why’d you wake me? Gettin' lonely?” the wolf gave her a nudge and sly smirk.

Dawn returned his grin in equal earnest, fluttering her eyelashes at the wolf.

“Oh I’m always lonely if I don't have you to talk to Puppy.” She laughed as she pulled her laptop off the seat and onto her lap. Gingerly tapping her hoof against the screen she glanced back up at Vernon.

“I need help with the ‘tithing ceremony.’” Dawn said. “I’v-

“Oh-hoh-ho.” Vernon crossed his arms. “ Why Floofs, are you proposin' ?” Vernon grinned down at the ewe smugly.

Dawn felt heat flush to her cheeks in an instant. Turning her head away to hide the severity of her blush, she shielded the edge of her face from sight with a hoof. 

“Veeeernon!” Dawn yelped, dragging out the length of his name with a whine.

“I accept!” Before Dawn could react the wolf abruptly scooped her into his arms, easing her computer back onto the seat as he did. She continued to hide her face, trying desperately to push away from the wolf’s chest.

“Hello Mrs. Hunter-Bellwether!” The wolf teased. Dawn could feel the wolf trying to work his muzzle under her chin. The wolf knew full well it was Dawn’s weak spot, and it drove her crazy every time he exploited it.

“Stop! Stoo-OOOP!” Dawn giggled, forcing the wolf’s maw back with her hooves. Vernon relented, allowing the sheep to regain her composure and finally face him. Dawn adjusted her glasses, giving the wolf an irritable huff as she stared him down. In truth she had grown to love the way the wolf teased her, but it was even more fun to throw it right back at him.

“Stop making a scene Puppy, were in public.” Dawn put on her best serious voice. The ewe feigned a stern glance, narrowing her eyes at the wolf. She could see the wolf balk under her gaze, shrinking slightly as if he were a child being scolded by a parent. The wolf slowly lowered the lamb back into the dumpy brown subway seat next to him, drawing his paws back carefully. Dawn continued to stare daggers at him, doing her best to suppress the smirk desperately trying to fight to the surface. The forlorn wolf let out a slight whine before clearing his throat.

“I-I’m sorry Mutton Chop, I-I didn’t mean to emba-“

Dawn stopped the wolf with a playful push.

“You are such a dork!” She giggled.

Vernon’s demeanor immediately turned back around, the wolf beaming in response to the ruse.

“You little devil!” He chuckled.

“Hunter-Bellwether?” She gave the wolf a half lidded stare.

“What’s wrong with that?” The wolf shrugged, his gaze returning to the subway window as the cavalcade of jungle overgrowth sped by.

“I was looking forward to taking your last name.” The ewe pouted. Dawn crossed her arms, turning her attention to the partially vandalized seat in-front of her. “I was certainly looking forward to not having 'THAT' name following me around anymore.” The ewe stewed, wriggling herself further into her seat.

“Bellwether?” Vernon asked absentmindedly.

Dawn grunted dully in response.

“I like that name.” Vernon said, his voice laden with sincerity.

Dawn huffed again. "Well I don't."

The ewe gestured her hooves at the laptop. "On top of what I did, and what my Father and Grandfather did, all this looking into my family history made being a Bellwether feel even worse." Dawn closed the lid of the computer abruptly before throwing her head back and releasing a heavy sigh.

"Hey now, it's not like the Düclaw-Hunter's were shining beacons of perfection either Floof." The wolf shrugged. "I mean, we spent thousands of years as roaming conquerors. What did sheep do? Mostly farm, until we came along that is." The wolf grimaced slightly. "Then there was that whole trading with mammal-eaters thing."

"At least Leif was doing that to find a way to drive them out. Not that Archibald Bellwether cared to much about that little detail." Dawn began to count the fingers on her hoof. "Then there was King Declan and the war-"

Vernon gingerly grasped the ewe's hooves together. Dawn looked up in slight surprise as she met the wolf's gaze. Vernon smiled his usual reassuring smile, which always managed to work its way through even the thickest gloom the ewe could muster.

"Forget all that, what about you saving the city Darlin'? I'd say that's reason enough to be proud of your name." The wolf gently shook her hooves pleadingly, as if trying to reason with her.

"I'd say I broke even at most." The lamb sighed. "I think I'd need another good disaster to save the city from to make everyone completely forget what I did in the first place."

Silence hung for a brief moment before Dawn had realized just how what she said could be interpreted. Now aware of how her simple dismissal made her sound, she quickly withdrew her hooves from the wolf. The ewe shook her head as she waived her hooves frantically in defense.

"I-I mean, that's not why I did w-what I did." The lamb assured. "I d-did It because it was the r-right thing to do! I me-ean...I erm, I, what I mean to-"

"Hey, hey!" Vernon cooed, gesturing for the ewe to calm herself. "I wasn't trying to get your hackles up Dawn, I know you didn't risk your life just to look good." The wolf sighed.

"If anything, you did it...well..." A slow smile swept across Vernon's muzzle as he continued to stare down at the ewe. Slowly the wolf brought an arm around her, pulling Dawn close to his side. Dawn knew what he was thinking, and the wolf was absolutely right. When it had come to the standoff with her Father, selfishly she hadn't thought of the city, or even Judy and Nick. The only one she was worried about saving was Vernon, even at the cost of her own life. A warm smile rose to match the wolf's as she stared back at him, before she found herself being slightly squeezed as Vernon pulled her into a hug. As the wolf released her, he returned to watching the window.

"Alright, alright I'm willin' to table the name discussion for now." Vernon said, a few weak chuckles escaping his lips before easing into a sigh.

The two fell silent as the sound of shuffling subway cars filled the absence of conversation. The ewe, relieved, opened her laptop again. She had almost forgotten exactly what she wanted to ask the wolf after his playful little distraction. Briefly skimming where she had come to a stop, Dawn prepared to bring it up again.

"So ab-"

"Still serious about marrying you though." The wolf didn't turn away from the window as a warm grin crept across his muzzle.

Dawn felt her blush return as she brought her hoof to her cheek.

"V-Vernon?" She stammered.

"That's the way sheep do it right? Marriage?" 

Vernon was still leaning against the window, but his eyes flicked in her direction. Dawn could see the discomfort in the wolf's eyes. It was clear to Dawn that he was worried about the reply. Dawn choked out a weak chuckle as she felt her eyes well slightly.

"W-well I mean, y-yes that's." The ewe stuttered. "Most prey get 'married'."

"So...how do we do it?" Vernon's grin grew.

Dawn could barely breath. Was he actually popping the question in a roundabout way? Really? So soon? Dawn could feel her heart begin to beat faster.

"Y-you'd really want to marry me so soon? H-honestly?" The ewe whimpered. "I m-mean that's our whole lives P-puppy. What if it d-doesn't work out?" Dawn could feel the hot tears begin to trickle out of her eyes, and wiped them quickly in an effort to hide them. "I mean I c-can't give you pups. Y-you might want a she-wolf somed-"

Vernon placed a finger to Dawn's lips, shushing her. 

"We can always adopt Honey Lamb." Vernon cooed. "I don't want some she-wolf, I told you before, you are the one Dawn." Dawn could see Vernon's eyes beginning to shimmer as his own tears rose.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Dawn wrapped her hooves around the wolf, squeezing as tightly as she could.

"O...OH PUPPY LOVE!" She cried into Vernon's side. The wolf pulled her onto his lap and returned the hug, burying his face into the wooly poof of her hair. "I want to m-marry you too." Dawn mumbled into his chest. As the two broke the hug, Dawn drew back and wiped her eyes to the best of her ability. Despite her attempts, she couldn't manage to stop the tears. Staring back up at the wolf she smiled broadly, her lips quivering as she tried to speak.

"Yes, I mean, it w-would be easy to g-get a partner-ship license. T-they're open to all mammals, it d-doesn't matter their species. " Dawn sniffled hard.

"W-what about a ceremony?" Vernon asked, swabbing his own teary eyes with a paw.

Dawn looked down, twiddling her fingers. She had always wanted to have a ceremonial wedding. Despite her horrid upbringing she had still found the time for the usual childhood fantasies that most of the other ewe's her age dreamt of. She could remember spending many nights lying on her bed, imaging herself in the prettiest white gown. Picturing a handsome ram declaring his everlasting love and whisking her away from her horrible home life. As she grew this daydream became more defined. She imagined it to be a small outdoor affair, among the beautiful wilderness of The North Meadowlands. Her few friends and maybe her Mother in attendance as she exchanged rings with her future husband, again a ruggedly handsome and kind ram. There was a part of her that still wanted all that, although her imaginary perfect groom had become much more canid in appearence since she last ruminated on those kind of dreams. But she was certain no caprid wedding official would ever condone such a union. Hell they barely allowed sheep and goats to marry off, so the chances of a sheep and a wolf seemed nothing short of impossible.

"W-well I'm sure M-mother would be more than on-board." Dawn smiled weakly at the hopeful wolf. He grinned broadly, and she could hear the rhythmic dull slap of the wolf's wagging tail hitting the seat. "B-but I can't see a licensed caprid marriage official being willing to perform the ceremony." The ewe sighed.

Vernon only grimaced briefly before the smile returned to his face.

"Wait, I'm pretty sure Gus has one of those official licenses." The wolf smirked.

Dawn was taken aback. "W-wait? R-really?" She covered her mouth with a hoof. "Why would Gus have a license to do that?"

The wolf rolled his eyes as he let out a chuckle. "Gus likes to spend his down time learning little things and picking up odd trades." Vernon began to count fingers. " He can play the ukulele, do magic tricks, speaks three languages, juggle, and is a licensed notary. I think there's more, but I can't remember 'em." Vernon shrugged. "Picks up that stuff online. They'll let anyone register I guess."

Dawn was beaming through her now silent tears.

"O-Oh Vernon!" The giddy ewe tapped her hooves together excitedly. "H-how wonderful! Y-yes. yes, let's start planning it out as we get back from the trip!" 

The wolf's expression had shifted to one of pure adoration as he stared dumbly at the excited lamb.

"I love you so much right now Honey Lamb." The wolf cooed.

Dawn felt a familiar and overwhelming sensation overtake her, a desperate yearning for his lips to meet her own. She was no longer in control as she felt herself leaning in toward the wolf. As the gap was quickly closing Dawn managed to get out one last trembling sentence.

"I love you too Puppy Love." She cooed.

As their lips touched the ewe felt that familiar intoxicating warmth wash over her. It had the pleasance of a warm blanket on a cold and snowy evening, and sent tingles all over her. However she barely got anytime to truly lose herself in her warm, wolfy world before she was rudely drawn back by a loud and obnoxious voice.

"LOOK AT THESE FREAKS!" The voice snarled.

Dawn's broke the kiss abruptly, her attention snapping to the source of the sudden outburst. Seated across from the pair were a couple of wolves. A female red wolf eyed her disdainfully as her muzzle scrunched in distaste. She was on the tall side, and a bit husky. Her brown worn imitation hide jacket with various metal bits and chains adorning it, and her torn jeans told Dawn she was probably in her late teens. Next to her sat a male Dawn assumed to be her mate. He was a grey wolf, looking similar to Vernon, albeit a bit smaller and more wiry. He wore a black jacket with similar chains and buttons to his mate, as well as a similar pair of worn jeans. However, he looked both surprised and nervous. Dawn could see his phone still cradled in his paws, thumbs raised showing he had been pulled away from something by red wolf's sudden outburst. Dawn began to bite her hoof nervously, silently cursing herself. She had been too careless, she should have made sure the car had still been empty before kissing the wolf. The pair must have got on the previous stop.

"Hey dummy, that's not how you taste test a sheep!" The red wolf snickered. "You bite 'em in the neck first."

Dawn felt Vernon tighten his grip around the ewe. Looking back up at wolf, his expression was hard to read. He seemed calm, but Dawn could make out the traces of muscle flexing near his brow as if he was stifling a growl.

The red wolf eyed her mate in disbelief, giving the still seemingly confused and twitchy wolf a nudge.

"Hey Chaunce! We got a prey chaser over here!" the Red wolf laughed.

"O-oh is that so?" The other wolf grinned, but it seemed to falter slightly.

"What's wrong sheepdog? Not Alpha enough to keep a real wolf around!?" The red wolf returned to chiding Vernon, crossing her arms as she sneered.

"Maybe he's an O-omega Red." Chauncey snickered, giving the large female a nudge back.

Red leaned forward. Despite the distance the aisle kept between Dawn and the pair, she felt herself reflexively lean further back into Vernon. One of her hooves found traction as it twisted the fabric of his shirt. The wolf squinted hard, and Dawn followed the glance back up to Vernon's face. Vernon exchanged a sympathetic glance at Dawn, making a small grimace as he clearly noticed her distress.

"V-vernon I-I'm sorry." Dawn whimpered quietly. "I-"

"They'll tucker themselves out." Vernon replied in a hushed tone.

"NAW!" Dawn turned back to the red wolf as she leaned back into her original position, crossing her arms again.

"Omega's may be messed up, but I've never seen one macking on prey before. We'll have to invent a new category for that kind of freakshow!" The wolfess cackled loudly at her own joke.

"Yeah." Chauncey laughed, turning his attention back to his phone.

Red narrowed her eyes at the pair, causing Dawn to shudder slightly. "What are you? Norwulffish?" She spat. "What is it with Norwulff's and betraying every single thing it means to be a true wolf!?" Red gesticulated her paws at the pair wildly.

"You don't follow pack roles, you refuse to acknowledge the fact that wolves are a superior species!" She hissed. "A-and worst of all you guys let prey step all over you! We're predators for a reason! We're supposed to dominate these little pipsqueaks!" She stabbed a finger at the ewe, causing Dawn to retract further into Vernon's chest. Vernon hugged her tighter in response.

"C'mon big guy, where's she keeping your leash at?" She grinned smugly. " I'd love to know what an ugly little runt like her did to get you under her hoof!" She stabbed a finger at Dawn, almost snarling as her tirade continued.

Dawn felt Vernon shift the ewe back over to her seat despite her desperate desire to stay nestled in his embrace. Startled, she turned back to look at the wolf. His stoic demeanor had given way to an annoyed grimace. Vernon glanced back at Dawn briefly, giving her a reassuring smile and patting her hair before letting out a tired sigh.

"Ver-"

"Hey buddy, mind telling your mouthy Omega girlfriend to shut her trap. I'm getting tired of the constant stream of stank breath coming this way."

Dawn's jaw dropped in shock as the words left Vernon's muzzle. He hadn't even dropped the kind smile he was still giving the ewe as he said it. Dawn quickly turned to find Red's eyes had gone wide in shock, and her mate had stopped toying with his phone. Chauncey looked somewhat nervous as Red quickly eyed him before turning back to Vernon.

"W-what did y-"

"You're one of those native wolves right?" Vernon said. "But Chauncey over there, he's a Norwulff." 

Vernon leaned over Dawn toward the pair, and the ewe could see a smug grin creeping across his muzzle.

"What's a matter Darlin'? To much of a bitch for any self respecting native wolves to deal with your bullshit so they cast you out, right?" Vernon chuckled.

Dawn looked back at the red wolf, the fur around her face seeming to become redder as her muzzle twisted into a snarl.

"Y-YOU-!" The she-wolf sputtered, seemingly staggering to search for a reply. With the words failing to come she did the next best thing, turning and swatting her mate. The nervous looking wolf winced in response to the sudden abuse.

"ARE YOU GOING TO LET HIM SAY THAT TO ME CHAUNCEY!?" She hissed.

"Baby I-" The she-wolf slapped him again before giving him a push off the seat. The wolf stumbled to his feet, looking back at Red in disbelief.

"WELL GO ON!" She gestured at the pair. "STAND UP FOR YOUR MATE!" 

Before Dawn could speak Vernon was on his feet, making his way to the aisle. The ewe quickly grasped at the back of his coat, causing him to turn back.

"V-VERNON DON'T!" She pleaded.

The wolf looked back at Dawn, wearing the same reassuring smile he had given her before.

"It'll be alright, I promise." Vernon turned back to her, leaning in and planting a kiss on her forehead. "I'll talk him down."

With that Vernon made his way over to Chauncey. Dawn leaned on the nearby armrest, clutching it tightly with both hooves in terror. The last thing she wanted was Vernon to have to square off with anyone and risk being hurt over some stupid and thoughtless remarks. For all she knew that wolf was carrying a knife or something worse, and she silently prayed that Vernon would succeed in talking the other wolf down.

With Vernon standing next to him, Dawn could easily see that Vernon was at least a foot taller than the younger wolf. That's not to say that the young wolf didn't look imposing in other ways. Chauncey's teeth were grit and his claws were out as Vernon loomed over him. Dawn couldn't make the words being said between the pair as they were far too hushed to perceive.

"Where's Judy when you need her?" She thought to herself.

Suddenly, the young wolf struck Vernon sending him to the floor in one swift motion. Dawn couldn't stop herself, quickly jumping over the seat and scrambling to his side as the wolf curled on the floor.

"TAKE THAT YOU FILTHY OMEGA MUTT!" The teen sneered.

"VERNON!" Dawn cried, trying to work through the wolf's paws to see the injury he was hiding. Vernon simply groaned in response. As the train lurched to a stop, Dawn quickly began to look around the car for any other nearby mammal. Someone to call over for some kind of assistance.

"OH THIS WAS SO STUPID, SO STUPID!" She cried, tears welling.

"C'mon babe, let's get off here. I don't want to ride with filth like this around." Chauncey spat. Dawn looked up to watch as Red quickly grasped his arm, beaming at the young male. Red gave the terrified ewe one final glowering stare before the duo made their way off the train and into the throngs of the Rainforest District. As the doors closed, and the train jerked back into motion, Dawn returned to attending the stricken wolf.

"VERNON, YOU SHOULDN'T H-"

The wolf finally allowed the ewe to pull his paws away, revealing a perfectly un-harmed Vernon. Dawn stared in disbelief as the wolf gave her a sly smirk.

"The kid gone?" Vernon asked.

"W-what?" Dawn stammered, her mouth agape as Vernon clambered back to his feet.

"What?" Vernon shrugged, returning to his original seat. "Told ya I'd be fine didn't I?" 

Dawn scrambled after him, grabbing one of his arms tightly as she eyed him.

"I-I-" She shook her head. "I don't understand."

The wolf gave her a smug smirk. "I talked him down."

"I SAW him hit you Puppy!" Dawn shook his arm.

"He didn't." Vernon shrugged.

Dawn was getting tired of the wolf's empty responses. Standing on her chair, she grabbed him by his face, pulling him so that she could stare right into his deep green eyes.

"Vernon." She said in a serious tone. "Tell me what happened back there." 

The wolf's smile dropped slightly. Letting out a sigh he gently grasped Dawn's hooves and pulled them away from his face. Still clasping them tightly, he dragged Dawn back onto his lap. Once she was properly seated he settled into a more serious expression.

"The kid was in over his head." Vernon replied.

"What?" Dawn replied.

"Those native wolves are always more trouble then their worth when it comes to social situations." Vernon sighed. "I think they get so mouthy because they are insecure about their own relationships, but it always seems like they gotta butt into other mammals affairs."

The ewe still wasn't quite following what Vernon was saying, She was still struggling to understand why they weren't making their way to the nearest hospital right now.

"Vernon, please tell me-"

" He didn't want to fight me. But his mate would have probably left him if didn't stand up for her." Vernon grabbed the ewe's hooves again, this time more tenderly.

"So I told him I'd let him get one fake hit in, and go down like a ton of bricks. Then he gets off the train and leaves us alone. Everyone wins."

Dawn arched her eyebrows in confusion. "He faked it? B-but why?"

"Because I told him I didn't want to have to wipe the floor with a young pup." Vernon smirked. The wolf stretched again, letting out another prolonged yawn before continuing.

"I dated one of those North Mammalian Natives in high school." Vernon's muzzle twisted into a grimace. "Ya always gotta prove you're Alpha enough for 'em, always starting fights on your behalf. I wanted to cut the kid a break, but he needs to learn on his own that kind of relationship is poison."

Dawn shook her head in disbelief. It was all becoming clear, that's why Chauncey seemed so nervous when Red had started yelling at them in the first place. The wolf knew that the bluster had a good chance of making him pay for it, especially considering Vernon's size. Dawn found herself briefly wondering just how often the young wolf had to fight on Red's behalf before a more curious question rose to the forefront.

"You dated one?' Dawn asked timidly.

Vernon groaned in displeasure. "Yeah, unfortunately. At the tale end of my whole 'bad dog' phase."

Dawn twiddled her hooves, eyeing the wolf with interest.

"Y-you never told me about that." She mumbled.

"I don't really like reliving it." Vernon sighed. "Both that part of my life, and my time with that horrible, evil-" Vernon grit his teeth, his brow furrowing in anger. After a moment he shook his head, seemingly to shake off the negative feelings.

"Yeah, she was bad news." He mumbled. "I'll tell you all about it when we have to write about it Darlin', I promise." Vernon assured, leaning in to hug the ewe.

Dawn smiled, opening her arms and allowing the wolf to hug her tightly.

"I love you Vernon." She said sweetly.

"I love you too Dawn." He replied.

As Dawn lingered in the hug she allowed the relief to wash over her. The wolves were gone, Vernon was fine, and all was right with her world again. But at the same time the whole incident was beginning to tug at the fears she had so desperately tried suppress the night before. What if Vernon's family reacted to meeting her the same way those other wolves did? What if it was worse? Dawn could feel the familiar knot in her stomach began to reform.


	3. All Stood Up

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Three: All Stood Up

The Rainbow Falls train station is known by Zootopia at large as 'The Gateway to the Meadowlands'." While there are many routes by car or on foot to venture into Zootopia's more northern districts, there is a significant lack of subway lines that venture beyond the steep mountains that separate the north and south. Some mammals chalk it up to the difficulties involved in mountain tunneling, while others believe it is due to the lack of economic incentive to tying The Meadowlands and Alpine Glade to the more bustling districts. Despite their relative size, the population is significantly smaller than the rest of Zootopia, and so difficult to build subway lines that would be rarely used and hard to maintain could be seen as a waste of money. The eventual answer to the transit problem was the creation of the "Rainbow Falls Rail Line", An above ground train that passes through the sole valley between the northern range into the upper districts. The line encompasses the North and South Meadowlands, Alpine Glade, and the northern outskirts of Zootopia. While not the only route, it is certainly the fastest for any traveler seeking to relax in the sprawling borderline country the Meadowlands has to offer. 

Needless to say, visiting home was always more of a chore than Vernon thought it should be. With all the transfers and pick-ups it could become rather grating rather fast. It was at times like this he wished his family lived far enough away to simply visit by plane.

For Vernon the walk over to the Rainbow Falls station from the Haymarket terminal had been uneventful compared to the subway ride, but tiring none the less. The trip was always tiring, but it hadn't helped that the wolf had a rather rough nights sleep. After waking up to find Dawn nervously typing away on her laptop and attempting to ease her back to a comfortable sleep, the wolf was left to ponder over his own growing dread over the whole reunion affair. He wasn't nearly as nervous as Dawn, but was keeping up a brave front for her sake. Any show of weakness or worry might help spur the timid ewe into a full blown panic and that was the last thing he wanted. But as he lay there in the dark of the bedroom, cuddled up with his Honey Lamb, he couldn't help but ruminate on some of the ways the trip could go south.

His largest fear was having to deal with his brother Yuri. Vernon's Mother had already confirmed he would be showing up this year, along with Ada his Hyena mate. Yuri had always been a troublemaker, and that was saying something when Vernon reflected on his own muddied past. He always knew the perfect words to say to get under your pelt, a skill he had only honed with time. There was a snowballs chance in Sahara Square that Yuri was going to keep his yap shut when it came to Dawn. He was most definitely going to spend the entirety of the trip tormenting the lamb. If Vernon could barely contain the urge to hit him under normal circumstances, this was going to be a true test of willpower.

With Yuri he could only pray that at the very least the rest of the family would call him out on it, but that was rare. Most of them preferred to just try to ignore him. So if the wolf pushed Dawn too hard, it was going to be up to Vernon to push him back and keep Dawn's spirits up.

The other somewhat major concern was how his Father was going to react to Dawn. Much like Vernon's Mother, Dorian knew Dawn was coming as well as exactly who she was. But how he was going to handle it was another story. While Dorian was mostly easygoing, there were point of contentions with the older wolf which he refused to budge on. He could be stubborn at times, and his beliefs about certain issues were often set in stone. Vernon could remember the push back he got when he told Dorian he was going to study to become an architect rather than a police officer. Even now, despite Vernon having a position in the Architecture Department in City Hall his Father still believed that he would 'come around' and join the force. 

Dorian's feelings on interspecies couples were reasonable, but with that came his staunch distaste and disgust for anything relating to prey or predator supremacy and the criminals who've worked to perpetuate such notions. Dawn's history with Night Howler, despite her best attempts to make up for it might not count for anything in his Father's eyes. But Vernon reassured himself that once he met Dawn, and could sense her sincerity as he did, that it would be all water under the bridge. At least, Vernon hoped. There were other concerns of course. Would his other brothers behave? how would their mates get along with Dawn? But they paled in comparison to those two looming issues which the thought of managed to steal enough sleep from the wolf to create the need nap on the subway, and even that hadn't quite been enough. 

Vernon rubbed his eyes as he stumbled onto the busy train platform at Rainbow Falls, letting out a dull yawn as he dropped his green duffle bag to the floor. The wolf again stretched in a desperate attempt to wake himself up, before turning to the ewe he had in tow. Vernon had also been pulling Dawn's roller suitcase along. The ewe's suitcase easily doubled the size of Vernon's own bag, and was actually larger than Dawn herself. Despite the size it was an easy carry for Vernon, and he playfully insisted that the ewe seat herself on it and he would carry her up to the station which she agreed to gleefully. To the wolf it was worth it just to keep looking back and catching her silly grin as she enjoyed the ride. 

"Last stop, everybody off." He chuckled.

Dawn beamed as she hopped of the suitcase, allowing Vernon to stand it up.

"Did you enjoy the ride my Queen?" Vernon grinned, his words laced with playful sarcasm.

The ewe gave the wolf a dull and un-amused stare.

"It was acceptable, now bring me a cluster of grapes as I have grown hungry." Dawn leaned her hoof on her head, feigning helplessness before breaking into a laugh.

"No, it was delightful." She smiled weakly before faltering into a look of concern.

"Are you okay Vernon? You seem awfully tired." She asked. "Maybe carrying me was to-"

"Nah." The wolf assured. "I'm fine, I'm fine. You know I'm not a morning mammal." He snickered.

Despite his assurance, the concerned look didn't fully leave Dawn's face. As the ewe went to open her mouth, Vernon decided it was best to change the topic to the task at paw.

"Welp, let's see if we can spot Wade and his girl." Vernon sighed, turning his attention to the bustling stampede of mammals.

The wolf craned his head over the bustling crowd as best as he could to make out hide or hair of the dowdy grey little wolf that was his older brother Wade. The wolf was supposed to be already waiting for them, if the text Vernon had received a few minutes ago was anything to go by. Still he was having a hard time picking him out of the crowd. 

"See him yet?" He heard Dawn over the murmur of the crowd. 

"Nah." Vernon said, squinting as he held his paw over his eyes to block the glimmers of sun peering through the canopy overhead. "Shouldn't be to hard to find in his off duty clothes."

"Why, does he dress weird?" Dawn half shouted as the din of the crowed grew.

Vernon turned back to Dawn, crouching down to better hear her.

"No, but he always wears this hideous 'Tundratown Terrors' Baseball cap. He loves that thing." Vernon chuckled. "It's practically a rag at this point, but that bright blue should stand out like a sore thumb in all this."

"Why not try looking for him by finding his mate?" Dawn asked. "It's not exactly hard to find a giraffe right?"

The wolf hadn't thought of that. Wade had only been dating the cow for about a month now, and so Vernon hadn't become fully accustomed to associating the two. Vernon stood back up, glancing over the crowd again. He looked from side to side before crouching back down.

"There's about seven or eight giraffes walking around here. That narrows it down, but not by much." He gave the ewe a shrug.

"So call her over." Dawn replied. "W-what was her name, G-g-" Dawn scratched her chin, clearly trying to eke out the name.

"Giselle." Vernon stated.

"Yeah Giselle." Dawn clapped. "So just call her over and I'm sure Wade will be with her.

Vernon stood back up, giving the crowd another brief glance. With a deep breath, the wolf placed a paw to his mouth and began to call out.

"GISELLE!?" The wolf's eyes darted from long speckled neck to long speckled neck.

"GISELLE ZARAFáH!?" Again he called, adding the cow's last name. But not a single giraffe paid the wolf a single mind. Vernon got a few odd stares as the crowd continued to move around the couple, which he simply shrugged off. 

"GIS-"

"EASY THERE PUPPY!" Vernon felt a firm paw grasp his arm, and turned to find Wade standing right next him. "You could have just called out to me you know." Wade chuckled nervously.

Wade was a somewhat smaller wolf than Vernon, as well as somewhat leaner. His physique clearly a reflection of a mammal who had to keep up at least a modest regiment in order to perform his job. His grey fur matched Vernon's, but lacked the white around the eyes and neck. He was dressed in the kind of worn out clothes Vernon expected. An old The Beagles' tee under a worn padded green fishermen's vest and blue jeans. And on top of it all off he was wearing the hideous blue hat Vernon had come to know quite well. The contrast between the shaggy, worn and faded sports cap and Wade's cloudy blue eyes was something the wolf seemed to think was a real eye-catcher when it came to 'the ladies'. Vernon agreed, but for entirely different reasons.

"Wade!" Vernon pulled the wolf into a hug and squeezed tightly. Between the Hunters, hugs were almost as much of a test of strength as a sign of affection. "Good to see ya! "

He could feel his brother's grip weaken first, signifying Vernon had bested him at the art of the brotherly hug before pulling away.

"Still wearing that old thing huh?" Vernon tapped the brim of is brother's cap.

Wade backed away from the rough prodding, caressing the brim affectionately with his own paw. 

"Of course, I can't go to the reunion without this bad boy." Wade smirked.

"You remember Dawn." Vernon gestured to his beloved little ewe.

"Oh of course, eh." Wade scratched the back of his head. "Howdy again Ms. Bellwether."

Wade crouched slightly, extending his paw to the lamb. Dawn smiled, shaking Wade's hand gently.

"Wade, I told you before. You can just call me Dawn." She chuckled.

In the time that Vernon and Dawn had officially become an item, Wade had visited with the couple at least three or four times. He and Dawn had already formally met sometime ago when Wade took the three out to lunch roughly a week or so after Dawn got out of the hospital. Every time they had gotten together things seemed to go well, although Vernon noticed that Wade was rather stiff and awkward around the ewe. He wasn't sure whether this was due to Dawn's history, or Wade's natural awkwardness around prey-folk. Vernon knew Wade was somewhat fearful of scaring innocent prey.

"OH!, Yeah, sorry Dawn." Wade replied, wincing has he released her hoof.

"So where's Giselle?" Wade jumped slightly at Vernon's question, earning him a curious glance.

"Yes, yes, I can't wait to meet her." Dawn added.

"Oh...well um, she's." Wade looked over the crowd briefly. "She's around."

Wade seemed jumpier than usual. His eyes seemed to be darting around nervously, and he kept wincing in discomfort. Vernon knew something was up, and was about to ask about it when Dawn cut him off.

"Oh! You know what, I should get us all something to drink at that Snarlbucks stall before we get on the train to up north." The ewe smiled widely as she turned to Vernon.

"Puppy, what do you want?" She asked.

"Oh, tiger size black coffee, and just bring a whole bunch of sugars. I think I need the extra pep today." Vernon engaged Dawn, but continued to dart his eyes between his twitchy brother and the sheep.

"What about you Wade?" Dawn turned to face the other wolf. "You can order for Giselle right?"

Wade winced again.

"Erm..." Wade's voice cracked. " We're fine, U-um I mean-" The wolf coughed, running a paw over his scalp. "Nothing for us I mean."

It was at this point Wade seemed to notice Vernon's stare, and the wolf could swear he saw Wade visibly gulp.

"Well, okay." Dawn seemed slightly disappointed. "I'll just get our drinks then." She flashed Vernon a final smile before taking off into the crowd toward the distant stall. With the ewe now out of sight, and definitely out of hearing range Vernon allowed his curious glance to fall into a more agitated glare. Now he was sure Wade was hiding something bad, and it was best to confront it now rather than let Wade hang himself.

"Alright spill it Wade." Vernon said bluntly.

"W-what!?" Wade jumped, taking a step back from the larger wolf.

"What's the bad news?" Vernon crossed his arms.

"I don't th-"

"Wade, we both know you are a terrible liar. That's why they never let you grill suspects." Vernon cut him off. "The quicker you get it out the easier it will be, so tell me."

Wade's head drooped in shame as he let out a prolonged and disappointed sigh.

"I-" Wade shook his head. "Giselle isn't coming along."

Vernon simply stared through the wolf. There was no way he had heard him correctly.

"What?' Vernon asked in disbelief.

"S-she's." Wade shrugged. "She couldn't make it this time around. I'm sorry, I-it was out of my paws."

Vernon could feel his stomach drop. This was not happening. Wade and Giselle were part of Vernon's deflection plan when it came to bringing Dawn home for the Harvest Festival. With both of them coming home with prey mates, the attention would be split between them giving both couples a bit of breathing room.   
Without Giselle the pressure was going to fall solely on Dawn and Vernon, they being the only 'new' couple in attendance. While it would be annoying, Vernon was sure he could endure the scrutiny. But he was more worried about Dawn, and how she would fair under the constant spotlight of the Hunter brood.

"W-Wade." Vernon stammered slightly. The wolf glanced back toward the stall in an effort to spot the wayward ewe. He wiped his brow briefly before turning back to his brother.

"What are you t-telling me right now?" Vernon asked again. Hoping desperately for a different answer.

"It was a family emergency, she couldn't help-"

Vernon grasped his brother by the shoulders, giving him a slight shake.

"W-wade, Dawn is really worried about this." Vernon gulped. "I-I'm worried too, but I've been keeping a positive attitude for her sake." he shook his head. "I mean less worried, but still.."

Vernon allowed his head to hang in exasperation. The floor seemed to spin as he tried to focus on the tile to get his bearings. With no real success the wolf looked back up at Wade.

"You were supposed to help us break the ice!" Vernon shook him with more vigor, nearly knocking his cap off. "With you and Giselle the family wouldn't focus so hard on me and Dawn."

"I know bu-"

"You two were supposed to keep them from dog-piling her!"

"I k-know I'm sorry, It can't be helped!" Wade stammered back.

Vernon released his brother, sighing as he placed a palm over his face.

"I don't want them to end up hurting her by accident." He drew his paw back over his scalp. "What if they grill her on her past she doesn't want to relive? She's technically an ex-con." Vernon shook his head.

"W-well she's not a child Vernon...I mean if they do talk about it-" Wade trailed off.

Vernon let out another sigh, slouching his shoulders in defeat.

"I know, I ju-" Vernon shook his head again. " I want her to have a good time, to feel welcome. I want them to get to know the Dawn I know, you know?" He eyed Wade pleadingly.

Wade nodded softly.

"How the hell am I gonna break this to her?" Vernon asked.

"Break what to who?" Vernon's blood froze. The wolf tried to turn toward the voice, but his body failed to move. Only his eyes managed to shift to the source of the call, falling on a familiar ewe holding a drink tray. Vernon grimaced.

"H-hey Honey Lamb." Despite his best efforts, the sentence came out shaky. "T-that was fast."

"Well they weren't that busy." Dawn smiled. The ewe raised the tray toward Vernon, the cup clearly too large for her to hand off on her own.

Vernon gingerly took the large cup from the tray, flashing Dawn a weak smile.

"Thanks Darlin'." Vernon grabbed a hand full of sugar packets off the tray as Dawn took it back. 

"Oh, get this!" Dawn clasped at her purse with a free arm, giving it a jostle. "I got a text from Judy while waiting at the stall. Turns out Nick and her are heading out to Bunnyburrow for a festival too."

"R-really?" Vernon gulped slightly. "Same kind?"

"I think so, although she said it was called 'Carrot Days' or something." The ewe shrugged. "I think it's the same thing with a different name. But it's nice to know I'm not the only one meeting their mates family this weekend."

"I wonder how the Hopps will take that one." Vernon murmured. 

"From what I heard they already met Nick, and Judy's Mother knows, but I'm not sure about her Dad." Dawn said.

"Good luck Mr.Hopps." Vernon smirked as he popped the lid off of his coffee. Even though Vernon and the fox were on somewhat acceptable terms, the wolf could only stand dealing with him in small doses. So Vernon couldn't began to imagine what having Nick as an in-law would be like. Vernon shuddered at the thought before pouring a few of the sugar packets into his piping hot coffee. As he idly stirred his drink, he decided to shift the conversation to the train before the ewe brought the conversation back to the missing giraffe. 

"Well, we should probably get to the train. It should be heading out soon." Vernon muttered.

"What about Giselle?" Vernon dropped the new packet he was opening as Dawn spoke. He felt like an idiot. Of course, how could he avoid the subject of Wade's absent date as they boarded the train without her? Bringing up the need to get to the train was only going to beg the question. The wolf let out a defeated sigh. There was no way out of this, they had come to far to go back. Much like getting Wade to spill the beans, it was best to just get the truth out as quickly as possible. But Vernon was damned if he was going to be the one to bring her down. Vernon glanced at his brother, gesturing his head toward the ewe.

"Well, this is your fault, so why don't you tell my lovely little lamb the bad news." Vernon grumbled, taking a sip of his powerfully bitter coffee as he eyed Wade.

"My fault!?" Wade sputtered. "It was a f-" Vernon watched Wade turn to Dawn as the words died in his throat. Dawn was eyeing them both in utter confusion.

"What is going on?" Dawn asked. The ewe took a sip of her decidedly more frilly coffee drink, leaving a small dollop of whipped cream on her muzzle. "Did something happen?"

"Tell her Wade." Vernon gestured to the ewe again.

Wade scratched the back of his head. The wolf gave Vernon another unsure glance, only for Vernon to respond by once again gesturing toward Dawn.

"Well..." Wade muttered, seemingly struggling to get the words out. "I-I uh-." 

Vernon could see the desperation in Wade's eyes as they continually glanced between him and Dawn. He knew just how much Wade hated making mammals unhappy, it was part of the reason why he ended up falling into a mediation role among the Hunter Brothers. Despite how agitated he was at Wade at the moment, the pity he felt for the stammering wolf inevitably overrode it.

Vernon sighed. "Giselle isn't coming Lamb Fry." Vernon stated bluntly as he crouched down to Dawn's level.

"W-what?" Dawn asked in shock. 

Vernon gently wiped the little dab of whipped cream off Dawn's muzzle before gently caressing her face.

"I'm sorry Dawn, apparently she had a family emergency come up and she can't come along." The wolf's ears sagged. "So it's just us."

The ewe was silent for a moment, staring at the wolf in clear disbelief.

"T-that...really? She's n-not coming?" Dawn stammered.

"I'm sorry Floofs. I-"Vernon's slowly shook his head, but it became faster and more vigorous as he began to rethink the whole scenario. Despite the fact that he wanted Dawn to meet his family, with the sudden change in circumstance it would be unfair to ask Dawn to simply press on. They hadn't come too far to go back, and it was probably better if they turned tail now for Dawn's sake. Maybe they could meet his folks some other time, without the rest of the Hunter clan in tow.

"If you want me to just cancel this and we can go home, I ca-"

"N-no." Dawn stuttered.

Vernon eyed the ewe in surprise.

"Dawn, we don't have to-"

Dawn placed her coffee down and grabbed the sides of Vernon's muzzle, keeping his eyes trained on her. He could see a determination burning behind her shining lime green orbs.

"I'm not going to run away! I'm ready to do this!" Dawn stated firmly.

Vernon was shocked, but it didn't last long before a smile crawled across his muzzle and a chuckle escaped his maw.

"You absolutely sure now?" He grinned.

Dawn released his face, and as she picked up her coffee she gave the wolf a firm and decisive nod.

"Well, ain't she a tough little ball of fluff." Wade remarked.

As Vernon rose to his feet he flashed his brother a smug grin.

"Now don't you go getting too jealous, she's mine." Vernon said.

Dawn beamed in response, fluttering her eyes at Vernon affectionately. Wade let out an uneasy laugh before turning his attention to the rising din around the train station.

"Welp, we better get moving. Don't want to miss the train." Wade said.

Vernon began to cobble up the suitcases, doing his best to keep his coffee from spilling onto himself.

"Yeah, yeah, but don't think you're off the hook about Giselle. I expect a full explanation of this 'family emergency' on our ride out." Vernon stated as he began to dutiful march toward the train.

"Don't say it like that! You know I wouldn't lie about something so serious!" Wade retorted. Vernon could hear Dawn giggle.

It didn't take very long to get settled on the train. After helping Dawn up to her seat, Vernon stowed his duffle on the shelf above them and set the ewe's rolling case between his legs. Settling into his seat, he watched his brother wade sling his satchel bag on the seat next to him before sitting across from the pair. Wade still looked fairly uncomfortable, unable to properly meet Vernon's gaze whenever he looked his way. Dawn seemed alright on the surface, but Vernon could tell by the way she had latched on to his arm that she was still processing what the absence of Giselle spelled for the pair. The awkward and uneasy silence permeated until the train finally started moving. Wade began to watch the platform slide away from the window before finally finding the courage to speak.

"It really was last minute you know." Wade muttered.

"Hmm?" Vernon replied.

"Like it happened this morning." Wade finally managed to meet Vernon's gaze.

The wolf sighed, taking a sip of his pungent coffee. He could feel it starting to work it's magic as the groggy haze began to fade.

"Alright, so what happened." Vernon asked.

"Her father got into a car accident." Wade stated.

"Oh my goodness!" Dawn yelped. "Is he-"

Wade gestured for the pair to calm down. "Easy, easy! When I say car accident, it was only sort of one."

Vernon was so thrown off by Wade's description an odd chuckle escaped his muzzle.

"How does a mammal 'sort of' have a car accident Wade?" Vernon shook his head in disbelief.

"Well..." Wade scratched his head. "See it's like this."

"Giselle's Father is getting into his forties now, and he's kind of working through a mid-life crisis." Wade stated.

Vernon failed to suppress another snicker. He didn't want to laugh at the situation, but a mammal suffering from a mid-life crisis always seemed to lead to hilarious antics in a desperate attempt to feel young again. Vernon could already picture a slightly balding mammal in a shiny new sports car, trying desperately to come off as cool or hip. Although he had a hard time imagining a balding giraffe. After all, such a mammal was so tall how could one even check his hairline?

"Recently he bought a new car, some shiny open top sports car with red and black giraffe printing." Wade continued.

"Ha, I knew it!" Vernon smirked before feeling a jab at his side. Glancing down the wolf found Dawn eyeing him with slight irritation.

"Hush Puppy, let him finish." She chided.

"Thank you." Wade muttered. 

Vernon turned back to his brother, nodding at him to continue.

"Well...he was on his way to work this morning in the new car. He had the top down, and was driving way faster than he should have been." Wade sighed. "While chatting on his cell phone no less."

Vernon simply nodded, keeping his face as stoic as he could.

"That's illegal isn't it?" Now Dawn was interrupting Wade.

"Yes, definitely." Wade nodded. "Anyway, he wasn't paying attention and turned onto the wrong road. Are you both familiar with Pack Street?" 

Vernon simply nodded.

"Wait a minute, Pack Street?" Dawn asked. "That road isn't zoned for large mammal traffic."

"Exactly." Wade pointed at Dawn. So he's speeding with his top down, and he doesn't realize the lamp posts on Pack Street are lower than on his usual route, and so-"

"Oh no!" Dawn gasped.

"He hit a lampost?" Vernon inquired.

"More like the lamp post hit him." Wade drew his paw up to his throat, gingerly bringing it against his neck. "Poor guy clothes-lined himself going fifty miles an hour."

"Sweet Sawgrass, is he alright?" Vernon murmured in shock.

"He bruised his trachea, and did some pretty heavy damage to his larynx. But Giselle texted me that he'll recover." Wade sighed. "Still she wanted to stay until he was discharged, so that messed up the whole weekend plan."

"Well, maybe she could still join us after he gets out?" Vernon asked hopefully.

Wade shook his head dismissively. "That's pretty unlikely, the poor guy isn't even awake yet. They'll probably keep him till at least Monday."

Vernon heard Dawn let out a sigh before feeling her lean harder into him. Looking back at her he could see she felt bad for Giselle's Father, but there was still the hint of lingering fear painted on her face. Vernon gently patted the poof on her head in an effort to put her at ease.

"Hey Honey Lamb?" Dawn managed to look up at him, her once determined glare looking a little more shaky and unsure. "Remember what I said, if anything goes wrong we'll leave. You're my top priority." Vernon gave her a reassuring smile.

"There's really nothing to worry about." Wade added. "I can tell already Ma is going to love you."

"R-really?" Dawn mumbled, now turning her attention to Wade.

"Oh yeah, trust me." Wade smiled. "Your probably got the best shot out of all of the girls at getting along with her. I may not have known you for too long, but you remind me a lot of Ma."

"Let's not be to hasty there Wade." Vernon chuckled uneasily, the wolf was slightly averse to the idea of comparing Dawn to his Mother.

"Nah I can see it. Dawn's gentle and kind. But she can be surprisingly tough when it comes down to it. I mean look at what she did at the Wine Factory. Ma would have done something like that if she were in Dawn's hooves." Wade gestured to Dawn.

"Wade, that's so sweet. Thank you." Dawn smiled.

Despite the fact that Vernon didn't really want to acknowledge any similarities between his Mother and the ewe he planned on marrying, he couldn't help but smile at Wade's sudden praise of her. This was the most outspoken he'd seen Wade be over what he really thought about Dawn, even in private talks with Vernon.

"I just...I had to fight for the ones I loved. I couldn't let Ver-" Dawn shook her head briskly. "I mean everyone get hurt because of me. I just..." Dawn paused. "I did what I had to."

"And that's exactly how Ma is." Wade assured. "She gets tough when it comes to those she loves." Wade smiled.

"And I think you've shown us just how much you love 'ol Puppy over there, so of course she'll love ya." Wade gestured to the larger wolf.

Vernon laughed. "That's true." He pulled the lamb into a side hug.

"You two both love me, so ya got that much in common." Vernon grinned.

"I don't know..." Dawn muttered. "I mean...I can't give her grandpups or anything like that." 

"Neither can the rest of us." Wade chuckled. "'Cept for maybe Ulric..." He trailed off. "Or me if things don't work out with Giselle." The wolf place his hands on his knees. "I suppose if worst came to worst Ma and Pop would just have to have more pups of their own."

"What about your Dad?" Dawn asked innocently. "Surely he'd mind me being with Vernon."

Wade's grin faltered slightly. "W-well I think he'd take to you just fine." He coughed awkwardly. "I-I mean he knows a good mammal when he sees one, I mean w-we all do don't we Vern?" 

Vernon nodded weakly, but inside his previous fears came rolling back to the forefront. Just how was his Father going to handle Dawn? Would he be able to look past her previous transgressions and see that she was truly changed? Vernon gulped slightly at the thought, the last thing he wanted was his Father to hurt her. It was apparent that Dawn was probably thinking the same thing as he felt her grip around his arm tighten.

"W-what about the others?" Dawn mumbled.

The grin quickly returned to Wade's face. "Oh the other brothers? You got nothing to worry about." Wade prattled off. "They're mostly harmless and anything they do that's outta turn their ladies will keep them in-line."

"You won't even meet most of them till tomorrow anyway." Vernon shrugged. "Zach and Vanna are the only ones who live near the ranch. The rest of 'em live to far away to make the trip in one day."

"Yeah, so you'll get a chance to settle in and get to know all of us a little bit at a time." Wade added. "That way it won't be so overwhelming, you know?"

Vernon could feel the tension in Dawn's grasp begin to ease. While the plan to distract the family with Wade and Giselle had fallen through, at the very least Wade was good at helping Vernon keep the ewe calm. The better Dawn felt, the better Vernon did.

"T-that sounds good." Dawn mumbled.

"That'a girl." Vernon smiled, squeezing Dawn into another hug. "I told you everything will be okay."

Dawn smiled back up at the wolf a genuine smile, free of any lingering hint of fear. Vernon could feel his heart flutter at the sight. Seeing the ewe smile was something that could never get old for him. As Vernon turned his attention to the mountains rolling past the windows he took a sip of his now repulsively cold coffee, and for a brief moment he felt as though everything was back on track.


	4. Hello Mother

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Four: Hello Mother

Although the Meadowlands is usually referred to as simply "The Meadowlands", It is actually large enough that on maps it is usually divided into two areas. There is the South Meadowlands, which is an average sized urban area littered with shops, restaurants, bars, and every accoutrement that most small cities have. Then there is the North Meadowlands, where the urban sprawl rapidly peters out into suburban homes and eventually long tracts of countryside. It was nice to see that some things hadn't changed in the time Dawn had spent away from the meadows of the north. They were still as beautiful and clean as ever, the endless swaying meadows now tinted in various shades of auburn signifying the arrival of the fall season. Dawn had only lived in the Northern Meadowlands briefly before her Father uprooted the family and moved them closer to the south side. Ironically it had been her brief friendship with Vernon that had prompted her families sudden move, a reason she failed to recall until her sessions with Dr. Gnu. Spiral Horn Academy, the all prey school she would spend the rest of her childhood attending didn't have bus routes that ran as far north as her old home. So she was moved closer to get her into the school as well as far away from the friendly and energetic wolf she had known.

Dawn's scrunched up her muzzle in disgust as she recalled the terrible memories she had forged at Spiral Horn. It was something she had already covered in her book so far, and not a time she liked to re-live. Then again there were very little times in her life she liked to re-live at all. It had been a drab, miserable little place with stern and abusive teachers and even crueler students. Her horrible nicknames, Smellwether and otherwise had not only followed her into the academy, but lead to the birth of newer and creatively more foul nicknames as time went on. The ewe mostly just tried her best to keep her head down, to stay buried in her books. But there were times when the actions of her fellow students dragged her out of her safety bubble and raked her over the coals. She was too smart, she was too quiet, and there-for too weird to leave alone. Spiral Academy just became an extension of her home life, leaving the ewe with no place to turn for a reprieve from being beaten and teased. Even the teachers, not bound by rules against corporal punishment, would sometimes make an example of her if she made a mistake or heaven forbid, forgot her homework once in a blue moon. She could still feel the hot sting of a ruler across the bridge of her hooves as the memory coursed through her mind.

Dawn let out a sigh as she stood in the parking lot, staring across the wind blown field as she let the memories blow away with the current. That was behind her now, writing about it for the upcoming book was a way to finally close the door on that chapter of her life. Now it was time to face a new challenge. Yet why did the idea of Vernon's Mother and Father simply disliking her fill her with even more dread than facing another day at Spiral Horn? 

"Honey Lamb?"

Dawn jumped as she felt Vernon's paw come to rest on her shoulder. She whipped around quickly to find Vernon had snapped into a defensive pose.

"Easy, easy there Floofs. It's just me." Vernon said.

"O-oh sorry Vernon. I was kind of lost in thought..." Dawn trailed off as she once again eyed the rolling meadows. "Thinking about some things is all." She sighed.

"Don't tell me the pep-talk has worn off already?" Vernon chuckled.

"No, no." Dawn reassured the wolf. "Just thinking about the old days." The ewe let out a wistful sigh as she returned to staring at the golden meadows. Farther off in the distance Dawn could make out the ridge that made up the North Mountains. The trees adorning their slopes now a cascade of seemingly infinite colors. Savannah Central was the only of the four main districts that didn't have climate control. But being adjacent to Sahara Square and the Rainforest District kept the area largely seasonable all year round. It was impossible to prevent the weather bleeding over from both districts, and thus the leaves in the district rarely showed signs of changing unless the tree was sick. It had been far too long since Dawn had the chance to appreciate the unaltered change of seasons. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Vernon had joined her as she took in the scenery.

"Beautiful ain't it?" Vernon sighed.

"Breathtaking." Dawn smiled.

"You think that's pretty, wait till we get to the ranch." Dawn turned to find Wade walking toward the pair, satchel in tow. The wolf adjusted his worn old cap as he came to a stop in front of them.

"It's got a way better view of the mountains, and we got a river on the property." Wade added.

"Lamb sakes, you two must of loved growing up there. It sounds like it had everything a little lam-" Dawn paused to correct herself. "-pup could want."

"Well, we didn't have a trampoline. I would have loved that." Vernon lamented. Dawn couldn't help but snicker.

"Still it was great place to play and explore growing up. Even if some of my brothers were a pain to get along with." Vernon said, pulling Wade into a hug.

"You can't mean me!" Wade laughed. "I was the good one!"

"Pfft...sure you were, but I was Ma's favorite." Vernon retorted. Wade simply scoffed in response.

Dawn smiled as the two brothers teased each other, for a moment feeling a pang of jealousy for having grown up an only child. She may have missed out on a bunch of fights and arguments, but that camaraderie that Vernon and Wade seemed to share would have been well worth the trade off.

"I wish I could have been there, It sounds like it was so much fun." The ewe let out a sad sigh as she looked to the ground. It wasn't long before she felt the familiar presence of the wolf's paw under her chin as her gaze was slowly brought back up to Vernon's own. His deep green eyes shimmered as he bent down to plant a kiss on her forehead.

"Well we'll have plenty of fun there this week." Vernon smiled. "Aside from meeting my folks, this is also a vacation. And we are going to make the most of it Honey Lamb."

Dawn felt a warm smile creep across her face. It was moments like those that managed to cut through all her fear and doubt, even if it were for but a moment.

'HONK! HONK' The sudden sharp horn broke the ewe's brief reverie, causing her to jump in response. Wheeling around quickly, Dawn's eyes came to rest on a beat up looking old pick-up truck. It was clear to Dawn the truck was red, at least at one point in it's life. However the color had long since faded to more of a pinkish hue, with smatterings of rust forming at the edge of it's every hinge. It was also dimpled with dents and crumples spanning across it's metal frame. Each mar on the chassis wasn't a massive one, but it was clear that the vehicle had been through some rough patches in its time.

Dawn couldn't quite make out the driver behind the glare of the sun on the windshield, and despite squinting it wasn't making it any easier. She heard the driver's side door slam roughly, and a few moments later the driver finally walked into view.

"Hope you all weren't waiting too long now!" The she-wolf who now stood before the group hollered. The wolf was clad in a dull pink plaid shirt, and a simple pair of beat-up jeans held up by a fairly worn looking belt. She had a pelt similar to Vernon's, same grey with white features around the eyes and muzzle. Unlike Vernon however, the white area was larger, and covered more of her face which was a clear sign of her age. She was short too, at most a little larger than double that of Dawn's height.

"Ah! There she is." Wade gestured over to the she-wolf as she approached.

"Ma!" Vernon chirped. 

Before Vernon could fully open his arms for a hug, Wade zipped in front of him to be first in line. The smaller wolf had practically bounded into his Mother, hugging her tightly.

"Hey there my little fuzzy fourth!" The she-wolf removed Wade's ugly cap, ruffling his head fur before putting replacing it. Wade pushed back, clasping his faded cap tightly to his head.

"MaaaAAA!" He hissed, backing away as the wolfess approached her more towering son. Vernon's arms were now fully extended, allowing the wolf easy access to the incoming hug. The older wolf wrapped a paw around him and squeezed tightly, bringing a paw up to Vernon's cheek and pinching it.

"How's my little Puppy doin'?" The she-wolf cooed.

"MaaaAAA!" Vernon whined as he returned the hug.

"Oh stop it!" Breaking the hug she gave Vernon a small and playful swat. "What, now only your mate is allowed to call you that? Remember, they didn't give birth to you."

Dawn froze slightly as her brown eyes fell on the ewe. The she-wolf cocked an eyebrow before a pleasant smile crossed her muzzle.

"Well hi there darlin', you must be Dawn." The wolf extended a paw. Dawn looked up at Vernon briefly before taking the wolf's paw in her hoof.

"It's okay, Dawn this is my Ma, Audrey Hunter." Vernon nodded toward the looming wolfess.

Dawn was about to do her best to give an earnest shake, before she found herself on the end of a surprisingly strong grip and vigorous shake. The handshake rattled through the ewe, displacing her glasses slightly with the force of it.

"Ma, this is Dawn Bellwether. She's my mate." Vernon stated, pride dripping in his voice.

Thoroughly throttled, the wolf finally released the wobbly lamb. Dawn quickly re-adjusted her glasses, offering an uneasy smile back at the she-wolf.

"Well I figured that Puppy." Audrey flashed the taller wolf a dull glance before returning her focus to the ewe. "It's a pleasure Darlin', I'm happy to meet you." Audrey grinned.

From what Dawn could tell, the smile seemed genuine and that much put the lamb slightly more at ease.

"Here I was starting to worry my Puppy would never meet anyone." The she wolf reached up to grasp the larger wolf's ear, giving it a slight tug. Dawn could see a sudden flash of fear in Vernon's eyes, and the wolf winced slightly in apprehension.

"You been treating her right?" His Mother chided.

"Ah! Yes, yes o'course I have Ma!" Vernon whined.

"That true Ms. Bellwether? He been a good boy?" Audrey smirked at the ewe, the wolf's ear still in her grasp.

"O-of course Mrs. Hunter!" Dawn nodded vigorously, stammering as she spoke. The way the meeting was going had thrown Dawn way off, and the ewe was still reeling. Audrey's grin widened to reveal her teeth before she finally released Vernon. The larger wolf cradled his ear as he glared down at his Mother.

"You can call me Audrey darlin'." The wolf tutted. 

Vernon was blushing as Dawn eyed him, it was clear the large wolf was embarrassed.

"And what about you Wade?" The wolfess turned her attention to the blue capped wolf. "Where's Giselle?"

Again Wade went rigid at the sound of his girlfriends name. The wolf scratched the back of his head awkwardly as he spoke.

"I-I- um." He stuttered.

"She couldn't make it this time around Ma, family emergency." Vernon replied.

Audrey frowned as she glanced between her two sons.

"Aw, that's a real shame." Audrey said. "I was really looking forward to meeting that nice she-wolf of yours. Might actually get some grandpups from one of ya." She gave Vernon a playful rib.

Dawn cocked her head in confusion. 'She-wolf?' She thought. Looking to Vernon she could see an equally confused expression scrawled across his face. The larger wolf turned to his brother, and as Dawn's eyes joined him she found that Wade was shrinking into his shoulders. The wolf looked slightly sick as he nervously eyed the couple before glancing back at his Mother.

"Y-yeah, ha ha." Wade barked. "W-well I mean, that's h-how it goes." The wolf shrugged jerkily.

Dawn turned her attention back to Vernon, whose face had now twisted to one of anger as he stared down at his brother. It all became clear to Dawn in that moment. Wade had lied about exactly who he was bringing to the re-union, and thus left the couple completely high and dry when it came to defending them. Seemingly reading her mind, Vernon turned his attention back to Dawn, his expression now a mixture of fear and sadness.

"Welp, we should get a move on!" Audrey apparently hadn't noticed the sudden tension. "I want to be back by the time Zach and Vanna get home, we got work to do for tomorrow!" The wolfess began to saunter back to the driver side of her vehicle. 

Giving the truck a hardy pat on the hood, the wolf gestured toward the back of the car. "You boys can ride with the luggage. Dawn, you can ride up front with me."

Dawn felt her heart leap into her throat. Before she could turn to Vernon to gauge his reaction, the wolf cut in.

"N-now wait a minute Ma-" Vernon immediately stepped forward, raising his paws defensively. "I think it's better if me and Dawn ride together in the truck bed, I don't th-"

"Vernon." Audrey gave the wolf a dull look. " I brought you up to be a gentlemam'. And it ain't very gentlemamly to let a lady ride in a truck bed."

"Bu-"

"Now, now, she'll be fine with me." The wolfess opened the driver's side door. "I ain't gonna bite." She flashed another grin Dawn's way.

"You can't be-"

Vernon was again cut off, this time by the slam of the driver's side door. The car shimmied on it's suspension for a moment before the passenger side opened out toward the group. Inside, Audrey leaned across the seat as she pushed the door the rest of the way open. With the door now opened wide, the she-wolf eased her way back into the driver's seat.

"Well come on now! Time's a wastin'." Motioning to Dawn she patted the passengers seat gingerly.

Dawn looked up at Vernon with worried and pleading eyes. She wasn't sure she was ready to be all alone with his Mother, not this soon. Who knows what she'd have to say to her in the privacy of the truck cab. Vernon gave her an uncomfortable and worried grimace. Crouching down to Dawn's level, he placed a paw on her shoulder.

"I-I" The wolf sighed, shaking his head. "It'll only take ten minutes to get to the ranch. There's nothing to worry abo-"

"Vernon!" Dawn whispered tersely. "What do I even say!? What do I do!?" The sheep did her best to keep her tone low despite the rising panic.

"It's all right." The wolf hushed. Despite his assurance the wolf looked uncertain. "Knowing my Ma, she'll do most of the talking."

"T-that doesn't make me feel better Vernon!" Dawn hissed.

"C'mon you two, don't dawdle!" Audrey chided. "Besides I want to get to know this ewe my son is so smitten with."

"VERNON!" Dawn suppressed the desperate shout to a half whisper.

Vernon shrugged uneasily, slowly standing back up as Dawn made a desperate grab for the hem of his coat. It narrowly slipped through her hooves as Vernon began to walk toward the back of the truck. Dawn watched as the wolf passed his brother, giving the smaller wolf a hard punch in the arm as he threw his duffle into the bed.

"OW! VERN!" Wade hissed, rubbing his arm. Vernon glared at him fiercely, and Dawn watched the wolf slink down under the stare. As Vernon loaded Dawn's case into the bed, he gave Dawn a last sorrowful look, mouthing 'I love you' as he climbed into the back.

"C'mon sweetie, hop on up." Her attention was drawn back to the she-wolf, now offering a paw to the ewe across the seat.

"This is it, no running now." Dawn thought to herself. With a deep gulp, Dawn grabbed the wolf's paw and pulled herself into the passenger seat,

Taking a moment to get comfortable, the ewe shimmed herself deep into the doughy cushion. Dawn pulled the worn old seatbelt across her chest and snapped it into place. After making sure she was secure the ewe simply looked ahead, shaking slightly as she prepared for the car to start moving. She wasn't sure if she could muster the courage to even face Audrey, let alone speak.

'CLUNK!' Dawn turned to the sudden dull noise. It had come from a dirty little sliding window in the back of the cab. It rattled briefly before another heavy 'CLUNK' shook the pane again.

"tefff to teels!" Dawn could hear the muffled shout from the other side, it was undoubtedly Vernon's voice.

"Now, now!" Audrey tutted. "You boys both know that window has been stuck for years!" Audrey threw Dawn another cheeky smile, and Dawn swallowed hard in response.

That was clearly her mates last, desperate attempt to protect the ewe. Dawn was on her own now.

"Alrighty, sit tight Dawn." Audrey said. "We'll be at the ranch in no-time."

Dawn felt the car come alive as the wolf turned the ignition, the frame shuddering and rattling her seat as the engine roared. Dawn uneasily clutched the padding of the seat to steady herself as the car continued to vibrate in tune with the engines hum. If the outside hadn't been enough of an indication, the shaking and shuddering of the interior reminded Dawn of just how old the car must of been. If it had shocks, the springs must had eroded some time ago. With a lurch, the truck pulled up to the train exit, and out on to the open highway.

The first two minutes of the ride felt like eons to Dawn, and had it not been for her phone she would have sworn up and down it had been at least ten. The truck cab remained silent as Dawn ruminated over exactly how to start the conversation with the Mother wolf. The ewe fiddled with her hooves idly, glancing up out of the window occasionally. Due to the vehicles size she couldn't see much more than the tops of mountains and power lines passing by at a sloth's pace. 

Once she nearly mustered the courage to talk, clearing her throat in an attempt to prepare. But as she opened her muzzle, only a barely audible squeak came out. She had all but given up when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Taking it out, the face of her phone displayed the name of a sender she knew very well.

'Sender: Puppy Love: Keep calm Honey Lamb. I love you. P.S. Don't worry, I'm killing Wade.' 

Dawn couldn't help but giggle at the last bit, for a moment it carried her away from the situation. 

"That boy is ridiculous." Dawn heard Audrey mutter.

Dawn turned to find the she-wolf looking at her, it was clear she had seen at least some of the message. The ewe shrunk in her seat.

"The boy is acting like I'm gonna break ya in half. I swear, I've never seen him so protective before." Audrey glanced back at Dawn, giving the ewe a half smile. "He must really care about you." The smirk grew into a genuinely warm smile.

Dawn felt the tension in her chest ease slightly as the wolf held the grin. 

"And I know if my boy cares for you, you have to be a good mammal. Vernon's got too good a head on his shoulders to go with anything less." She smirked again at the Dawn before turning her attention back to the road.

"I-I". Dawn stuttered. "I really care about him too Mrs. Hunter." The ewe finally had eased enough to speak.

"Now I told ya, call me Audrey." The wolf chuckled. "Or Mom if you prefer." She gave the ewe a cheesy grin, causing Dawn to giggle.

Dawn turned back to her window, watching the tops of mountains eke by.

"I-I.." Dawn shook her head. "I'm sorry I haven't been so t-talkative. I've just..."

"It's alright dear. This ain't the first time I've met a girl one of my sons brought home. It's only natural to be scared." Dawn turned back to Audrey.

"O-oh good. I mean you understand." Dawn sighed, letting more of the tension strip away with it. "I w-was afraid you'd think I w-was a-"

"Afraid of wolves?" Audrey chuckled.

Dawn nodded meekly.

"Honey, you are dating probably the largest wolf in the family. My husband jokes that Vernon's got 'dire' in him." Audrey laughed. "If that wolf won't scare you, no wolf will."

Dawn chuckled weakly in response, it was a silly fear, but not the only one. 

Dawn jumped as the car suddenly shook. A loud 'PANG!' came from the truck bed. She could hear a muffled shout, followed by another loud 'CLUNK!.'

Audrey, keeping her eyes on the road pounded a paw against the back of the cab.

"HEY!" She shouted. "YOU BOYS KEEP THAT HORSEPLAY DOWN!" 

A few quieter mumbles were all Dawn could hear as the quiet hum of the car returned to the cab. Dawn couldn't imagine what was going on back there, but she imagined it wasn't a pretty sight. Still she had her own problems to focus on, and the fairly large knot in her stomach continued to tighten as she thought about the major question she knew she had to ask. It was a topic she really didn't want to discuss, but she had to know if Audrey knew anything about her past.

"Mrs-" Dawn paused to correct herself. "Audrey, d-did V-Vernon tell you about me." The ewe swallowed hard. 

Audrey laughed. "Of course he did. Teeth to tails I've never heard that boy talk so much in my life." She grinned widely. 

"It was all-" The she wolf puffed herself up slightly, in an effort to appear larger and pantomimed a phone to her ear. 'Dawn's amazing, you'll love her, she's beautiful, the love of my life!' The wolf let the air out of her lungs, returning to her natural posture as she dropped the mimicry act.

"It reminded me so much of his Father when we got together." Audrey chuckled.

Dawn was intrigued, leaning in closer to the she-wolf as she seemingly prepared to spin a yarn about her past. Dawn knew she had to bring the conversation back around to her criminal history soon, despite the desire to avoid it. However another reason she had wanted to go on the trip to the Meadowlands was to learn more about Vernon's family, and so she decided to press the wolfess to continue.

"R-really?" Dawn muttered.

"Oh yes." Audrey laughed, tapping the steering wheel with her paw a few times. "Vernon may not like to admit it but he's so much like his Pa it's almost scary." She turned to Dawn, flashing the ewe a grin. "Of course that's not to say I can't see me behind those eyes, at least a bit of me."

Audrey turned her attention back to the road.

"Dori was such a sweetheart. A big fluffy puppy dog." She let out a wistful sigh. 

Turning her attention back to Dawn, the wolf gave a gentle smile.

"Vernon tell you what I do?" She asked.

Dawn nodded a meek no.

"I farm." She nodded. "I mean part of the time."

"You farm?" Dawn asked in surprise.

"Yes ma'am, my whole side of the family were farm dogs." She gave Dawn a dull look. "Probably hard to picture wolves as farmers ain't it?"

Dawn nodded.

"These days I farm enough to run a little stand at the 'Harvest Festival', I'm sure Vernon told you about it?" Audrey asked.

Dawn shook her head no. It was true Vernon had mentioned the Harvest Festival itself, but he had neglected to mention his Mother operated a stall there. Audrey let out a hard breath of air as she turned back to the road.

"I should have figured." Audrey mumbled. "Doesn't really matter too much in the scheme of things, I just do it for fun. Although I'll admit my stall is pretty popular."

"W-what do you sell?" Dawn asked.

"Roasted corn and pumpkin pies." Audrey grinned at the ewe, giving her a sly grin. "Now don't fret darlin', as part of the family you get as much free food as you want at my stall."

Dawn giggled. "T-thank you, that sounds delicious." 

Audrey chuckled, and the laugh petered away into a wistful sigh.

"My family had been running a stall since I was a little pup." She stated, smiling warmly. "And when I got old enough I ran the stall, sometimes by my lonesome."

Dawn listened intently, nodding softly as the wolf went on.

"I was sixteen and a half." She laughed to herself. "I remember I was eager to make sure every mammal knew about the 'half' bit. I was so desperate to grow up." Audrey shook her head dismissively.

"My Pa turned my loose into the festival so I could get some time away from the stand. He thought it was important I still got out and played, despite my burning desire to run the stand all day." Audrey eyed Dawn. "In my eyes I was an adult already, and I didn't have time for play."

Audrey shrugged. "But I always listened to my Pa, and so there I was, wandering around the festival looking to kill time until I got back to work." She chuckled. "I wouldn't even go on any rides, I just roamed around lamely checking my watch."

"Then I caught sight of this little stand. 'Hunter's Bounty', the old wooden sign said." Audrey said.

"W-wait?" Dawn interrupted. "Are you telling me Vernon's Father was a far-?"

"Now don't get ahead of me darlin'." Audrey chided playfully, wagging a finger at the ewe.

Audrey eased back into the drivers seat, grinding herself back into the old cushion before letting out a comfortable sigh.

"Anywho, the stand itself wasn't what caught my attention." A warm smile crawled across her muzzle. "What caught my eye was the tall drink of water running the stand." 

Dawn could see a blush beginning to form under the she-wolf's fur on her muzzle as she continued to reminisce. 

"Of course it would have been hard not to spot him with that stark white fur sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the sea of festival goers. His lean and toned body, fur glistening with sweat as he helped his Pa work the stand." She cooed.

Audrey leaned toward Dawn, arching her eyebrows suggestively. "Of course it helped that he wasn't wearing a shirt at the time." She chuckled.

Dawn blushed, barely suppressing a giggle as the wolf continued her increasing lurid description.

"MHHmmHH!" The wolfess licked her maw. "That Mam' loo-" Audrey shook her head briskly. "Well, I'm getting off track."

"Needless to say I was immediately drawn to him, but what sold me were his eyes." She sighed amorously.

"His eyes?" Dawn pressed further."

"I remember approaching the stand coolly, certain I was so mature, such a adult." She grinned. "I was going to have this boy wrapped around my finger." She shook her head.

"When I made it to the front he looked up and our eyes locked. Those steely grays froze me stock still." She cooed. "In that instant I was reduced to a little girl again, I couldn't even form words. All I wanted was to go everywhere he was, and do anything he wanted to do. I didn't care about running the stall, or anything. I was struck dumb." The wolfess chortled.

Dawn was watching the wolfess in awe at this point.

"W-what about him?" Dawn asked.

"That dummy Dori." She chuckled. "He dropped the hot pie he was holding and scalded himself."

Dawn couldn't hold back as a giggle burst out, which Audrey quickly joined her in.

"Needless to say I had the same effect on him that he had on me." She grinned.  
"After that, we were just it. We knew at the moment we were going to be together." She shook her head briskly. "We spent the rest of the day wandering the festival together, riding every ride there. We were just kind of lost in the glow of love."

Dawn could feel herself grinning stupidly at the romantic tale. The ewe had always been a romantic, and during her adolescence she satiated that hunger with pounds and pounds of romance novels. Needless to say the earnest, romantic story, played perfectly on Dawn's heart. She could feel the warm swell in her chest as she let out an amorous sigh. She couldn't help but picture Vernon and herself in the young couples place.

"I remember I ended up getting scolded when I finally wandered back to the stall at closing. I had completely forgot about it." She smirked dumbly.

"What happened after?" Dawn asked eagerly.

Audrey shook her head. "Aw, that's too much to tell darlin'. I remember far too much." The she-wolf chuckled. "Let's just say there were a great deal of nights spent in the moonlit fields of the Meadowlands cuddled up on a blanket and..." The wolf blushed harshly. "exploring the depths of our love." 

Dawn brought her hooves to her muzzle as she felt the heavy heat of her blush return. 

Audrey coughed awkwardly, switching her focus back to the highway.

"Ahem, anyway. Long story short I was pregnant at seventeen." Audrey giggled.

"O-oh my." Dawn uttered.

"I was ecstatic. I was so ready to be a Mother." She grinned widely.

"And Dorian?" Dawn asked.

"Dori was equally as excited. It honestly surprised me how over the moon he was about having pups." She sighed. "The issue was old Mam' Hunter."

"Oh, he was against it?" Dawn asked.

"Well, by that point Dori's Father's health was on the down slope. He and Dori had already been having arguments about taking over the Hunter family farm." She shook her head. "Dori didn't want the Hunter Ranch. He wanted to work in law enforcement."

"Sound familiar?" Audrey chuckled.

Dawn quickly recalled Vernon's own struggle to work in architecture against his Father's wishes.

"W-wait you mean?" Dawn stammered.

Audrey simply nodded. "I can't tell you how long it took me to get Dori to realize he was treating Vernon the same way. But anyway, Mrs. Hunter had passed away long before this all happened, so Dori's Father didn't have anyone to convince him he was in the wrong."

Audrey leaned her paws on the wheel, pointing her fingers at the road ahead.

"We wanted to have a tithing ceremony before the pups were born, to make it official." Audrey's soft grin turned to a grimace. "But Dori's Dad refused to approve of it unless Dori agreed to keep farming."

Audrey eyed the sheep curiously for a moment. "I'm sorry darlin' I forgot, do you know what a tithing ceremony is?" 

Dawn nodded briskly. "Y-yes, yes, Vernon told me."

"Oh!" Audrey gave the ewe a knowing smile. "So Puppy has plans huh?" She cooed.

Dawn briskly shook her head, waiving her hooves dismissively. "Oh no, no. He told me about it for the book I'm writing."

Audrey's smile faltered slightly as she turned her attention back to the road.

"Ahh...oh well." The wolf shrugged. "I remember the night we were at the ranch, and I confronted Dori's Dad alone, pleading with him to let us be tithed." 

Audrey's grimace deepened as she recalled the painful memory. 

"But he was stalwart, and stubborn, and refused." She sighed. "Even when I broke down and cried he wouldn't agree to it."

"Oh my." Dawn said sadly. "That's awful."

"It got worse." Audrey lamented.

"By that point I hadn't really been paying attention to how loud our private conversation had gotten, and Dori heard me crying." The wolf cringed.

"W-what happened?" Dawn asked timidly.

The wolfess chuckled. "Dori stormed in, shouting up a storm." Audrey shook her head. "He was telling him about how amazing I was, how I was the love of his life, and how Grandpa Hunter had no right to treat me that way." 

Audrey gave Dawn a warm smile. "That's why I brought this whole yarn up, because Vernon seemed as passionate about you as Dori was about me in that moment." Audrey sighed. "Well, with less shouting behind it."

Dawn couldn't suppress the goofy smile that crawled across her muzzle as she glanced back at the dirty plastic window now separating her and Vernon. Her heart swelling with love for the big mutt as she imagined his passionate performance over the phone. The ewe made a mental note to give the wolf the tightest hug she could when they finally got to the ranch.

"Of course that was enough to put old Mam' Hunter in the hospital." 

Dawn's amorous reverie broke as the words drew her right back to the conversation. The suddenly dark turn filled her with unease and tension, fearing she had driven the conversation toward this grim topic.

"Lamb Sakes, I-" Dawn was aghast. "I'm so sorry."

Audrey shook her head dismissively. "Don't worry about it, Grandpa lived through it. In fact he was around to see most of my pups grow up." She chuckled.

Dawn let out a relieved sigh.

"But it was a sobering experience for him." The wolfess smiled. "At the hospital the old wolf gave the okay for the tithing ceremony. He even let Dori off the hook about farming the land." 

Audrey turned on the blinker, and gently pulled off the highway.

"Then I promised to keep farming for him, since I farmed anyway." The wolf sighed. "Wasn't like I was just gonna stop because Dori was my mate."

The truck came to a stop as they pulled up to a red light, and with a flick of her paw Audrey turned the blinker on. Dawn heard what sounded like a muffled yelp from nearby, but decide to ignore it.

"Is that why you still run the stand?" Dawn asked.

"Well, at first we needed the extra money." The wolf's paws idly tapped on the steering wheel. "Dori had to go through the academy and actually start working in the police before we didn't have to rely on farming."

"But after we got set up, and could care for the pups pretty well with just Dori's pay I kept farming because I enjoyed it." She smiled. " But it also felt like I was honoring ol' Papa Hunter in some small way."

As the light changed, Audrey pulled the truck onto the lonely country lane. The wolf fell silent at the conclusion of her story, allowing an awkward silence to once again permeate the cab. Dawn took to staring down at her hooves as she began to twiddle them uncomfortably. She wasn't sure how near they were to the Hunter Ranch, but they had to be getting close. It was time to broach the uncomfortable subject of Dawn's own past. Dawn gulped slightly as she began to speak.

"I-I suppose." Dawn cleared her throat. "I suppose Vernon told you a-about my history too?" Dawn uttered.

Audrey kept her eyes on the road, but gave a short nod in response.

"T-the night howler thing I mean?" Dawn continued.

Again Audrey gave a simple nod. Dawn couldn't read the wolf's expression.

"A-and how I w-went to prison?" Dawn was starting to sweat. The previous tone of the cab now felt as though it had been replaced with coldness. Dawn could feel the pit of her stomach twist further as the wolf seemed unresponsive.

"Vernon told me all about it." Audrey finally replied, still not taking her eyes off the lonely country lane ahead of them.

Dawn looked down at her hooves again, now idly tapping them against her legs. This was it, now that she had laid it all out there she was seeing how Vernon's Mother really felt. There was no way she and Audrey were going to have any sort of relationship other than a quiet and civil dislike for one another.

"He also told me about how you put your life on the line to save the city, and to save him." Audrey gave the ewe a sympathetic smile. "You saved my boy."

Dawn was startled, she could feel her mouth hanging open in shock before she quickly closed it. 

"W-w-well of course, I-I-..." Dawn stammered. "I-I love him." 

Audrey smiled widely. " I know you do Darlin', though I am glad to hear it straight from the source."

"But I still-"

Audrey held a paw up to Dawn, effectively silencing the lamb.

"I know what your gonna say Dawn." The wolfess sighed. " Look, Vernon told me everything you did. He told me about the Night Howler scandal, about your time in prison and what happened a few months ago."

Dawn eyed the wolf in confusion.

"He also told me about how hard you've been trying to make up for it. How hard you worked to reform, and what you went through growing up." Audrey frowned at the ewe.

"But that doesn't excu-"

"Look Dawn. " Audrey sighed." It may not excuse what you did in the past, but I know you are trying to fix what you can. And I can't give you any grief for that." 

The wolf gave Dawn a genuine smile. "Vernon vouched for your character up and down. That boy doesn't do that for just anyone. And from what I can tell just by talking to you, I can tell he's right."

The wolf hit the blinker again before turning on to an unpaved dirt road. Dawn could feel the rock of the suspension become more aggressive as they shifted from concrete to soil.

"I wasn't faking my reaction back at the station Dawn. I'm taking you at face value, starting fresh. I'm not going to dwell on that stuff if you don't." Audrey added.

Dawn couldn't help but stare at the she-wolf in disbelief. She couldn't believe Audrey was willing to overlook her past just like that. There were so many questions she felt like she should ask, but that would be going against what the wolf was asking. Instead she quickly nodded in agreement, willing to accept any kind of olive branch Vernon's Mother was ready to give her.

"Good." Audrey smiled broadly. "Then welcome to the family Darlin'."

The truck came to a slow stop as it pulled up next to a large wood framed cabin style home. The impressive A-frame loomed over the car, it's large windows shining with refracted sun-light. Dawn used the door handle to give herself a boost in order to better see the whole home. As she strained against the seatbelt she was able to see how large the property really was. The Hunter Ranch house was probably the size of two ranch houses put together. The treated wood structure dominating one whole side of the car's window view. As Dawn squinted, she could see that she had been somewhat right in her assessment. The core of the house's wood color and fading indicated that it was older then the long arm that extended down the side of the car. It was clear the house had seen several additions over the years.

"Welp, here we are." Audrey grinned widely as she gave the ewe a nudge. "Welcome to the Hunter Ranch Dawn."

Dawn smiled back at Audrey as she un-did her seatbelt. 

"It looks lovely." Dawn said, reaching for the nearby door handle.

"It's just as comfortable inside, I can assure you." Audrey laughed.

Dawn opened the passenger car door, pushing it away with all her might. She had to catch herself toward the end of the heft as she nearly stumbled off the seat but she had at least succeeded. As Dawn readied to hop off the seat and onto the Hunter's land, Audrey called her attention again.

"Oh, and Dawn?" Audrey asked.

"Y-yes?" Dawn turned to find a concerned looking she-wolf. Immediately the ewe felt her tension return.

"If anyone gives you a hard time, whether it's my boys or Dori." Audrey's eyes flashed a deadly seriousness. "You tell me alright?"

Dawn nodded softly as the tension ebbed away.

"I want you to know that you have a friend in me. If you need anything, you come to me. Okay Darlin'?" The wolf added.

"Y-yes ma'am." Dawn replied nervously.

Audrey gave the ewe a simple smile before opening her own door and sliding out of the car. Soon after Dawn followed, hopping down to the dirt road below. It had only taken a few moments for Vernon to show up along side her, luggage in tow. Dawn grinned up at the wolf before wrapping her hooves around his waist and giving him as tight a hug as she could muster.

"Ma! What did you do to her?" Dawn heard the wolf shout in annoyance. Dawn glanced up to find the concerned wolf looking back down at her. She beamed back up at him.

"Vernon, I'm fine." She cooed.

"Then what's this for?" The wolf asked in confusion.

Dawn blushed slightly. "I-I just love you is all." She buried her face back into the wolf's waist as she continued to hug him. She couldn't see his face, but she could feel the wind shifting around her hooves as Vernon's tail wagged wildly.

"I- uh...I love you to Honey lamb." Vernon replied.


	5. Travel by Truck-bed

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Five: Travel by Truck-bed

His Mother had made up her mind, and had bested every attempt the wolf had made to keep the pair riding together. Clearly the she-wolf was not going to hear his argument. Now staring down at the intensely nervous looking ewe Vernon had to find some way to put her at ease. The double bombshell regarding Wade's deception and now riding alone with his Mom had clearly shaken her up. Kneeling down to Dawn's level, the wolf place a paw on her shoulder.

"I-I" The wolf sighed, shaking his head. "It'll only take ten minutes to get to the ranch. There's nothing to worry abo-"

"Vernon!" The ewe whispered sharply. "What do I even say!? What do I do!?" It was clear Dawn was getting worked into a full blow panic.

"It's all right." The wolf hushed, doing his best to keep a confident attitude despite the nervousness biting at him. "Knowing my Ma, she'll do most of the talking."

"T-that doesn't make me feel better Vernon!" The lamb hissed.

"C'mon you two, don't dawdle!" Audrey chided. "Besides I want to get to know this ewe my son is so smitten with."

"VERNON!" Dawn whisper shouted.

There was nothing he could do, the wolf was wracking his brain for a way out but nothing was coming. Perhaps it was better if he just trusted in his Mother. She was a kind and level headed mammal after all, and she had seemed genuinely keen on Dawn after the phone call. He knew she wasn't going to just tear into the ewe with relentless accusations. With nothing left to try the wolf let off a reluctant and uneasy shrug before rising to his feet. 

Vernon chewed the side of his muzzle as he started for the back of the truck. He could see Wade loading his satchel bag over the side of the truck.

'Wade.' He thought with a hiss.

As Wade turned to catch Vernon on his pass by, Vernon reeled back and slugged him hard in the arm.

"OW! VERN!" Wade hissed, rubbing his arm. Vernon glared at him fiercely.

How dare Wade even react like he didn't deserve a smack. Hell the wolf deserved worse for the terrible lying he had been doing. Vernon put all his hate into his stare as the other wolf wilted beneath his gaze. 

"We ain't done yet Wade" Vernon hissed quietly at the crumpled mutt. Satisfied for the moment, the wolf started to load Dawn's case into the truck bed. He was furious at the whole situation, but glancing back at the passenger side door the wolf could help but feel the anger evaporate as he saw the pathetic looking ewe standing beside it. She looked like a lost child, pleading to him for help he couldn't give. Vernon frowned, he wished he could fit in the cab with her.

"I love you" he mouthed the words at Dawn, hoping it at least would offer some solace before he finally clambered into the back of the truck.

Vernon sat himself up against the cab, Dawn and his bags nestled right next to his leg. He crossed his arms as he muttered to himself about how ridiculous his mom had been.

"Pullin' the Gentlemam' card, for cripes sake." He shook his head. "Dawn should be riding with me."

Vernon watched Wade come into view as he made his way to the truck bed opening. The wolf caught Vernon's gaze only for a moment before looking down and away. Vernon watched as the wolf reluctantly climbed his way into the bed, closing the trunk behind him before gingerly settling down next to Vernon.

Vernon was about ready to let Wade have it in full when he noticed the cab window between them. The wolf had completely forgotten about it. Having that open would keep him in the conversation between Dawn and his Mom, and if the subject got to touchy he could jump in and keep Dawn from getting blasted. The wolf quickly grasped the edge of the window, a motion that made his brother flinch as he seemingly expected another punch. Vernon threw all his weight into shifting the grimy plate, thinking it would be an easy open. With a heavy 'THUNK' the most the wolf managed to get was a horribly wrenched shoulder blade. Vernon winced, giving the window a punch with his good arm.

"TEETH TO TAILS!" The wolf hissed through the pain, now cradling his shoulder.

"Nw,Nw! Yu byss nw tht windew hss been stck for ears!" Vernon could nearly make out his Mother's shouted response, but he at least managed to get 'window stuck' out of the slew.

"Damnit!" The wolf hissed, slumping back into his cross armed state. As he felt the engine roar to life, the wolf let out an exasperated sigh. The trip had only really just begun and it was already getting worse by the minute. As the train station began to pull away the wolf leaned his head back, staring up at the clouds as they passed him by.

Dawn was alone, at the mercy of his Mother's scrutiny. And here he was, unable to step in and stand up for the ewe. What if his Mother brought up Dawn's past? What if she attacked her for it? The wolf could feel a tight ball forming in his stomach.

"S-she'll be fine Vern." He heard Wade finally pipe up. Vernon simply glared at him. 

"M-Ma ain't gonn-"

"Don't." Vernon sneered. "Just don't, I don't want to hear you right now." The wolf spat. Wade fell silent on command, staring at his lap as he fiddled his paws nervously. 

The ride continued on silently for another few minutes, Vernon silently turning over all horrible ways the conversation between Dawn and his Mother could be going. 

"Maybe you can text her?"

Vernon wound up his arm, ready to slug Wade again before his advice fully registered. Wade held his paws up defensively as he shrunk into the side of the cab.

"WAIT! WAIT!" Wade closed his eyes. "THAT WAY YOU CAN REMIND HER SHE CAN MESSAGE YOU IF THINGS GET BAD!"

Vernon had largely ignored the second part of Wade's statement, instead having whipped out his phone and scrolling through the list of contacts before coming across 'Honey Lamb'.

"Keep calm Honey Lamb. I love you." Vernon typed. Glancing over at the crumpled heap that was his brother he quickly added. "P.S. Don't worry, I'm killing Wade."

The wolf mashed the send button before returning the phone to his pocket and letting out a sigh. 

"V-vernon..." He heard Wade whimper. Turning toward his brother, the wolf gave him a dull stare.

"What Wade?" Vernon grumbled.

"I-I'm sorry." Wade mumbled.  
Vernon grimaced sharply, gritting his teeth.

"Sorry?" The wolf shook his head. "SORRY!?" He growled.

Vernon grabbed Wade by his shoulders causing the wolf to wince.

"Sorry for LYING about your girlfriend?" Vernon hissed. "Lying not just to me and Dawn, but to MA!? What is WRONG WITH YOU!?"

Vernon shook his brother tersely.

"I DIDN'T ME-"

"IS THERE EVEN A GISELLE WADE!? CAUSE YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST TELL ME NOW!" Vernon continued to shake the wolf.

"THERE IS, THERE IS I SWEAR!" Wade pleaded.

Vernon could tell that for the moment Wade seemed to be being earnest. Letting off a loud huff, Vernon pushed Wade away harshly sending the wolf into the side of the car with a loud 'PANG'. Wade let out a wounded yelp before hitting the floor of the bed with another loud 'CLUNK'!

"HEY!" Vernon turned his attention to the truck cab behind him. "YOU BOYS KEEP THAT HORSEPLAY DOWN!" 

That the wolf had heard clearly, and with it Vernon slumped back into his corner, crossing his arms again. Vernon watched as Wade pulled himself back up into a sitting position. 

"Feel better now?" Wade asked, smiling meekly.

Vernon let out a sigh. "Just explain to me exactly 'what' is going on with Giselle Wade."

Wade let out a tired sigh as he slumped forward.

"I didn't lie about the family emergency." Wade said.

"So you lied about the wolf thing?" Vernon said dully.

Wade shook his head vigorously. "No, I mean yes, I-" The wolf dragged a paw across his face. "Look she is a giraffe! She is honestly!"

"So why does Mom think she's a wolf?" Vernon asked, irritation rising in his voice.  
"B-because that's what I told her." Wade said meekly.

Vernon simply placed his head in his paws, laughing a quietly mad chuckle. This was absolutely perfect to Vernon. It should have made sense a lot earlier, after all it was classic Wade. The wolf had always been a peace maker and a mediator, but his eagerness to please everyone and to prevent fights had lent the wolf the bad habit of lying when faced with upsetting those he cared about. Giselle was a giraffe, Vernon was now certain that much was true. But the wolf had clearly lied to the others in the family in an effort to kick the can of 'dealing with it' down the road.

"So what was going to happen today Wade?" Vernon asked bluntly.

"W-what?" Wade stuttered.

"If Giselle had been with us, what were you gonna tell Ma?" Vernon laughed. "This girl with the same name as my girlfriend is actually my bag caddy?" Vernon shook his head.

"NO!" Wade barked. "Of course not!" The wolf looked down at his own lap, twiddling his fingers.

"I w-was..." The wolf sighed. "I was going to tell everyone as they met her." The wolf shook his head briskly. "I-It seemed easier that way."

Vernon tilted his head back, letting out a laugh as he stared at the moving sky.

"Easier...Mam...'" Vernon exhaled sharply. " So you lied to the whole family aside from me. You told them you were bringing a she-wolf home. But you told me the truth, and strung me and Dawn along under the premise that the family knew who you were bringing." The wolf wearily shook his head. "And your plan was to just be like 'SURPRISE! turns out Giselle is a giraffe!' when you finally brought her around?" Vernon let off a shrug. "That doesn't seem 'easier' at all Wade."

Wade slapped a paw onto his muzzle.

"Well, when you put it like that it sounds dumb." He chuckled weakly.

"It is." Vernon added bluntly.

"B-but I was kind of nervous." Wade bit his claws. " I was worried about what the family would th-" The wolf trailed off as Vernon glowered at him.

Vernon could feel the rage starting to rise in his gullet as he glared at Wade. He could tell what Wade was going to say, yet couldn't believe it. Vernon's muzzle twisted into a clenched grimace as he stared at his brother in increasing ire and disbelief.

"eep..." Wade squeaked out.

"What the family would think about you because you were dating a 'prey' mammal!?" Vernon hissed.

"V-vern I didn't mea-"

"No, NO!" Vernon was now looming over the smaller wolf. " I get it, I do. It's how you really feel." Vernon hissed.

Wade shook his head vigorously. "Vern, I just-"

"After all you wouldn't want to come off like some dirty 'prey chaser' like your brother!" Vernon continued.

"Vern I-"

"At least not till your dear old brother tested the waters for you, right!?" Vernon had reached his limit, but instead of throwing a fit and promptly slugging his brother the opposite effect happened. Vernon let out a hard exhale before slumping back into his seated position. The wolf stared up at the sky again, releasing an exasperated sigh. With the release went his fury, his ire, and his rage, allowing it to sink into a more quiet seethe.

"V-Vernon?" Wade asked. "I'm sorry, I was nervous okay. But that doesn't mean that I was judgi-"

Vernon held up a finger to his brother to interrupt him.

"I'm going to kill you." Vernon said calmly. "Slowly, over the next four days."

"But Ver-"

"But just shut up for a while okay." Vernon added. "For the rest of the ride please, just shut up."

Wade seemed to heed the wolf's word, falling silent as Vernon continued to watch the clouds. Vernon felt sick, a combination of betrayal and disgust twisting his stomach into knots. He gingerly laid a paw on his stomach, patting it gently in a weak attempt to ease the tension within. as he felt the car come to a stop, he briefly looked around to see if they had made it home. The faster he didn't have to share a confined space with Wade the better it would be for his mood. Sadly the truck had merely stopped at an intersection.

"Vern?"

Vernon gave a terse and irritated sigh.

"What!?" Vernon spat in annoyance.

"W-would you be okay with not telling everyone that I-"

Vernon gave the other wolf another strong wallop in the shoulder, causing Wade to let out a surprised yelp. The wolf whined, rubbing his shoulder aggressively as he gave Vernon a hurt glare.

"VERNON! C'mon mam' that ones gonna bruise!" Wade hissed.

"Shut up you weasel!" Vernon snapped back. "You should be glad I didn't throw you out of the damn truck!" Vernon snarled.

Wade leaned back against the cab, a glum expression now painting his features.

"You will tell them." Vernon sighed.

"What?" Wade asked.

"Before the weekends out you're gonna tell 'em everything. Or I will." Vernon glared at the wolf again. "Got it?"

Wade nodded dumbly.

"Now shut up." Vernon added. "I just don't want to hear you talk for a while, I mean it this time." The wolf spat.

As Wade fell silent Vernon felt the familiar telltale wobbles start to rock through the car that signaled they had moved from concrete to dirt and gravel. That meant the old Ranch was just around the corner now. The wolf let out another heavy sigh before clasping his duffle. Slinging it over his shoulder, Vernon grabbed Dawn's case and leaned over the edge of the truck bed to watch as the house came into view. They were passing Mom's cornfield now, rows and rows of golden and succulent cobs just waiting to be picked and roasted. Vernon tried to focus in on thoughts like that to ease himself. Pumpkin pie, roast corn, rides, games, picnics in the fields. These were all things that he'd get to enjoy with Dawn, regardless of how things went with the family. He was going to make sure she had a good time come hell or high water. 

But the ultimate goal of the weekend was something that still weighed heavy on his mind, now made worse that Wade had effectively put Vernon and Dawn in such an awkward position. He needed the weekend to go perfect, he needed to show his parents how good Dawn was, and how good she was for him.

"I was going to ask Dad's permission for a tithing ceremony."

"WHAT!?" Wade practically spat.

Vernon turned to look at Wade, his face sullen.

"That's why this is so important Wade. I wanted to surprise Dawn with it, y'know?" Vernon sighed.

"Y-you really, I mean-?" Wade shook his head. "I can't believe it."

"I wanted Mom and Dad to know this wasn't just 'a thing' or whatever. That's why you and Giselle we're important." Vernon grimaced. "Aside from making Dawn feel more comfortable, it would sort of help normalize a pred/prey relationship more to have more than one couple around when I asked."

The car slowed to a stop in-front of the sprawling Hunter Ranch. As Vernon heard the engine die, he slung Dawn's case over the side and gently lowered it to the ground.

"Just Don't say anything to Dawn, I still want to surprise her." Vernon glanced back at Wade. The smaller wolf nodded dumbly, adjusting his cap as he did.

With a heft, Vernon hopped over the side of the truck bed landing firmly on the soil below. Quickly grasping Dawn's suitcase handle, he strolled over to her side of the truck. The door already hung open, and as Vernon approached the ewe hopped down from the car seat.

The ewe gave Vernon a broad smile before wrapping her hooves around his frame tightly. Vernon was worried for a moment, fearful that somehow the ewe had heard him blathering on about his plans for tithing before remembering that the sheep had been locked in a cab with his mother for a good fifteen minutes.

"Ma! What did you do to her?" Vernon cried, shooting a curious glance at his Mother before looking down at the lamb. Dawn was grinning warmly up at him.

"Vernon, I'm fine." She cooed.

"Then what's this for?" The wolf was at a loss.

The sheep blushed slightly. "I-I just love you is all." She buried her face back into his waist as she continued to hug him. This was a good sign, things must have gone well with his Mother after all. The wolf could feel the tension in his stomach eased as the warmth of a building blush overtook him, his tail wagging briskly in response. 

"I- uh...I love you to Honey lamb." Vernon replied.


	6. The Hunter Ranch

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Six: The Hunter Ranch

Audrey had been right, the Hunter household did indeed seem more comfortable on the inside as the ewe warily strode into the entry hall closely behind Vernon. As the large wolf set the bags down, the ewe began to take in the full splendor of the rustic ranch. The interior was warm and inviting, the slabs of unprocessed red wood that made up the walls creating a reddish tint to the refracted interior lighting that only added to the comfort. The hall Dawn was standing in was massive, it's size only emphasized by the fact that it opened up to the roof. In front of her Dawn could see a half spiral staircase leading to the overlooking second floor balcony, which seemed to act as an overhang for the sort of half hallway below. The entry had no shortage of rustic decor. Warm wolf themed quilts and pictures of various members of the Hunter brood covered the walls and old polished wood tables. The floor of the space was polished hardwood, covered with simple colorful rugs near the door and staircase.

Dawn's curiosity caused her to take few steps forward, revealing more of the surrounding rooms of the quaint little home. On the sides Dawn could see the hall connected to other open rooms. On the left she could see what appeared to be the dining room. A large, dark oak table surrounded by at least a dozen matching chairs with a simple chandelier hovering above the table center. To the right Dawn could see a large dark reddish plaid sofa and loveseat surrounding a small coffee table and a large television. It was clear to the ewe that it must have been the Hunter living room.

"Hey now don't get ahead of me." 

Dawn froze in place, turning back to find Vernon hanging his jacket on one of the several hooks on the nearby wall.

"I kinda want to lead the tour there Mutton Chop." The wolf smirked.

Dawn blushed slightly, placing a hoof over her muzzle.

"O-Oh sorry." Dawn stuttered. "I just didn't expect this place to be so..."

"Big?" Audrey entered, with Wade trailing closely behind. As Wade placed his luggage down next to her and Vernon's, Audrey placed her own jacket on a hook.

"Well it wasn't always this big, we've done a lot of remodeling over the years. We've gotten real good at it." Audrey smiled proudly.

"Dad still hasn't finished the basement right?" Vernon smirked.

"No he hasn't Vernon." Audrey groaned. The she-wolf gave Vernon a playful tap on the snout. "He's been busy 'helping' Zach build up his own house on the property so they can move out of that trailer." She added.

"So by 'helpin'' you mean doing all the work?" Vernon chuckled.

Audrey gave the wolf a dull glance. "Well your brother doesn't know a screwdriver from a corn cob."

"Your home is lovely Mrs.-I mean Audrey." Dawn smiled nervously at the wolfess.

"Thank you Darlin'." Audrey gave a broad smile in return. "If ya'll want to head off to have a look around you are welcome to it."

Dawn briefly glanced at the suitcases that Vernon had left below the coat rack.

"What about the bags?" Dawn asked.

"We can just take 'em up-"

"Aw don't worry about that you two, you can get 'em later." Audrey tutted. " Go have a little fun."

Vernon gave Dawn a sultry grin, raising and lowering his eyebrows playfully. The ewe covered her muzzle in an effort to hide her furious blush. Audrey clearly noticed, and responded by giving the lecherous wolf an elbow to the rib.

"Not that kind of fun!" Audrey huffed.

"OW! MA!" The wolf rubbed his side. "I was kidding." The wolf pleaded.

"I meant get comfortable." Audrey crouched down to Dawn's level, giving her a sympathetic glance. " I want you to feel welcome Dawn, like one of the pack." Audrey smiled warmly, and Dawn returned it with an equally genuine smile.

"I um-" Wade murmured, drawing the attention of the group. "I'm going to head to our old room."

The wolf scratched behind his ears awkwardly as he continued. "I want to text Giselle and see how her Father is holding up." Wade sighed.

"Aw, that's what the emergency was Wade?" Audrey lamented. "Poor old wolf, what's wrong with him?"

Dawn eyed Vernon in confusion, recalling what Wade had said earlier before getting in car. "Wait, okay so Wade really is d-?"

Wade quickly scurried over and squeezed between Dawn, Vernon, and his Mother. There was a real fear in his eyes as he held his paws up for Dawn to stop. 

"HA, HA YEP!" The wolf barked loudly. "I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT IT LATER MA!" Wade's eyes were now flicking between Vernon and Dawn nervously.

"Why exactly are we yellin'?" Audrey eased Wade aside, eyeing the trio in confusion.

"No, No reason!" Wade lowered his voice. "Hey! I'll take your guys bags!" Wade sped back over to the luggage and began to cobble it all into his arms. "It's the least I can do right?" Dawn could see the wolf flash her pleading eyes. 

Dawn looked up at Vernon, her muzzle twisted in utter confusion. Vernon crouched down to Dawn's level and leaned into her ear.

"I'll tell you on the tour Floofs." He whispered.

Before Audrey had a chance to even ask why the pair were being strangely secretive, Wade had pushed back between the mammals, his arms overloaded with luggage. 

"Welp, I'll catch you guys later!" Wade yelped. The wolf continued his trudge toward the partially covered hallway. It took him a moment, and some shuffling of the luggage, but eventually the wolf got the nearby door open and eased his way into the other room. With Audrey thoroughly distracted, Vernon quickly jerked back into a standing position. 

"Welp, I guess I better show Dawn around 'ey Ma?" Vernon drew the she-wolf's attention back to him.

Audrey eyed the couple curiously for a moment before seeming to give up on the whole odd affair.

"Alright" Audrey shrugged. "You two go walk around and get settled in. I'll call you when Zach and Vanna get here, and we'll all have a nice late lunch." 

Audrey rubbed her paws together excitedly. "I'm gonna go get started on the tea."

The wolfess turned toward the dining room, only taking about two steps before turning back to the couple.

"And if you need anything Dawn, remember what I said. Ok?" Audrey grinned.

Dawn gave a meek nod before the wolf turned back toward the dining room and eventually made her way out of sight. For the first time since the train station the couple were finally alone. Now was probably a good time to ask about Wade's girlfriend, Dawn thought. Dawn turned to find Vernon already staring down at her with a confused look on his face.

"What was that about?" They asked in unison.

Vernon chuckled, shaking his head.

"C'mon, I'll tell you on the tour." The wolf sighed, pointing a thumb toward the open living room. 

Dawn dutifully followed the wolf as he began his tour of the Hunter Ranch. The wolf walked at a brisk clip as he showed her more of the living room. As she strolled after, Vernon began to explain the hot mess Wade had gotten himself into, and by proxy the two of them. The tour continued through the nearby den, which was furnished similarly to the living room. It had similar plaid couches, and a similar coffee table, but featured a fantastic cobblestone fireplace where Dawn assumed a television would be. 

"Tacky I know." Vernon interrupted his story about Wade, gesturing toward the worn deep red plaid sofas.

"I think it's charming." Dawn replied.

"You'd be the first." The wolf snickered as he came up to the next door. Dawn assumed the door lead back to the entrance hall, but the wolf opened it only slightly. Vernon peeked his head behind the door before waiving Dawn over to join him. It was a bit confusing, but Dawn made her way over and peered in below the wolf. The room had all the earmarks of a fine personal library. Most of the walls were covered from floor to ceiling book shelves crammed with old books. At the heart of the room sat a massive oak desk which seemed to be covered in a variety of golden trinkets the lamb couldn't make out. There was also fine deep green plush seating surrounding it, the desk chair included. The ewe was somewhat in awe of finding such a classy room in such a rustic home.

"This is Dad's office." Vernon muttered.

Dawn looked up at the wolf.

"He doesn't really like anyone traipsing through it. That's why were doin' this little peepshow." The wolf stated.

"He's not here?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah, he's not getting back till dinner I imagine. Sheriff duties and all." Vernon pulled his head back through the door, which Dawn took as a signal to do the same. Vernon gingerly closed the door and brushed his shirt off.

"Better this way I guess, sorta introducing you to everyone one at a time." Vernon began to walk back toward the living room. 

"Which reminds me, how'd did things go with Ma?" Vernon asked.

"Finish Wade's story first, then I'll tell you." The ewe quickly followed behind the wolf.

As Vernon continued the tour he alleviated Dawn's fear that Wade had lied for their sake. Giselle was indeed a giraffe, and she indeed had a family emergency, that much Vernon could confirm. As they marched upstairs and into the upper hall the wolf went on to explain that the family had been kept in the dark about Giselle's species, and they were still unaware.

Vernon did another peek-in on his parents bedroom, a place the wolf affirmed he 'didn't like to think about much.' It matched the homes rustic charm, a large bed covered in wolf themed quilts and fine wood furnishings. There were more photos of various wolves adorning the walls, but Dawn couldn't recognize most of them as they seemed to be even older than the ones downstairs. As they moved to the hall and explored the guest rooms Vernon finished out his story by stating that Wade promised he would tell the family this weekend, or that he would. Dawn wasn't so sure Vernon should go as far as ratting out his brother for lying despite the topic, but the wolf seemed steadfast in holding Wade's paws to the fire.

The guest rooms were minimally furnished, featuring quilted beds, fake plants, and various folk style paintings. There were two smaller, one bedrooms on the left side of the hall, and a much larger multi-bedded room on the right. The larger room had more of a pinkish theme, with feminine accents littered around the room. Dawn couldn't help but ask questions as the rooms size and coloring peaked her curiosity .

"Wow, why is this room so big?" Dawn asked curiously.

"It matches the boys room down stairs." Vernon replied. "Mom was kind of expecting to have just as many boys as girls, but things didn't pan out." The wolf gave a shrug.

"So it just sits here?" Dawn asked,

"Nah, usually the girlfriends and mates share this room when they visit during a re-union. Otherwise they use the guest rooms." Vernon shrugged.

Dawn felt a lump form in her throat as the idea of being alone for the night with a bunch of lady predators filled her head. The ewe quickly stormed down the rows of beds, scanning for any sign of her own suitcase. Reaching the end of the bedroom with no sign of the luggage, the ewe let out a relieved sigh.

"Dawn, you alright?" The wolf sped after her, meeting her at the end of the bedroom.

"Y-yes...I was just..." The ewe trailed off as she continued to scan the room.

"Looking for bags?" Vernon asked.

The ewe gave a timid nod.

"Wade probably stashed them in our old room downstairs." Vernon kneeled, placing a paw on Dawn's shoulder.

"Don't worry, we'll be in one of the other guest rooms." Vernon smiled. "It's a special circumstance, Ma will allow it." Vernon gave Dawn's head poof a quick tussle before rising to his feet. Dawn gave a meek smile. Despite Vernon's assurance, the ewe couldn't shake the unease she felt at the idea of spending the night alone with a bunch of strange mammals who may not have held a high opinion of her. As they left the room she kept mentally telling herself she would be sleeping in a private room in an effort to reinforce the assurance Vernon had given her.

"So you gonna tell me if Ma said anything weird in the car?" Vernon broke Dawn's mental refrain as the pair made their way back down the stairs. Dawn looked back at the wolf, slightly surprised.

"O-Oh, it went really well actually." The ewe replied.

"So nothing I need to talk to her about?" Vernon asked as the pair reached the bottom of the steps.

"Of course not Vernon, everything went fine." Dawn giggled.

As they continued the tour through the dining hall, Dawn began to relate the conversation she had with Audrey to the worried looking wolf. Although the ewe opted to keep some of the more personal details to herself. She wasn't quite sure on how comparisons of Vernon to his father would go over with the wolf. However Dawn was quick to cut off the conversation as the couple made their way into the well furnished kitchen where the she wolf was working on the afternoon meal. 

The room was large, with a great deal of counter space. The black topped marble was home to a variety of different appliances, including several smaller stoves which Dawn assumed were for cooking pies. Near the breakfast bar stood one significantly larger range stove which had a kettle brewing. Audrey stood at the kitchen island in the center, preparing what appeared to be a large platter of shortbread cookies. As the she-wolf turned back to the tea kettle on the stove she seemed to notice the couple entering the room.

"Well, didn't think I'd see ya both so soon." Audrey laughed. "Taking it you're still on the tour?" She asked Dawn. The ewe didn't get a chance to answer as the wolf jumped in.

"Yep, just moving on through. We won't be too long." Vernon said. It was clear the wolf was keen to get back to the conversation at hand.

"Welp this is the Kitchen as you can tell." The she-wolf grinned as she gestured to the overall room. "When I ain't tending to my crops I like to spend time experimenting in here.

"Still trying to make the best pumpkin pie possible huh Ma?" Vernon asked.

"There's always room for improvement Puppy." Audrey tutted. "I'm thinking next year I'm going to make pumpkin pie ice cream for the festival too. I think that'll go over swell." The she wolf made her way over to the range and adjusted the temperature on the kettle.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Audrey turned, bending slightly as she spoke to Dawn. "What kind of tea do you prefer dear?"

Dawn twisted a hoof awkwardly. "W-well if you have clover tea that would be great, but I'll settle for mint if you have it."

Audrey frowned briefly. "Sorry darlin', no clover tea." Suddenly, the she-wolf's contagious grin returned. "But luckily for you I'm a fan of mint tea myself, so I've got plenty."

Dawn smiled widely as the she-wolf made her way back to the kitchen island. Vernon was in the midst of snagging a cookie from the plate, and Audrey swiftly swatted the wolf's paw causing him to drop it.

"Ow, Ma!" Vernon hissed.

"Oh hush! I barely tapped your paw." Audrey sassed. " You can have as many of these as you want when Zach and Vanna come home." The wolfess held up a finger. "And not a moment sooner."

Dawn could barely stifle her giggles as she watched her normally stoic and mature boyfriend cradle his paw and pout like a child before realizing that she had noticed. Vernon quickly composed himself, before walking over to Dawn and begin ushering her toward the kitchen exit.

"Welp, we gotta keep this train moving. Still got a lot to see." The wolf scooted the ewe around the breakfast bar before Dawn began to walk of her own volition, the ewe still stifling a few laughs as they made for the exit.

"I'll call you when lunch is ready you two!" Dawn could hear the she-wolf cry before the pair passed into the central hall.

Vernon made sure to note for Dawn's sake the large bathroom entrance they had passed on their way into the hall. From there the wolf lead her to the large bedroom reserved for the Hunter males. As the two entered, Dawn immediately noticed Wade laying on one of the several large bunk beds. The wolf was buried in his phone, seemingly texting away to who Dawn assumed was Giselle.

"Any word on Giselle?" Vernon drew the wolf's attention from his phone. Wade was trying to stifle a laugh as he rose off the bed. As the wolf made his way over to the couple he held his cell phone toward them. The face of the phone had a picture pulled up, and from what Dawn could make out it seemed to be some sort of odd colored tree trunk.

"I know I shouldn't be laughing." Wade continued to snicker. "But look at that neck brace! It's massive!" Wade began to cackle.

Now that Wade had said it Dawn could now easily tell it was indeed a neck brace. The thing had to be as long as Vernon was tall. Dawn did her best to stifle a laugh of her own. Looking up to Vernon for support she could tell the wolf wasn't faring much better. She could see Vernon actively struggling to keep a straight face. 

"T-that's terrible Wade." Vernon's voice was quavering.

Wade turned back towards his bunk. "Pft...no need to save face. Your mate is already laughing."

Dawn broke down laughing as Vernon's attention fell on her. It was terrible yes, but the brace was so absurdly large it was far too funny for the ewe to stand. Vernon seemed to be relieved as he let out a laugh of his own. 

With Wade now back on his bunk, and the two mostly composed, Vernon switched back into tour mode.

"So ahem, naturally this was out room growing up." Vernon pointed over to one of the unoccupied bunks that was draped in a green comforter. "That's where I slept."

"When he wasn't sleeping in Mom and Dad's room because of his 'super scary nightmares'." Wade hadn't looked up from his phone as he uttered the tease.

"Wade, remember who is in more hot water here." Vernon growled. "You don't want to make it worse for yourself."

Dawn could see Wade meekly glance at Vernon before falling silent.

"Ahem, anyway..." Vernon trailed off. "OH!" Suddenly he made a brisk jog toward the door at the end of the room. Once the wolf had made it to the door, he waived Dawn toward him. As the ewe crossed the room, Vernon threw the door open to reveal a large closet filled with various toys and junk. The floor of it was absolutely cluttered with all sorts of games that were haphazardly strewn about.

"Hold on." Vernon clambered into the closet, easing his way over toys in various states of disrepair. The wolf began to yank various toys and games off one of the shelves.

"It's gotta be in here somewhere." The wolf murmured.

"What's got to be in there Puppy?" Dawn asked.

The wolf continued to mutter to himself as more and more items clattered onto the closet floor. It was becoming rapidly clear to Dawn just how the closet had gotten into such a messy state in the first place. After a few more moments of the wolf tossing more toys aside, Vernon let out an annoyed huff. 

Vernon poked his head back into the bedroom.

"WADE!? YOU SEEN MY BOX OF STUFF?!" Vernon shouted.

Once again the wolf didn't look up from his phone.

"Your box of 'trinkets'?" Wade asked.

Dawn could practically see the daggers shooting out of Vernon's eyes as he glared at the other wolf.

"Yes. My box of 'personal' stuff." Vernon hissed.

Wade let out a sigh. "I think Mom moved it to the barn." The wolf shrugged.

"WHAT?! WHY!?" Vernon barked.

Wade looked up from his cell, eyeing the couple with a dull expression. "So it wouldn't end up trashed like everything else in there." Wade gestured his head toward the closet.

Vernon's ears drooped as he let out a heavy sigh.

"What were you looking for Vernon?" The ewe asked.

The wolf frowned sharply, rubbing the back of his head in discomfort.

"I-I...Er..." Vernon made his way out of the closet. The wolf leaned hard against the door in an effort to push the mounds of junk back inside and seal it away. After a few struggling shoves the closet finally snapped shut. Slumping against the door, the wolf let out another disappointed sigh.

"I wanted to get my bracelet." The wolf sighed. "You remember? The match to the set?"

Dawn quickly recalled the friendship bracelets the two mammals had exchanged in their youth. The one that Vernon had given her had been lost a long time ago, a victim of her Father's cruelty. The same bracelet that had suddenly reappeared on her arm when she woke up from her week long coma at Grizzly Falls Hospital, a treasure her mother had salvaged and kept for her. She could remember Vernon mentioning that he still had the one she had made for him back at the ranch some time ago, but she had nearly forgotten about his. 

That wasn't to say she hadn't been keeping her own close at hoof. While it was garish and childish, Dawn had taken to wearing it often. It had developed an immense sentimental value to the ewe, and she often kept it tucked in her sleeve when out among the Zootopian populace. Right now Dawn could picture it sitting in the back flap of her suitcase, heavily protected by a padded bag.

"A-are you sure you still have it?" Dawn asked.

Vernon gave the ewe a deadly serious stare. "I know I do." A flicker of uncertainty shown on the wolf's face for a moment. Vernon let out a sigh, dragging a paw across his face lamely.

"I know it's in there." Vernon grumbled. "I just hope it doesn't get water damaged or something. That barn..." The wolf trailed off.

With a brisk and sudden shake of his head, the wolf seemingly regained his composure.

"I guess this means I'll have to get it later." Vernon muttered. "But I know I wouldn't lose it." 

"O-of course Puppy Love, I believe you." Dawn smiled reassuringly. Vernon's sagging ears perked slightly as he returned the smile.  
"Well....I guess let's finish this tour up." The wolf gave a shrug. Gesturing his arm toward the entrance to the bedroom, Vernon flashed the ewe a playful smirk.

"After you Lamb Fry." The wolf cooed.

Dawn gave the wolf a playful bow before making her way back toward the entrance. As the couple passed Wade's bunk the smaller wolf let out a groan.

"Ugh....Honey Lamb? Puppy Love? It's not going to be like this all weekend is it?" Wade lamented.

"I think Ma would get a kick out of it." Vernon sidled up next to the ewe, shooting a glance at his brother. "She'd probably get a real kick out of the fact Giselle is a giraffe too..." Vernon teased. "In fact, lets go see about that right no-"

"NO! NO!" Wade sat straight up, holding his paws out defensively. Vernon chuckled as he opened the bedroom door for Dawn. As Wade flopped back into his bunk he let out a derisive sigh. 

"Can't even make a joke..." Wade muttered as the two left the bedroom behind.

As the pair made their way back to the entree hall Dawn ran through the rest of the short version of her time in the car with Audrey. By the end of it Vernon's mood had seemed to improve significantly. The relief in the tone of his voice was fairly obvious. 

"Good to know my Ma didn't say anything offensive." Vernon sighed.

"What exactly were you expecting?" Dawn asked.

Vernon chuckled. "I don't know, what exactly were you expecting?" 

The ewe should have seen that coming, but it still caught her off guard to have it thrown back in her face so unexpectedly.

"I-I don't know." Dawn sputtered. "Focusing on my past? Finding our relationship disgusting? Overall disapproval of me?"

Vernon moved across the hall, making his way to the nearby door under the half spiral stairs. The wolf popped the door open, and quickly flipped a light switch on the nearby wall.

"Yeah, so that's about what I was expecting." Vernon chuckled.

Now that Dawn had approached the open door, she could see a flight of stairs descending into the basement. Vernon took a few steps down before beckoning the timid ewe after him.  
At the bottom of the stairs Dawn found a half furnished basement that seemed to be right in the middle of construction. On one side of the room there were still boxes of stowed holiday decorations strewn about the bare stone floor. The walls were covered in exposed insulation and unfinished outlets. However, the other side of the room featured a pool table, pinball machine, and an old dumpy couch and television. 

"This is my Father's Rec Room project." Vernon stated. "If you drew a line down the middle you'd have a perfect before and after photo." The wolf chuckled.

"How long has he been working on it?" Dawn asked.

Vernon scratched the back of his head, his eyes rolling as he seemed to be forming an estimate.

"I don't know...I think I was ten maybe when he announced it?" Vernon shrugged. "Either way it's been a long time."

The two fell silent for a moment as they stood amongst the unfinished room, a silence made all the more deafening by the muted ambience of the unfinished basement. 

"So..." Dawn broke the quiet.

"Right yeah, so that's it I guess." Vernon shrugged. 

Again the awkward silence returned.

"Well...what do we do now?" Dawn murmured.

Vernon made his way over to the beat up old sofa. With a leap the wolf hopped over it's back, flopping down hard on the cushions on the other side. As Dawn made her way around the sofa she found the wolf fishing around in the cushions for something.

"I figure we can decompress down here till lunchtime." Vernon said. "When I hit my teenage years, and my bedroom closet stopped being an effective place to be alone I started hiding out down here to get some quiet." Seemingly finding what he was looking for, the wolf wrenched his paw back out from between the seats. Vernon triumphantly raised the TV remote in his claws. With the plastic brick firmly clenched in his paw, the wolf flashed a sweet smile at Dawn and using his other paw gently pat the seat in front of him.

"If things get a little hectic or whatever, we can just hide out down here to get some time away from everyone else." 

"Why my lovely little sheepdog..." Dawn cooed before easing herself onto the sofa. Grabbing his free paw, the ewe draped it over her hip as she lay next to him. "I hope you aren't trying to do anything 'uncouth'." Dawn teased.

"Please" Vernon chuckled. "I couldn't if I wanted too, Ma would hear it." Vernon replied.

Dawn gave the wolf a puzzled look. "What do you mea-"

"AWWWWWWWOoooooOOOOOooooooo!"

Before the ewe could finish her sentence a loud howl had rang out through the home. It was clear it was several rooms away, but none the less it was piercingly loud. Vernon let out a dull chuckle in response. 

"That's why." Vernon stabbed a finger at the ceiling.

"AWooooOOOOooooo."

A second weaker, but distinctly more masculine howl echoed through the basement. 

"And that would be Wade." Vernon added.

"I don't understand...you mean..." Dawn suddenly blushed, remembering Vernon's penchant for being un-able to resist a howl during their more 'intimate' moments.

"Exactly Floofs." The wolf grinned. "No fun times for us unless we want to let the whole family know what were up too."

Dawn gave a meek nod, still blushing furiously.

"But why is your Mom howling now?" The ewe was quite curious.

"Easier than shouting our names out." Vernon replied. 

"AWWWWWWWOoooooOOOOOooooooo!" Audrey howled again.

"I guess it's time for lunch. I best answer her." Vernon gestured for the ewe to cover her ears, and Dawn did as she was told. It wasn't that his howl was particularly loud, but Vernon always liked to have Dawn err on the side of caution when he could control it.

"AWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooOOOOOOooooo" The wolf bellowed a deep a throaty reply. With the call responded to, the basement fell silent once more. Vernon eased Dawn off the couch before sliding off himself. Rising to his feet, the wolf stretched one of his arms.

"Consider us lucky it's just a few of us now. My other brothers aren't as good at controlling the need to howl, So we might end up enduring a few long sessions this weekend." Vernon gave a sheepish grin. "Sometimes up to an hours worth."

Dawn tried to keep up a genuine smile, but internally the ewe was worried. She wasn't really sure if she could stand an hour or more of constant howling.


	7. A Cold Reception

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Seven: A Cold Reception

Dawn was doing everything she could to try to keep herself from trembling hard enough for the others to notice. In the process the lamb had stopped paying attention to the casual conversation that had been going on between the other wolves now seated in the comfortable and inviting den of the ranch. It was supposed to be simple little meal. She would meet Vernon's brother Zach and his mate. The worst she imagined that would happen would be Zachary making some off color comments, maybe the couple taking an immediate dislike to the ewe, or even Vernon and Zachary getting into an heated argument over Dawn's presence.

At first it all seemed like it was going to go smoothly. As the couple made their way back to the main hall of the house, Dawn caught her first glimpse of the wolf she presumed to be Zachary. The wolf was still in his police uniform, albeit stripped down of all the bells than whistles that went with it. The wolf ran a paw through his grey fur, playing with it slightly as he passed along the reddish tips. Like his brothers, the wolf had areas of soft white fur around his face and muzzle. But what stood out was the fact that only one of his eyes had white fur around it while the other had simple grey. It was unusual to see that sort of lack of symmetry. Zachary let out a howl before his steely grey eyes fell on the approaching couple. Dawn expected the next words out of the wolf's mouth to be a greeting, but before the wolf could open his maw again Vernon quickly snapped it shut with a paw.

"Turn off the howl, we all know you're here." Vernon chuckled.

Zach pulled his muzzle away, a look of hurt forming on his face as he placed a paw to his chest.

"Just like you to assume I'd let out another howl Puppy." Zach said sarcastically, giving Vernon a smirk.

Vernon narrowed his eyes at the slightly shorter wolf, and slowly Zach's confident smile faltered.

Zach shrugged, shaking his head. "Okay, I was..." Zach grinned broadly. "What can I say, some of us indulge our natural instincts with pride."

Vernon let out a scoff before Zach's eyes fell on the little ewe. Dawn internally braced for whatever barbs the wolf was preparing for her, but was surprised to see the wolf flash a genuine smile.

"And you must be Dawn right?" The large wolf crouched down to the lambs level, extending a large paw her way. "Heard about you from Ma, I can't believe you are the little lamb Vernon used to pal around with!"

Dawn warily extended her hoof, still uncertain of the wolf's intentions. Zach gingerly clasped her hoof, giving it a careful and delicate shake.

"Never thought I'd hear about you again, much less you getting together with my dumb ol' little brother." Zach gestured his head toward Vernon as the taller wolf let out another scoff.

"U-um....nice t-to meet you." Dawn stammered as the wolf released his grip. 

"Where's Vanna?" Vernon drew Zach's attention back to him as the wolf rose to his feet.

"She's locking up the cruiser. Making sure our gear is all wrapped up tight." Zach chuckled. "Not like anyone's gonna steal 'em around here. But you know Vanna, she's a stickler for procedure."

"And professional, which I wish would have rubbed off on you by now." Vernon smirked.

Zach gave a hard laugh. "Oh that's good. You're on you're guard today Puppy." Zach rubbed the fur on top of Vernon's head roughly. Dawn couldn't help but smirk, it was kind of odd to see a mammal as large as Vernon getting treated that way. It appeared that no matter how big Vernon got, at the ranch he was always the runt. She couldn't help but see herself in that moment, and feel a pang of sympathy for her Puppy Love.

Vernon shoved his brother's paw away, clearly irritated.

"C'mon Zach!" He hissed. "Not in front of y'know..." Vernon trailed off as he glanced at Dawn. 

"Aw cheer up Pup." Zach didn't miss a beat. " I'll try to take it easier on you this weekend. Can't completely embarrass you in front of your new mate." The wolf flashed a snarky grin. "I'll leave that to Ma."

Vernon let out an aggravated huff. The wolf opened his mouth presumably to retort, but he was cut off by a feminine howl. An almost hypnotic look came over Zach's face, and before another word could be spoken Vernon clasped Zach's maw shut again.

"That'll be Ma." Vernon muttered. "Let's just get to the Den, you can get some more jokes in once we're settled in okay?" He sneered at Zach. "I'd rather endure that then listen to you howl for the next twenty minutes."

The strange look faded as Vernon released his brother's muzzle.

"Y-yeah, yeah." Zach gave a weak chuckle. "Besides I'm getting hungry anyway. Those shortbread cookies are calling out to me."

"Among other things." Vernon grumbled.

As the group entered the den, Dawn could see Wade and Mrs. Hunter were already seated across from one another. The she-wolf was in the midst of pouring Wade a piping hot cup of tea. Turning to greet them, Audrey gave the cushion next to her a rough pat.

"There y'all are, I was startin' to wonder." Audrey mused. "Sit on down, I want you all filled up before we hit the corn field." 

Dawn found it odd that Zach rushed to take the vacant seat next to his Mother rather than wait for his wife, but the ewe was more concerned about Audrey's mention of what sounded like field work. Dawn motioned for Vernon to lean down, which the wolf quickly obliged.

"What does she mean by 'hit' the corn field?" Dawn whispered.

"Ma probably wants us to help pick some corn for the stall tomorrow." Vernon whispered back, a quiet chuckle emanating from his throat. " You can help if ya want, but don't have to Mutton Chop."

"O-oh no, I can help!" Dawn whispered back, trying to appear eager. " I'd like to try at least." Dawn wasn't sure how much she corn she could pick, but at the very least it seemed like a great way to further bond with the family.

"C'mon you two!" Audrey piped up, breaking up Dawn's impromptu huddle. "No need to hide in the corner, there's plenty of room on the love seat!" Audrey waived a paw at the plush two-seater across the table from her.

With Vernon's help, Dawn clambered up onto the sofa cushion. Once she was properly settled, the large wolf eased into the seat next to her. The couch was considerably large, but the ewe had become accustomed to that sort of thing living with Vernon. Still there was something about the vacant space surrounding the ewe that was making her feel more awkward and uncomfortable than usual. Dawn couldn't help but think that maybe it had to do with her own fears of inadequacy. The ewe wasn't a wolf, or even a predator. And yet here was this tiny, meek little ewe taking up the spot a she-wolf should probably be taking.

"How do you like your tea darlin'?" Dawn's was pulled out of her thoughts by Audrey's sudden question.

"O-oh!" Dawn jumped slightly. " I g-guess a half a cup of milk and three sugars." The ewe timidly adjusted her eyewear. 

"Alrighty." The wolf smiled as she began to craft the brew, adding spoonfuls of sugar to a fairly standard white mug.

"So where's Vanna?" Wade asked Zach.

The russet wolf shrugged. "Still packing away the gear I guess." As Zach took a shortbread cookie from the platter, he threw Wade a curious glance.

"What about your girl." The wolf scratched the fur on his chin with his cookie. "Giselle right? Where is she?" Zach dug his fangs into the cookie, snapping it in two.

Dawn could see Wade visibly tense up slightly at the mention of the giraffe.

"Even Vern brought out the lil' miss, so what's your excuse?" Zach pressed further.

"She had a family emergency Zach." Audrey tutted. "Poor thing's Father is sick."

"Well ain't that a shame." Zach replied, placing his paws on his knees. "Would have been interesting to see one of us finally bring a she-wolf back."

"Like you should talk." Audrey gave her son a playful swat. "You were the first one to bring another species girl home. If anything you started that trend."

With the last of the milk stirred in, Audrey held the piping hot mug of mint tea across the table toward Dawn. "Not that I mind. I don't care what kind of pelt my daughter-in-laws wear. Here you go darlin'."

The little ewe did her best to close the gap across the table, but could barely reach the cup from her seat. After a few moments struggling Vernon stepped in, taking the cup from Audrey and passing it to Dawn.

"T-thank you Puppy." Dawn said, taking the cup. Settling back down in her seat, the ewe took a ginger sip of the brew. It was pleasant, not quite as good as her Mother's, but still a decent cup of tea.

"Ah, you call him that too! That's adorable!" Zach cooed.

Dawn could see Vernon blushing fiercely, his ears sagging in embarrassment. Dawn placed a hoof on his leg, rubbing it gently in an attempt to reassure the wolf. Vernon returned the gesture with a rather weak smile.

"W-well he calls me Floofy." Dawn stammered. " I-It's something we used to do back when we were l-little."

"Floofy huh?" Zach sipped his own tea. " That's sweet, ya know me a Vanna have pet names too."

"Oh?" Dawn replied.

"Yep, she's my lovely little kitten, and I'm her-"

"Mutt." Wade chuckled. Zach flashed Wade a mild sneer.

"Trust me, it's endearing when she says it." Zach assured the other couple.

Dawn suppressed the urge to giggle at Zachary's own clumsy rebound from being embarrassed. Zach was surprisingly more lighthearted and jovial than the ewe had expected. On top of that so far the wolf seemed to be completely avoiding any of the more sensitive subjects she had expected he might venture into. Needless to say the ewe was starting to feel her confidence in the whole re-union rising. 

But that hopeful feeling quickly evaporated as the creak of a door drew Dawn's attention to the entrance of the Den. As the door swung wide open, Dawn's eyes fell on one of the largest tigers she had ever seen. The massive orange and black stripped tigress had to duck as she made her way through the door and into the room. Like Zach, she was still clad in a very basic Meadowlands Police uniform. Her sharp yellow eyes seemed to give a quick scan of the mammals, lingering uncomfortably on Dawn for a moment before Zach cut through the sudden silence.

"Speak of the devil, there's my little kitten." Zach gestured to the large tigress.

'Little' was definitely a sarcastic use of the word. This tigress had to be as big as Lionheart, but her countenance was entirely different. Despite the fact that Lionheart had been a jerk, the mammal exuded charisma and a friendliness to the public that Dawn knew was half the reason he got elected. Only she had ever got to see his true, colder side. But even then he had an animation to him. Vanna's aura exuded a cold sternness, which was only heightened by the lack of response to Zach's playful nickname. Vanna coolly made her way over to the armchair next to her husband and gently sat down. Dawn could hear an audible creak as she filled out the seat, the chair clearly straining to keep the large mammal up. She saw now why Zach had quickly taken up the space next to his Mother, the one armchair Vanna now sat in was the only place she could even fit.

"Hello everyone." Vanna said quietly.

Zachary stood up on his chair, giving the large cat a kiss on the muzzle before settling back down into his seat. Vanna didn't even flinch.

"Well the rest of you all know Vanna, of course." Zach said. "But Vanna, I'd like you to meet Vernon's new gal, Dawn Bellwether." Zach gestured to the ewe.

Dawn could feel her breath stop as Vanna's yellow eyes fell on her once again. The ewe clenched her teeth to keep he jaw from dropping open in both awe and fear. Vanna squinted at her slightly before slowly extending a massive paw out to the sheep.

"Hello Ms. Bellwether." Vanna said. "I'm Vanna Hunter." 

Dawn did her best to extend a hoof without allowing it to tremble. There was an intensity in the tigress' eyes, and the ewe wasn't sure if it was something that was always there or if it was directed at her.

"D-Dawn Bellwether." Dawn couldn't help but stammer as she took Vanna's paw. The large tigress gently closed her paw around the ewe's hoof, giving her a soft, albeit mechanical handshake. Dawn let out a quiet and relieved sigh as the tigress released her grip. 

With Vanna introduced, the wolves went back to discussing various things, but Dawn couldn't help but keenly focus on Vanna. The tigress had taken to preparing her own cup of tea, only occasionally replying with one word answers to the wolves conversation. Every time the tigress' eyes fell on Dawn she quickly looked away. Part of the ewe was ashamed of her behavior. She didn't know much of anything about Vanna, and yet here she was actively trying not to tremble before the massive tiger. Dawn knew she wasn't in any danger, despite her ancient prey impulses telling her to flee. But the other part of the ewe could sense a deeper mistrust coming off the tigress, something that was making Dawn actively aware of the of her past misdeeds not yet discussed by the family at large.

"Dawn, you okay?" 

Dawn was broken from her vigilant trance. Turning to Vernon she realized she had unknowingly began to bury herself deeply against his side. The large wolf gingerly wrapped a paw around her, rubbing her shoulder reassuringly.

"Yer practically balled up into me Honey Lamb." Vernon added.

"O-oh." Dawn stuttered. "I-I'm fine."

Despite her reply, Vernon's look of concern remained unchanged.

"You sure?" Vernon pressed.

"I-I'm fine really." Dawn gave a vigorous nod, but her faltering voice betrayed her true feelings.

"So how'd you two get together anyway?" Dawn's attention turned back to the room. The question had come from the seemingly eager Zach, the wolf in the midst of popping another cookie into his maw. " I mean after all this time, how'd you run into each other?"

"W-well...er..." Vernon coughed. "We met at work. Gus hired her on as my co-worker for the night shift."

Vernon eyed Dawn uneasily, it was clear the wolf really didn't know how to proceed from there. 

"Oh, so Gus hired her on?" Zach grinned. "How is that old billy by the way, still got that messed up horn?"

Vernon gave a brisk nod. "Yep, same old Gus, same old buggy horn."

Zach chuckled. "Ah that's rough, that goat was always a good kid." Zach took a sip of his own tea. "But I'm getting off track, so you two met on the job and then what?"

Vernon nervously eyed Dawn again, clearly looking for help.

"W-well we didn't even recognize each other at first." Dawn jumped in. "If I hadn't heard Vernon's nickname we may have never even realized it."

“Naw, I think we would have figured it out.” Vernon said. “Heck, we were spending so much time together there’s no way we wouldn’t have made that connection.”

Zach chuckled. “Maybe, maybe not.” The russet grey wolf gave a shrug. “I mean it’s no secret you don’t like to dwell too much on our childhood Vern. I imagine memories of Dawn would have been buried pretty deep.”

Dawn could feel Vernon tense up slightly, the wolf seeming to cringe at even the mention of his past. A brief and awkward silence fell over the den.

“Of course none of us even remembered Dawn till you told Ma about her. I mean we remembered you having a sheep friend, just not the name.” Zach grinned weakly. “But hey, I imagine Dawn would eventually recognize you, she seems like the smart type.” The wolf clearly was trying to bring to conversation back to a lighter tone.

“O-Oh, well thank you.” Dawn smiled meekly. “B-but to be honest if I hadn’t been through therapy I may not have remembered him either.” Dawn shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "I had my own childhood trauma to sift through."

“A-after that things sort of…well they just sort of took off from there.” Vernon chimed in. “Dawn moved in with me and…well…I mean…” Vernon scratched the back of his neck, flashing Dawn an uneasy glance. Dawn could tell Vernon was trying to carefully avoid all the more sensitive situations that arose during their time together. The fire, the police chase, almost getting killed. It wasn’t the kind of topics that Dawn wanted deeply dissected by the group either, but at the very least they couldn’t avoid it for the whole visit. These were the events that had pushed them back together, for better or worse. Dawn took Vernon’s paw into her hoof, intertwining her fingers with his own. The ewe gave the wolf a reassuring smile. Vernon gave a weak smile in return, his tail wagging slightly.

“Vernon took me in after my apartment was burned down” Dawn faced the group, doing her best to keep her gaze away from Vanna in order to brave her way through it. “And while Vernon asking me to stay was entirely innocent, living together sort of pushed us closer and closer together, romantically speaking.” The ewe gave Vernon's paw a squeeze. “But what really ended up becoming the catalyst for us admitting our feelings to one another was…well…I’m sure you saw the news.” Dawn gulped as she finished her statement.

The room had grown quiet again, and Dawn’s nerves were causing her to periodically squeeze Vernon’s paw.

“Y-yeah I had seen that.” Zach mumbled. “T-that was a real close call for the city.” The reddish grey wolf took a sip of his tea. "As well as yourself."

“That was pretty brave of you to put your life on the line like that.” Audrey added.

Dawn heard what she swore was a slight huff from Vanna, the first sound she had heard from the tigress during this turn in the conversation. She could see Vanna’s eyes were on her again, but she shifted them away as Dawn looked at her.

“Yeah, I don’t think I’d be willing to expose myself to night howler gas like that.” Zach added. “I saw some of the pictures from those Bug-Burga attacks.” The wolf paused for a moment, placing his tea on the table as a look of discomfort crossed his muzzle. “I’ve never seen anything so horrifying, and I’ve been on the force for six years.”

“I have.” Muttered Vanna.

Dawn turned her attention back to the tigress in surprise. It was probably the most the feline had said since she first entered the Den.

“Well of course you have kitten.” Zach chuckled awkwardly. “ Vanna has more years under her belt then I have. She used to be at Precinct Two in Savannah Central before she transferred out here.” 

Zach stood on the couch, placing a paw around his wife’s shoulder.

“In fact that’s how we met.” Zach grinned, placing another kiss on Vanna’s muzzle. While the tigress’ face remained unchanged, Dawn could see a hint of red forming below the fur on her muzzle. Seizing the opportunity to shift the subject away from herself, Dawn jumped on the thread Zach had supplied.

“Oh, really?” Dawn asked.

Zach seemed to beam with pride. “Yes ma’am. When Vanna transferred out to the North Meadowlands P.D., Pa assigned her as my partner.”

“To keep you in-line.” Vanna added.

Zach laughed. “Yeah, Dad said I had a bad habit of getting myself into dangerous situations.”

“That’s because you like to have something to brag about.” Vernon added.

Zach sat back down, sneering at Vernon as he crossed his arms defiantly.

“Hey, I can’t help it if I’m an amazing cop! I didn’t get to be deputy just because our Father is the Sheriff.” Zach snorted.

“It helped though.” Vanna added, taking another sip of her tea.

“Vanna! You’re supposed to be on my side here!” Zach whined.

Vanna let out a sigh, turning her attention to Dawn and Vernon the tigress gave them a shrug. “But he is a good cop.”

“Thank you kitten.” Zach replied. “Anyway, so Dad thought having a partner would be a good experience for me.”

Zach closed his eyes and shook his head, shrugging as he did. “Now I hated the idea, last thing I wanted was a partner.” Zach stabbed a paw toward his looming bride. “And if you can imagine, Vanna was a real pill. A real by the book, hard nosed, city cop.”

Vanna simply nodded, taking another sip of her tea.

“But after working together for a while, well…” Zach smiled warmly as he began to reminisce. “some embers kicked up.” Zach placed a paw on Vanna’s larger one, gently rubbing it as he eyed the big cat affectionately. “ Those embers became sparks, and then a fire, and next thing we knew we were trading vows at a tithing ceremony.”

For the first time during the entire conversation, Dawn saw Vanna’s face light up as a smile curled across her muzzle. The lumbering tigress slowly leaned over her mate, placing a dainty kiss on the top of his head. Zach in turn gave her muzzle a gentle caress, causing her to emit a pleased chuffing noise before she eased back into her seat.

“Been about two years since then, although it seems like just yesterday.” Zach added.

“Yeah, I remember the ceremony.” Vernon said. “That was the last re-union I was out for right?” The larger wolf asked.

“Yes Vernon.” Audrey replied. “Although you live so close you really have no excuse not to make it out every year.” The she-wolf tutted.

“MaAAaaa…” Vernon whined. “You know I had school!”

“MhhHmm.” Audrey replied, sarcasm lacing her response.

“And work!” Vernon continued.

Dawn giggled quietly as the wolf continued to whine like a little puppy, living up to his nickname.

“Do you give the others this much grief when they don’t show?” Vernon griped.

“Yes I do.” Audrey took a sip of her tea. “It’s a Mothers job. That and asking for grandpups.” Audrey smirked.

Vernon threw his paws up as he let out an aggravated sigh.

“Teeth to tails Ma, you ever gonna drop that?” Vernon continued.

“She hasn’t stopped with us.” Zach added. “She’s been on us to adopt.”

Another warm smirk crawled across Vanna’s lips. “Daily.”

“Hey, I don’t care where my grandpups come from, or even what species they are! I just want some already!” Audrey huffed.

Pups, or lambs were a concern of Dawn’s. More so out of fear of what Vernon’s family would think of losing another shot of getting some blood related grandpups. But considering Audrey’s response, the ewe felt somewhat relieved. Dawn definitely wanted to have kids, but part of the price of being with the one she loved meant she would never get to actually carry any herself, nor would Vernon ever be a Father genetically speaking. Still knowing that if they adopted a pup or a lamb it would be loved by Vernon’s Mother regardless was a weight off her shoulders.

“Anyway, that was a really beautiful ceremony.” Vernon sighed, returning to the previous topic at paw. “ And you two looked perfect together up there, like you were made for each other.” The wolf smiled broadly.

“Aw shucks Vern.” Zach blushed as he traded glances with the large cat. Vanna had her own deep matching blush as she stared into Zach’s eyes.

“T-thank you Vernon.” Vanna replied.

“Yeah, that transfer she took out here must have been…fate or something.” Zach sighed, patting Vanna’s paw gingerly. 

“I-If you don’t mind me asking.” Dawn mumbled. “W-why did you transfer in the first place?” Dawn gingerly took a shortbread cookie from the platter. “Was Savannah Central really rough or…” Dawn trailed off as she saw the joy drain from Vanna’s face, replaced with the same coldness she had entered the Den with. The tigress released Zach’s paw, clearing her throat before speaking.

“Well, I transferred out because of the growing…er…issues in the city.” Vanna’s stare fixed on Dawn, sending a shiver down the ewe’s spine. “Let’s just say It…wasn't really a good fit for me in the long run.”

“That was…what kitten?” Zach asked. “Four years ago?”

“Close to five now…” Vanna mumbled.

“Wasn’t that during…” Wade trailed off as realization slowly began to dawn on the rest of the group. However Dawn had already put two and two together when Vanna mentioned how many years ago she had made the transfer. A quick rough estimate placed Vanna’s departure right around the height of Dawn’s terrible night howler scheme, when anti-predator sentiment had been in full swing. Dawn slowly placed her hooves over her mouth as she realized what exactly had driven Vanna out.

“O-Oh gods…I…I” Dawn stuttered. “I-I’m so-so sorry. If it-"

"Don't." Vanna said, placing her tea down gingerly on the coffee table. "What is past is past. As an officer of the law I firmly believe that any mammal who has paid the dues set upon them by a judge and jury has paid their debt to society." Vanna sighed, her cold eyes still fixated on the now shivering ewe. "I am also a firm subscriber to the belief that rehabilitation is a highly successful way to treat offenders." Vanna took a small cookie from the nearby platter, delicately balancing it between her fingers.

"And besides..." Vanna muttered. "If Vernon is vouching for you, you can't be all that bad." In that moment, the tigress offered the ewe a small grin. Her piercing eyes softening for just a moment.

"Ahem" Vanna turned back to her mate, quickly popping the small cookie in her maw. "I came out here because I had long grown to hate the grittiness of city life. And if I hadn't, I would have never met my little goofball here." The tigress mussed Zach's hair roughly.

Zach pushed the large feline back, chuckling as he did. "Kitten! Not in front of the family!"

Dawn felt awash with relief. She wasn't sure if Vanna would ever be somewhat of a friend to her, but at the very least the tigress had been kind enough to deftly ease the elephant out of the room. Whether it was just for Dawn's sake, or if she really felt that way the ewe wasn't sure. But for now she had seemingly managed to move past the worst of Dawn's past with little issue, and for that the lamb was grateful.

"So when's Pa getting home?" Wade asked.

"Dad said he'd be back for dinner." Zach replied. "He's finishing up some stuff at the station."

"Pfft." Audrey scoffed. " Your Fathers just trying to get out of helping pick corn." The she-wolf took a large swig of her tea before placing her empty mug back on the table.

Zachary gave a hard laugh. "Ma, he swore he had some cases to review. He seemed earnest enough."

"Oh I'm sure he did seem earnest." Audrey chuckled. "But he also always seems to have cases to go over when there is farm work to be done. Either that or working on your house."

Zach put his own teacup down, placing his paws on his knees.

"Well do you want us to keep livin' in a trailer across down the street or you want us to have a house?" Zach laughed. "I mean, we can't be thinking about grandpups without a nice home to raise 'em in can we?"

"Y-you live that close?" Dawn asked.

"Oh yeah." Zach replied. "What with our jobs and all, it seemed like the best idea to stay close by."

"And because you can't cook for yourself." Audrey added.

"MaAAaa!" Zach's whine was nearly identical to Vernon's.

"It's true, he can't" Vanna stated bluntly, setting her own empty tea cup down.

"Ugh, traitors on all sides here!" Zach huffed, crossing his arms.

Dawn did her best to stifle her giggles, she was trying to be polite after all. But really her chances of being heard over Vernon's own laughter were pretty much slim to none. 

"Luckily, some of us can cook for ourselves." Vernon choked out in-between laughs.

"Oh good for you." Zach sneered back.

"Vanna, y-you don't cook either?" Dawn asked.

The tigress ate another shortbread cookie before clearing her throat.

"I grew up rural, but I never learned to cook. Then once I got to Zootopia I never really had to." She muttered. "It was always easier to get Bug-Burga or something, especially when I became a cop."

"Oh." Dawn replied.

"What about you?" Vanna asked. "Surely Vernon can't cook for you? If I remember prey diets are a bit more nuanced than a preds. We just don't have the taste buds for it."

Dawn twiddled her hooves together nervously. "Well, y-yes." She stuttered. "If it's a big meal, we usually cook separately."

"Y-yeah." Vernon scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "B-but I am learning. Slowly but surely."

"See!" Audrey gestured a paw at her large son. " Now if you were willing to sit down and learn like Puppy I wouldn't have to be cooking you dinner every day!" The she-wolf let out a howl of a laugh.

At that point Zach stood up. The wolf wiped his paws on his shirt briefly before grimacing at his Mother.

"Well, if we're done with riding me up and down the farm I think I'm gonna head out to the field." Zach pointed his thumb at the entrance to the den. 

"Oh Zachary, don't be like that." Audrey tutted. But by the time she said it the wolf was nearly at the door. 

"Don't be jealous because I'm the favorite!" Vernon called out after his brother. Dawn could hear Zach let out a scoff as he exited the Den.

"Hey now." Wade laughed. "Who you trying to kid. Everyone know I'm Ma's favorite."

Vernon opened his mouth to speak, but Audrey cut him off.

"Oh don't you boys start that now!" The she-wolf smirked. "You know I love all you boys equally."

"Some more equally than others." Vernon chuckled.

"I'll tell you boys what." Audrey mused. "You are all my favorite, and I love y'all equally, buUUUuuuut..." Audrey lingered on the word but, stretching it out teasingly. "I may give some bonus points to whichever one of you picks the most corn."

Wade was immediately on his feet, adjusting his faded cap tersely. "I'm going to pick circles around you and Zach!" The wolf stabbed a finger at Vernon before bolting toward the door.

Vernon let out a soft chuckle as Wade disappeared beyond the entrance of the Den.

"See that right there is why I'm the favorite, pointless competition doesn't get me as riled up." Vernon gave Dawn a wry smirk. Dawn giggled, shaking her head in disbelief. The ewe had never grown up with siblings, and assumed the little show she had just witnessed was a little taste of what she had missed growing up without them. As silly as it was, the ewe couldn't help but be a little jealous herself that she didn't have family quite like that.

"Welp, even so." Audrey stood. The she-wolf began to gather the empty mugs as she continued. "Bout time ya'll get out there, I'm gonna need a lot of corn to run the stall for tomorrow. The roasted and buttered corn is our most popular seller."

Dawn watched as both Vernon and Vanna rose to their feet, Vernon giving his pants a quick brush to free it of shortbread crumbs.

"You're not coming Ma?" Vernon crossed his arms. "And you say Dad's trying to get out of work." The wolf chuckled, shaking his head.

Audrey retorted with a sarcastic laugh of her own. "And you think you're my favorite?" She tutted.

As Audrey came around to Dawn's side of the table, the ewe quickly finished off her tea before gingerly handing it off to the wolfess.  
"You know I got dinner to work on, I'm cooking for seven tonight." Audrey picked up the cookie platter, leaning it towards herself to keep the few stray leftover cookies from spilling off. "And I'd like to have it all done before your Father gets back."

Dawn began to make her way off the large loveseat, clambering down the cushion. However, before the ewe could touch the floor she suddenly felt a pair of familiar paws wrap around her. The ewe let out a squeak as she suddenly felt herself swoop through the air before coming to a stop high above the room. Looking down, the ewe could see she was now seated on Vernon's shoulders, the wolf smiling back at her.

"Welp if we're gonna be picking, it'd be best if you were high up." Vernon grinned widely. "It'll be easier to reach everything." The wolf arched his eyebrows.

Dawn gave the wolf a playful swat. "Vernon!" She tried to hide her growing smile. "I told you not to do that without warning me!"

"You know you love it!" Vernon laughed.

Audrey was stifling a laugh of her own. "You two are too cute." She cooed.

Much to Dawn's surprise, even Vanna appeared to be smirking at the pairs antics. She gave the couple a short nod before making her way to the door.

"Well I guess we'll head out there Ma." Vernon said, gesturing his head toward the door. Audrey gave the couple a dismissive waive as she grabbed the last of the mugs, stacking them on the platter.

"Good, I'll call y'all when dinner's up. You go have fun." She replied.

"Yeah, fun." Vernon gave a sarcastic laugh. Glancing back up at Dawn, Vernon gave her another smile. "Having you out there will make it a bit more enjoyable at least."

Dawn giggled, giving the wolf a gently pat on the head. "I would think carrying me around would be worse."

"Pft..." Vernon chuckled. "Please Darlin', carrying you around is like I just let my head fur grow in a bit longer, you're like air." 

Dawn giggled as the wolf began to move toward the exit of the Den. Gingerly, Vernon lowered himself to allow them to pass through the door without Dawn hitting her head. Finally clear of the doorframe, Vernon waived back at his Mother.

"See ya later Ma!" The wolf yelped.

Dawn wasn't sure how the whole corn picking thing was going to go, but at the very least the ewe was growing comfortable being around the family. So far she had seemed to make good with nearly half the Hunter pack. If things kept going the way they had been, she was looking at a fantastic weekend.


	8. Guess Who's Coming To Dinner

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Eight: Guess Who's Coming To Dinner.

Dawn let out a tired yawn, stretching an arm as she braced it with the other. It seemed like the couple had been out in the family corn field for hours now. The afternoon sun hung low in the west, allowing the amber color of the mountains and fields to bleed up into the horizon. Even the cornfield itself had become bathed in a plethora of orange and pinkish light as the stalks swayed in the rising breeze. 

"Ya getting tired Honey Lamb?" Vernon turned his head back slightly, peering at Dawn over his shoulder.

The ewe, still clad tightly around the wolf's neck, gave her Puppy a gentle pat on the head.

"A little bit I guess..." She murmured. "We've been out here for a while."

Tightening her grip around the wolf, the lamb did her best to hug him despite already riding on his shoulders.

"What about you Puppy Love?" Dawn cooed. "You've been doing most of the lifting here..."

Vernon gave a brisk shake of his head in dismissal. "Nah, I'm alright. I'm used to this sort of thing." The wolf plucked another cob from a nearby stalk, inspecting it closely.

Dawn shuddered softly as another gust caught her off guard. There was a growing chill to the air, carried by the building breeze preceding what Dawn assumed was to be a quite cold autumn evening. The ewe squeezed herself against the wolf's neck again, attempting to steal more warmth from his inviting pelt.

" 'Nother bad one." Vernon sighed, tossing the cob aside. "I swear, this is the worst shape I've seen this field in." 

"Really?" Dawn asked.

"Well it certainly wasn't this bad two years ago." Vernon scratched his head. "I mean it wasn't great, but it was better than this. It seems like half the corn we picked today was all chewed up by vermin."

Another gust of fall air sent a shiver down Dawn's spine, and she tightened her grasp in tandem with the gust.

"Getting cold Floof?" Vernon asked.

Dawn nodded meekly as Vernon peeked over his shoulder.

"Well, I'd say we've done enough for today. Four buckets is a pretty good haul for two mammals." Vernon sighed.

Vernon crouched down, allowing for Dawn to clamber off his back easily. Once the ewe had disembarked from the wolf’s shoulders, Vernon grasped the large faded blue bucket they had been tossing corn into for the past half hour. With a groan, the wolf heaved the bin up and eased it onto his shoulder. He spent a moment adjusting the bucket against his side before he finally seemed comfortable with the level of balance. 

“I’m sure between us, Wade, Zach and Vanna we’ve got more than enough for the stall.” Vernon stood on his toes, placing a paw just above his eyes as he seemed to search the field. The corn field was large, and it was easy to get lost among the jungle of tan stalks according to the wolf. So with each bucket the duo had filled together, Vernon would scan the field in order to re-orient the location of the house and barn relative to them before heading back.

“Alright, barns back that way.” The wolf mumbled, vaguely stabbing toward what Dawn could only assume was the barn. Now at ground level, the ewe couldn’t make out much of anything else but corn and sky. 

Vernon began the slow trudge toward the barn, stopping briefly as he began to cut through the nearest stalks to turn back to Dawn.

“Stick close, it’s getting dark after all.” Vernon said.

Dawn gave a brisk nod, scurrying directly behind the large wolf.

It had only taken a few minutes before the couple cleared the large field, and Dawn once again found herself standing in front of the massive barn. The large red structure was bathed in an orange glow by the setting sun. It was clear it had been standing for a very long time. The red paint had faded to an almost pink color, with large swaths peeled and chipped away. The exposed raw wood looked soft and malleable in spots, as if a simple touch would cause the sections to crumble and fall away. Despite it, the bulk of the structure still seemed sturdy. And the inside, while carrying the scent of old hay and wood rot, seemed dry. 

Dawn watched from the door frame as Vernon set the large bucket down near several others, sliding it in tightly against the rest. The wolf wiped his brow, letting out a sigh as he turned back to face her.

“I gotta tell ya Mutton Chop, you're gonna love Ma’s roasted corn.” The wolf's expression seemed almost dreamy as he licked his maw. “Just hauling ‘em today has got me hankering for them something fierce.”

Dawn giggled as the wolf exited the barn, coming up along side her.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had ‘roasted corn’.” Dawn smiled up at the wolf.

Vernon looked shocked, his ears standing sharply as he grinned at the ewe.

“Oh you’ll love it darlin’.” Vernon cooed. “Hot steamin’ corn, slathered in butter and seasoning.” 

The wolf chuckled, shaking his head. “Might take a few minutes off the end of your life with that much fat on it, but trust me it’s worth it.”

“Well, we can’t live forever I suppose.” Dawn giggled as Vernon gave her a pat on the shoulder.

“That’s my girl!” Vernon beamed at the ewe, giving the poof of wool on her head a playful tussle.

Another gust of wind had Dawn bracing her upper arms with her hooves, rubbing them in an effort to keep warm. But with the wind came a familiar sound, one that Dawn had heard earlier in the day. Looking up at Vernon she could see his ears twitch, then pivot toward the source of the sound, his expression sharing a similar look of recognition to that of Dawn’s own.

“Sounds like dinner’s up.” Vernon sighed. 

Within minutes, Dawn heard more howls coming from the fields the pair had left behind. Dawn flashed Vernon a knowing glance before gingerly cupping her ears. Now properly prepared, the ewe gave Vernon an affirming nod. The wolf raised a paw to his muzzle, and let out his own reply to the rest of his pack. It only lasted a few seconds before Dawn could hear it begin to taper off, and she slowly lowered her hooves.

“Welp, we should hea-“

Another howl echoed across the field, and then another, each one sounding like it was from the same wolf. Vernon let out a groan.

“Zach, fer crying out loud.” Vernon grumbled.

The next howl was cut off midway, overtaken by the loud roar of tiger.

Vernon grinned at Dawn. “Thankfully Vanna’s pretty good at shutting his yap.”

“As I was saying, we should head on back.” Vernon said, extending a paw to the little ewe.

Dawn gave the wolf a slight bow, placing her hoof in Vernon’s paw, intertwining her fingers with his.

Vernon arched an eyebrow, a look of mild concern coming over his face. “Y-you ready for this Honey Lamb?” The wolf asked.

Dawn wasn’t entirely sure if she was. Then again, what was the other option? It wasn’t like they could just leave now, turn tail and run back to the train station. Meeting Vernon’s Father carried with it a seemingly more intense weight than meeting his Mother. Vernon had always said he was easygoing, but he also came off as quite stubborn considering the stories she had heard about Vernon’s choice in schooling. Still despite her fears, so far meeting Vernon’s family had been going well, and who was to say that stride would break anytime soon. Dawn took a deep breath, steeling herself as she gave Vernon’s paw a confident squeeze.

“I’m ready.” She said sharply, giving Vernon a serious stare.

Vernon chuckled, nodding his head.

“Alright, back through the field we go.” The wolf gave a shrug as the two headed back toward the swaying stalks of the quiet corn field.

Keeping close to the cleared paths between the stalks the couple had little trouble finding their way back to the other side the field. And as Vernon parted the last of the canes the Hunter Ranch came back into view. Now that the sun had drawn close to the horizon most of the lights inside the home had been turned on to stave off the growing dark. The warm glow from each of the now lit windows making the house look even more cozy than before. Just the sight alone had nearly evaporated Dawn's remaining tension. But it was short lived as Vernon brought her attention to the driveway.

"Look's like Dad's already inside." Vernon's voice seemed cool, but Dawn could hear the slight unease in his tone.

Along with Vernon's Mother's truck, two squad cars were now parked next to one another. Initially Dawn would have thought it was just Vanna and Zach's cars. But on top of recalling Zach implying the pair shared a vehicle, the other car had the word 'sheriff' emblazoned across it's doors. 

Dawn involuntarily gulped hard. The ewe touched her neck in surprise of herself.

"You want to wait till the others head in first?" Dawn turned to see Vernon eyeing her warily.

Dawn wanted to say no, to just push forward and take the plunge. But her head betrayed her as it meekly nodded yes. Vernon nodded back, allowing the stalks in front of them to slip most of the way back into place as he continued to eye the house from between the slits.

The two stood there quietly as the minutes passed. In time, they heard the corn shifting and rustling around them and eventually could see the others emerge from different spots in the field. Vernon spread the stalks a bit more, giving Dawn a better view of the house, and the dimly lit members of the Hunter pack making their way up the porch steps. The easiest one to spot was Vanna as the tigress towered over the other wolves. Dawn watched as the tigress swatted the back of the head of the wolf she presumed to be Zach walking next to her. The wolf cowered for a split second, before playfully swatting back as the two entered the home. The third wolf followed closely behind, pausing at the door to look back at the field. 

"You guys out there!?" Wade called out in a sort of hushed shout.

"Go on!" Vernon hissed back. "We'll be up in a minute."

Wade shrugged before finally entering the house. Now alone in the waning light of the sun, Dawn took another few deep breaths as she prepared herself.

"It's just dinner." She thought to herself. "It's only one new mammal, you've got numbers on your side here. Everyone else seems okay with you."

Dawn practically jumped out of her fleece when she suddenly felt a paw on her shoulder. Whirling around quickly she found Vernon eyeing her with concern. The ewe silently cursed her growing anxiousness and fidgety reflexes.

"You alright Daw-"

"I'm fine. Let's go." Dawn brushed the wolf's paw aside and began a confident stride toward the ranch. 

"It's going to be fine. It's going to go great." Dawn mumbled to herself.

"That's it." She turned to see Vernon had caught up to her. "Think positive, like I am." The wolf gave a sheepish grin.

Dawn made it right up to the front door before the confidence that had pulled her forward drained away. Her hoof froze just shy of the knob, and waivered there. Dawn bit her lip in anticipation, for all she knew Dorian was standing right on the other side still greeting the rest of his kids. Dawn gave another hard gulp before finally mustering enough courage to clasp the knob and open the door. As the light of the entree way spilled out onto the porch Dawn let out a sigh of relief. The hall was empty, and that bought her a least a little bit more time to prepare.

"I'll lead the way from here Darlin'" Vernon said, making his way around the lamb and into the hall. Dawn, feeling less brave than when she started was more than happy to let the wolf lead from here on out. The ewe scurried up behind him so closely she practically had Vernon's tail in her face. Dawn periodically peeked around the wolf as he made his way into the dining room.

Around the table she could see Vanna and Zach had already seated themselves. Switching to peek from behind Vernon's other side, Dawn could see Wade standing at the other end of the table, clearly hugging someone. As he pulled away the wolf that Dawn knew to be Dorian came into full view. 

The wolf was still clad in his sheriff's uniform, his hat resting on the dining room table beside him. His white fur was practically blinding. and the only other colors Dawn could pick out was the black of his nose and his steely grey eyes. Eyes that soon shifted in Dawn's direction. Dawn had to choke back a gasp as she quickly pulled herself back behind Vernon's waist.

"Son?" She heard what she could only assume to be Dorian's voice call. It was low and somewhat gravely, just a bit more home-spun that the rest of the Hunter males.

"Dad." Vernon replied plainly. Dawn clasped on to the hem of Vernon's shirt as he walked closer to the icy white wolf. Vernon stopped at what Dawn assumed to be right next to Dorian, and the room became silent. The ewe couldn't hear anyone, not Zach, nor Vanna, or even Wade. The tension in the room was thick.

Dawn looked up to see white furred paws wrapping around Vernon's torso, and as her mate leaned in for a hug Dawn took the opportunity to take another peek at the sheriff.

Dorian was just slightly smaller than Vernon. Despite the affectionate gesture, Dawn could see a stiffness in his grip. The hug between the two had an almost mechanical nature to it. Maybe it had become a formality between the two more than anything else. As the wolf pulled back his piercing grey eyes flicked back to Dawn. This time the little ewe froze on the spot, letting out a quiet 'eep' in response. The intimidating aura around the wolf holding her stock still.

"This...Bellwether?" Dorian said, his voice a quiet rumble.

Vernon's ears sagged sharply.

"Yes, this is Dawn. My mate." Vernon said firmly. The wolf weaved his head into his Father's line of sight, drawing his eyes off the ewe.

"I see." Dorian sighed. Slowly the icy white wolf crouched down, extending a paw out to Dawn. Dawn did her best to keep from shaking as she warily extended her hoof.  
"Welcome to our home Miss Bellwether." Dorian's handshake was oddly weak, and equally as short as the wolf quickly withdrew his paw from Dawn's grip. It made her feel as if he thought her hoof was tainted somehow, unclean.

Dorian slid into the nearby chair at the head of the table, taking a moment to settle in before flashing a quizzical look at the couple.

"Well, ya sitting down or not?" He ask flatly.

"Da-"

Dawn hadn't given Vernon the chance to finish before she had taken off to the seat farthest away from the head of the table. Vernon looked at her in surprise before flashing his Father an irritated look. However, he seemed to opt to stay silent and eventually made his way over to the seat next to her.

With a little help, Dawn managed to get into the dining chair next to Vernon. But as she settled in a big problem became immediately apparent. Dawn's head was just barely above the top of the table.

"Oh shoot." Vernon muttered, stifling a chuckle. "I didn't even think about that. Hold on Darlin'."

Vernon quickly rose from his seat, making his way over to a nearby armoire. The ewe watched him rifle through the lower cabinets before he produced a small stack of very old looking phone books. Walking back to the table the wolf sat back in his seat. With one arm he pulled the ewe onto his lap as he placed the stack down in her chair with the other.

"Sorry if it's a bit unrefined." Vernon murmured. " We don't get a lot of small mammals around here usually so we never saw fit to getting different sized chairs. This was Ma's elegant solution." The wolf gave a chuckle.

As Vernon slid her on top of the old faded phone books, the ewe straightened her skirt.

"It's f-fine." Dawn gave Vernon a meek smile. "I've had w-worse."

"Dawn it's okay." Vernon said softly, flashing his Father a quick glare. The white wolf was busy adjusting his silverware and failed to notice. "If he gives you guff I won't let it stand, you kn-"

"Alrighty!" Dawn's attention quickly turned to the familiar she-wolf Audrey as she entered the room. She was carrying several dishes, some of which were covered with shining steel lids. "Who's hungry!?"

Zach eagerly raised his paw.

"I am!" He barked.

"You always are!" Wade chuckled.

Audrey began to place the various plates of food on the table, making her way from one end to the other as she placed each dish. As she came around to Wade, the she-wolf quickly grasped his worn and tattered ball cap off his head. She held it above him for a moment.

"What'd I tell you about hats at the dinner table." Audrey tutted. "Your Father remembered to take his off."

Wade's ears drooped as the wolf meekly grabbed his hat from his Mother's paw. He quickly stuffed it below the table, presumably on his lap.

"Sorry Ma..." He mumbled.

Audrey grinned at the wolf before continuing to make her way around the table. By the time she had made it around to Vernon and Dawn, the wolf had two small platters remaining. Dawn could see the she-wolf's expression turn to one of worry as she lowered a plate in front of Dawn.

"Now I want to apologize right away Darlin'" Audrey muttered. As the plate finally came to rest in front of the ewe, Dawn could make out a fairly standard looking burger with a side of mashed potatoes and some other mixed vegetables. The patty was green and processed looking. Not entirely unappetizing, but fairly plainer than the sheep had expected.

"I don't really know how to cook for prey." Audrey winced. "So the patty is just some freezer section meadow burgers. Please forgive me."

Dawn was surprised Audrey seemed so worried about such a trifle. It made sense that a primarily predator household didn't know much about prey cuisine.

"I-it's fine. Really." Dawn nodded.

Audrey let out a relieved sigh. "Don't worry, When Xavier comes home tomorrow his mate will be taking over cooking for the weekend." Audrey grinned. "That wolf knows a thing or two about sheep cuisine!"

"Oh I can't wait till Malcolm gets here." Zach placed his utensils back and rubbed his stomach appreciatively. "That wolf has a gift when it comes to food."

Audrey lowered the final plate in front of Vernon.

"Maybe you should take some lessons from him then so I don't have to feed you all the time." Audrey's laugh trailed off as she returned her attention to the plate she placed.

"Now Vernon, I just heated you up a fish patty since we were having cicada loaf tonight and I know you aren't a fan of bugs." 

Vernon scrunched his nose in disgust. "Blech, yeah I'll pass on the loaf thank ya."

Audrey took a seat next to her son, adjusting her own plate of food.

"Wait, you don't like bugs at all?" Dawn was surprised. She had lived with Vernon for close to six months but she had never seen him turn his snout up at anything other than her turf tarts.

Vernon sighed, but before he could speak Zach interrupted him. 

"He doesn't eat 'em unless they don't look like bugs anymore." Zach said.

Vernon groaned. "I don't like chompin' down on little legs and thoraxes and stuff. It makes me feel gross."

"And Ma's Cicada loaf is chock full of whole ones. MhhMnh!" Wade grinned. "I love the way they kind of pop open when you bite into 'em."

Dawn could see Vernon visibly shudder.

"I-I'll eat the patties and stuff at Bug-Burga." Vernon shrugged. "But I stay far away solid bugs."

"What a puppy." Zach laughed.

Vernon stood up slightly, his ears cocking back as he sneered across the table. "Hey!" He grimaced. "Bugs are vermin remember? They carry diseases and eat our crops and all sorts of stuff!" The wolf grumbled, slumping back into his chair.

"That's why they have the North Mammalian Food and Drug Administration dummy!" Zach retorted. "They make sure the bugs that get to our plates are clean and disease free."

"Boys enough." Audrey tutted. "Just start eating before it gets cold."

The wolves fell silent, and reluctantly began to pick at their respective plates. Dawn, taking the hint, joined the others as they slowly began to dig in to their meals. Taking a bite of the burger, the lamb found it wasn't that bad. Sure it was mostly grass, as was the case with most cheap frozen sheep meals, but it was satisfying none the less. 

But as she continued to eat, she kept catching Dorian's glare. At first she thought it was a fluke, that she had just happened to catch him looking her way. But after a few more times it became clear the wolf was periodically flashing her a disdainful look. Dawn slowly found her appetite waning as she it became more and more clear that the snowy white wolf was at the very least suspicious or distrustful of her, if not worse.

"So where's your girl?" Dorian's demeanor seemed to shift to a lighter tone as he questioned Wade.

Wade shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable. "U-Uh she couldn't make it." He sputtered before anyone else could conceivably interrupt him. "Family emergency, her F-Father's in the hospital."

"Oh" Dorian's smile faltered. The older wolf let out a gruff sigh. "Would have been nice to have one of you bring home a wolf for once." He muttered.

Dawn looked up to catch Vanna's eyes go wide. The tigress quickly glanced over to Dorian with a look of hurt on her face before looking away. A small frown remaining on her muzzle.

"Dori!" Audrey hissed at the white wolf.

"What, I'm just saying!" Dorian sputtered. "I love all of my daughter in-laws!" The wolf forced a grin. Audrey let out a huff before turning back to her plate.

"Almost all of 'em." Dawn could hear him mutter, but it appeared Audrey chose to ignore that remark, quickly interrupting it with her own statement.

"So ya'll excited for tomorrow?" Audrey smiled widely.

"Yes ma'am, we're looking forward to the carnival." Vernon said, giving the ewe a slight nudge. Dawn gave a simple and shuddering nod. She could feel the uncomfortable tension in her body growing more and more as the awkward dinner continued to putter along. Dawn had always wanted to be someone's date to a fair or carnival, but it was hard to dwell on that happy thought with Dorian's eyes still periodically searing through her.

"Looking forward to what? Running the stall?" Wade chuckled.

"Oh Hush!" Audrey tutted. "I don't need all of you to help me with the stall. You'll all get to enjoy the festival on different days." She added.

"As long as I get a shot at that pie eating contest I'm happy to run the stall all day." Zach smirked, crossing his arms in triumph.

"Please." Vernon teased. "Last time I was out you only made it through six pies before you puked. You didn't even place!" The wolf laughed.

Zach turned his head to the side, a look of indignance twisting up his muzzle.

"Okay, so I did!" He sneered. "But this year I'll be ready!" Zach flashed a grin.

"Maybe you should spend some time with your mate huh?" Vernon smirked back at the russet wolf. "Bit less selfish than stuffing yer face."

Zach's smile deflated as he turned to face Vanna. The tigress simply arched an eyebrow at him.

"W-Well of course were gonna spend some time together. I didn't just forget about her." He placed a paw on top of hers. "But that doesn't me-"

"I like watching Mutt make a spectacle of himself." The tigress smirked, giving the wolf a kiss on the side of his head. Zach blushed as he recoiled slightly.

"I thought I made you his partner to keep him from doing that sort of thing." Dorian grinned.

"Hey, excellence like this can be contained by no mammal!" Zach swelled his chest, placing a paw against it proudly. Vanna simply placed her head in her paw, trying to hide her smirk.

"Well my romantic date ain't gonna involve as much gorging myself." Vernon chuckled.

Dawn could see Dorian's smile twist back into a sullen frown. The wolf simply mumbled as he went back to his meal.

"Although I won't lie, I'm itchin' to get my fangs into some roasted corn." Vernon's ears stuck straight up as a look of realization came over him. "That reminds me." He quickly turned to face his Mother. "Ma, the corn's in awful shape this year. Worst I've ever seen."

"Please, it wasn't looking so hot two years ago either." Zach added.

Audrey let out a sigh. "Well, we have been having trouble keeping vermin out of the fields for a while now."

The she-wolf gave a shrug. "Every year I've been trying a different way of keeping them out but so far I haven't found a good one. This year just happens I picked a method of pest control that turned out to be the worst one yet." The she-wolf let out another sigh. "Luckily I always grow too much, so we've got enough for the stall despite the hit to the crops."

Vernon scratched his chin. "I don't remember it being like that when I was a pup."

Audrey toyed with the food on her plate. "Well, I used different repellant back then. I haven't used that stuff in years though."

"Wha-"

"Wasn't like we were allowed to anymore anyway." Dorian mumbled.

Audrey's ears perked up slightly. The she-wolf turned to her mate.

"Dori." She hissed.

"I don't understand, why'd you stop using the stuff?" Vernon asked.

"B-Because it wasn't s-safe dear." Audrey stuttered. Turning back to Vernon she gave the wolf a reassuring pat on the paw. "But it's fine, we'll find something that works even-"

"Tell him what we used Audrey." Dorian said bluntly.

The table had fallen silent as the assembled family members turned their focus to Dorian. The wolf was still nonchalantly eating his meal. The lingering silence caused the wolf to eventually stop and look back up at everyone in confusion. Dorian eyed his mate again.

"Go on, tell the boy." He said, his mouth still partially filled with food.

"Dori!" Audrey slammed her paws on the table. "Drop it!"

Dawn had already stopped eating, the nauseas feeling growing too strong as the rising tension twisted the four chambers of her stomach into knots. She pushed her plate aside as Vernon flashed a concerned look her way.

"You all right Lamb Chop?" Vernon asked.

Dawn wearily shook her head. "I-I'm fine...I'm just f-full is all.

"Vernon, don't mind your Father." Audrey muttered. "He's obviously had a rough day at work and he's-"

"We used to use night howlers." Dorian said, going back to picking at the meal on his plate. "Right Auddy?" 

"DORIAN EVERETT HUNTER!" Audrey stood, slamming her paws on the table as she hissed at the white wolf.

The words hit Dawn like a sack of bricks, and she quickly felt as if she was going to faint. Of course they used night howlers, most farmers had before....before the whole mess. The ewe began to sink into her seat uncomfortably as the argument around the table seemed to be brewing.

"WHAT!?" The white wolf snapped back. "I CAN'T STATE A FACT!?" The wolf put his utensils down. "IT'S WHAT WE USED TO PROTECT THE CROPS AIN'T IT!?"

Audrey glanced Dawn's way, wincing nervously before turning the glare back onto her husband.

"It really doesn't matter do-"

"We had to stop using it because it was classed as a narcotic five years ago." Dorian went back to picking at his plate. Seemingly ignoring his mates attempts to shut down the conversation. "Of course we all know why that was, don't we?" 

Before that point Dawn had been catching Dorian glaring at her apropos of nothing, but now the wolf had chosen to punctuate the end of his sentence with another disapproving stare directed right at the ewe. If there was any question as to whether Dorian was harboring some sort of resentment toward her he had just made it loud and clear. Dawn continued to sink lower into her chair under the intense gaze. It felt like the room was starting to spin slightly as she braced her hooves on the phone books. The ewe looked over to her mate, trying to maintain a stoic outward demeanor. But Vernon wasn't looking at her, he was already up on his feet. The wolf's expression twisted into a snarl as he glared at his Father.

"Is there something you want to say to me old mam'?" Vernon hissed as he pounded his paws on the table.

"Not to you." The wolf muttered, taking another bite of his food.

"Dad..." That one had come from Zach, the surprise and disappointment in his voice seemed to catch Dorian off guard as he stared at the russet wolf in disbelief.

"WHAT!?" Dorian barked. "We can't talk about facts at the dinner table anymore? We have to bite our tongues and sit here like everything is fine?" The wolf harshly clattered his utensils against his plate.

"We can't use night howlers because they are a highly regulated toxin. Fact." Dorian sneered. " Night Howler is regulated because of it's use in a conspiracy to drug predators into attacking prey. Fact."

"DORI!" Audrey hissed. "STOP IT!"

Dorian stared at his mate, his face stricken with a look of betrayal.

"Oh I get it." The white wolf bared his teeth slightly. "I'm the bad guy right?" Dorian let out a shaky barking laugh. "I'm the bad guy at the table because I shouldn't be bringing up bad memories, right?"

Dorian shook his head, chuckling as he did. " I'm supposed to just take all this with a smile, just grin and bear it. Anything else is rude huh?" Dorian let out a weary sigh. "Yeah, I'm sitting at the table with an ex-con and I'm the bad guy."

Vernon slammed his paws against the table so forcefully his plate managed to split in two. He was growling now, staring daggers into his Father's eyes.

"If you have a problem you better say it to me, because I sure as hell won't let you say it t-!"

"It's not my problem, it's your problem." Dorian muttered.

Vernon lunged only for Audrey to hold the wolf back with a paw.

"PLEASE YOU TWO!" She snarled, glaring at the both of them. Dorian didn't even acknowledge his wife, continuing to pick at little bits of food left on his plate. Vernon however was practically gasping as he pushed his Mother's paw off of him. The other members of the Hunter brood had fallen deathly silent. Dawn could see they were practically frozen aside from their eyes, which had been darting from speaker to speaker.

"I wanted this to be a nice dinner!" The she-wolf groaned. "The last thing I wanted was another fight to break out between the two of you!"

Dorian let out another barking laugh. "You can't seriously believe we weren't going to fight! Not after he told us who he was bringing home wi-"

"ENOUGH!" The she wolf hissed, but it was clear the sheriff was done listening to dissenting opinions. The wolf abruptly stood, lifting his plate with him.

"Well, you got your peaceful dinner Auddy." Dorian grumbled. "I'll be finishing mine in my Office so nobody gets their 'feelings hurt'." With a snarl, the icy white wolf made his way around the table and out of the room.

Despite Dorian's absence, Vernon was still incised. The wolf was huffing and puffing, running his paw through his hair tuft repeatedly as he seemed to try to compose himself. As he looked back to the ewe, the anger in his eyes quickly faded to worry and anguish. 

Admittedly Dawn probably wasn't doing much to alleviate that feeling in the wolf. The ewe had practically sunk below the table. She felt so sick to her stomach that she was practically ready to run to the bathroom. Noticing Vernon's concerned glance, the ewe did her best to power though the gross tension wracking her body. She didn't want to see his ears sag, to make him think she couldn't handle it. However she ultimately failed as tears began to well up behind her frames.

"I-I'm so sorry Vernon." Dawn muttered. The ewe struggled to clamber to a standing position on her seat as she wiped her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry everyone, I di-"

"You ain't apologizing for anything Honey Lamb!" Vernon cut her off, slamming another paw against the table. Vernon eyed the other mammals sharply, his stare almost accusatory before turning back to the trembling ewe. "It's his fault, not yours."

Vernon took a deep breath, shaking his head briskly as he let out a ragged sigh.

"If you don't mind." Vernon snapped his attention back to the family table. "We'll be excusing ourselves for the rest of the night thank you." His voice was calm and cold.

"Vernon, you two don't have to-"

"No, it's better this way." Vernon muttered. "Evenings already spoiled, the rest of you don't need our situation bringing the tone down." The wolf hissed. "Or worse, Dad coming back and making it worse." 

Before Dawn knew it, Vernon had gingerly picked her up in his arms. She wanted to protest, her hatred of feeling weak and feeble screaming at her to stand up and say something. To save the dinner somehow, but the ewe couldn't do it. Vernon was right, it was spoiled. And the last thing she wanted to do was sit there in awkward silence for the rest of a meal she wouldn't eat.

"Vernon sweet-"

"We'll be alright Ma." Vernon grumbled as he turned his back to the table. "We'll be downstairs if you need us."

And with that the pair left the dining room, Dawn hugging the wolf tightly as she watched the other wolves sullen faces disappear behind the dining room wall. So much for 'so far, so good'.


	9. Basement Dwellers

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Nine: Basement Dwellers

"So honestly, what exactly were you thinking when I was going to turn myself in?" Dawn asked, her hooves hovering over her keyboard readily. "I mean that plan you came up with, it was absolutely irresponsible and crazy."

The wolf laying on the other side of the couch from her leaned his head back on the arm, letting out a sigh.

"Thinking? You think I was thinking?" Vernon chuckled as he shook his head. "I was thinking I had to save your fluffy butt, that's what I was thinking."

"So stealing Val's bike-"

Vernon stabbed a paw at the ewe. "Ah! Ah! Ah!" He wagged his finger. "She let me have it, I didn't steal a thing!" 

Dawn had always found it odd that Val had readily volunteered her prized motorcycle to Vernon knowing full well he was going to use it in a police chase. Then again the rare times she had met the vixen since then had done little more to help her better understand of how the teen vixen's mind worked.

"But you did steal me." Dawn smirked.

"You asking if I regret it?" Vernon raised an eyebrow at the ewe as she typed.

"Do you?" Dawn asked.

Vernon sighed. "I don't regret saving you. I knew you were innocent...and well...I wanted to protect you." Vernon sat back up. "I mean I told you as much when we were in the Rainforest District."

Dawn simply nodded as she continued to type away. Typing down Vernon's side of the story was not as easy as writing her own. The wolf wasn't quite as wordy as she was, and she had to take the extra time to make his retelling of events more palatable to perspective readers.

"But...I regret putting you in that situation we ended up in." Vernon flopped back into the arm rest. "I mean...well...you could have...I" Vernon whined.

Dawn placed her laptop on the cheap wooden coffee table near the couch, before crawling over to the forlorn wolf. Shimmying her way up his body, she wrapped her hooves tightly around his torso before planting a soft kiss on his muzzle.

"You didn't know Puppy Love, you were just..." Dawn nuzzled her head against his chest.

"I wasn't thinking straight." The wolf chuckled. "I had no plan, I just made things up on the fly!" The wolf held his arms out toward the ceiling. "I could have gotten us killed so many times!" Dawn watched as the wolf placed a paw over his face...

"But...?" Dawn cooed.

"You want me to say I was 'blinded by love' right?" Vernon eyed the ewe through his fingers, giving her a smirk. Dawn gave a simple nod before nuzzling the wolf's chest again.

Vernon sighed. "Well, I was, it's true." The wolf chuckled. "But don't you think any mammal reading that's gonna find it all schmaltzy and stuff?"

Dawn giggled. "Please, if you think that's bad wait to you read the chapter about our first time from my perspective." 

Vernon suddenly sat up, startling Dawn in the process. The wolf's ears sagged as he stared at the little ewe in what she could only describe as sheer terror.

"W-wait, you're putting 'THAT' in?" Vernon whined.

Dawn chuckled as she gave the wolf's nose a playful 'boop' with her finger.

"Of course Puppy Love." Dawn cooed. "I have to, it's kind of a pivotal moment in our relationship." She gave the wolf a playful pat on the chest, but it didn't seem to put Vernon at ease. The wolf was visibly cringing now.

"B-but Lamb Chop, don't ya think that's a bit...ya know..." Vernon scratched the back of his head. "Too personal?" The wolf fell back onto the armrest again, staring blankly up at the ceiling. "I mean, I don't want our parents reading about...well...I mean..."

"Oh they'll probably never even read it." Dawn waived a hoof dismissively as she laid herself back down against the wolf's chest. Dawn twiddled her hooves through the tufts of fur sticking out of his shirt collar. 

"Besides, it's about as descriptive as a romance novel. It's very tame." Dawn bit her lip as she thought about that last part. She knew she was stretching the truth just a bit as she reviewed some key phrases in her head. She knew passages such as 'Pounded me into the mattress' and 'Rode him like an old western ostrich rider' were edging on tasteless, but it was true to form. Even so the story was meant to be a raw one, and would probably only ever reach a small audience of Pred/Prey couples and sympathizers. She did however make a mental note of showing a heavily edited copy to Vernon rather than the real one.

"Speaking of parents..." Dawn decided it was time to change the subject, lest her mate begin to ask to many questions. "Are we going to discuss what happened up there?" Dawn gestured toward the ceiling.

"Ugh..." Vernon groaned, slapping a paw back to his face. "No, c'mon lets go back to the book Darlin'."

"Vern." Dawn said plainly. "We've been down here for three hours now writing my book in an effort to avoid discussing this."

"And we can wait a little longer can't we?" The wolf moaned. Vernon flashed the ewe pleading eyes, but the ewe remained resilient in the face of her mate's usual charm. Dawn simply sat back up, crossing her arms as she stared the wolf down. Eventually the wolf faltered, letting out another groan.

"Look I don't exactly want to talk about it either." Dawn sighed. She could easily recall how shaken up she was when the had first come down to the basement three hours before. She felt absolutely miserable knowing that Vernon's Father held a clear disdain for her, but at the same time she couldn't fault him for it despite Vernon's assertion that Dorian was far off base. It was Vernon who had come up with the idea of putting her mind off it by doing more of his side of the book. He had even rushed upstairs to get her laptop to make it all the more an appealing option, which she had begrudgingly accepted. 

But despite being around each other for six months Vernon had yet to learn that Dawn could never fully get something that was bothering her out of her head. A distraction simply stole focus from the more worrying thoughts, making them quieter but still present as more of a background noise. Outside Dawn pressed Vernon for his take on when they first recognized each other, to the emotional turmoil he went through living with her, to being trapped in the freezer together, to the eventual topic at hoof, his lamb-napping chase through the Rainforest.

But on the inside Dawn was working through the disastrous turn of events at the dinner. Was there anything that could have been done to keep the conversation from going back to Dawn's past? Could she had somehow managed to impart Dorian with a good first impression? The answer didn't take long, she knew it was a resounding 'no'. And it had been utterly preposterous to expect every member of the family, even any of them for that matter to be willing to simply brush aside her past deeds despite her recent act of heroism. She thought in hindsight that perhaps it would have been better to just bring it up all at once. To have a civil and open discussion about everything despite the disgust she felt reliving that part of her life. It was the only fair thing to do for the sake of the Hunters, for the sake of Dorian. And that had been the conclusion she had come to as she finally managed to calm down and focus on the writing. The next time she and Vernon's Father had a chance to talk, she resolved to be earnest and open about her history.

"But we are going to be here for three more days, and we can't spend the whole time in this basement." Dawn concluded.

"Well, what do you think we should do?" Vernon groaned. " Cause If my Dad gets like that again I'm gonna have to h-"

Dawn quickly brought her hoof to his muzzle, cutting him off.

"Your Dad is right to feel the way he feels." Dawn said sadly. 

"WHAT!?" Vernon sputtered.

Dawn gave a meek nod. "What I did was terrible, I can't just expect everyone to just accept me." The ewe sighed. "I mean he hasn't even had a chance to get to know me, lamb sakes none of them really have."

The ewe adjusted her glasses. "Actually I should be more grateful that so far everyone else here has been willing to accept me with open paws."

Vernon scoffed. "What about 'Zootopia's Last Night?' I told them what you did!" Vernon huffed. "It was all over the news, he couldn't have miss-"

"That doesn't just erase what I did before Vernon." Dawn shook her head. "Nor should it. I-I'm sure your Father has his reasons for holding a grudge."

"FEH!" Vernon threw his arms out. " 'Hunters can smell bullshit!' Those were his words." His arms flopped back to his sides. "He should have been able to tell you were sincere the moment he looked at you."

Dawn curled back up against Vernon's chest, tenderly petting the fur tuft still sticking out of his shirt neck. 

"We just have to take it slow Puppy Love." Dawn cooed, trying to calm the wolf down. "We'll give it some time, let him see how we get along." She sighed. "Then when the right time comes we'll all sit down and have a calm discussion about everything."

Vernon frowned, his ears sagging as he wrapped a paw around the ewe. The wolf let out a long sigh as he leaned over and buried his snout in the wooly puff on top of her head. She could feel a gentle kiss just barely touch her scalp through the wool.

"How'd you manage to get so calm about all this Honey Lamb?" Vernon mumbled through the wool. "I've been seeing red for hours now."

Dawn giggled. "I spent a lot of time thinking it over."

Vernon grumbled. "So much for getting your mind off it."

Dawn pulled away sharply, giving Vernon a playful slap.

"YOU DIDN'T EITHER!" She laughed. "You just said you've been 'seeing red for hours now!'" 

The wolf sat up slightly, scratching the back of his head. "W-Well yeah, but I was trying to help you!" He grimaced. "I want you to have a good time here. I want it to feel like home."

"Aw, Puppy Love." Dawn cooed, wrapping her hooves around the wolf again as they eased back into a laying position on the shabby couch. "As long as I'm with you anywhere feels like home."

The wolf gingerly pet her head as he stared at the ceiling. Vernon let out a deep sigh. "Still though..."

"Oh hush!" Dawn tutted, walking her fingers up the wolf's chest daintily before resting her palm against his heart. "We'll just give your Father some time and then talk it out. For now we'll just focus on the fair tomorrow, and trying to have a good time."

Vernon eyed the ewe curiously. "Says you." He smirked. "How am I gonna believe you won't still be fretting over it? You lied to me before." Vernon chuckled. "I know it's still gonna be bothering me."

Dawn flashed the wolf a mischievous smirk. "Well...I do have a habit of thinking about too many thing at once. I rarely can ever fully clear my head..." The ewe slid on top of Vernon's chest, sliding her muzzle close to his. "But there is one thing that usually does the trick."

The wolf blushed furiously as Dawn kissed him on the tip of his nose.

"D-Dawn." Vernon stammered. "W-we can't be doing th-that here. They'll all hear us, I mean they'll definitely hear me...I-"

"Vernon I didn't mean that!" Dawn giggled, giving the wolf a playful swat. "Although admittedly that does work pretty well." She mused, rolling her eyes as she thought about the lurid act.

"But I mean just being with you." She said, snuggling back up to his chest. "Like this, right now. It makes me feel so much better." She gave a soft, comfortable bleat.

She felt the wolf tighten the wrap his paws had around her, squeezing her gently to his chest.

"Me too Honey Lamb." Vernon sighed. "Me too."

"And just what are ya'll up to down here?"

The familiar voice caused the pair to jump. Dawn barely had time to register what was happening as she found herself suddenly flying through the air before coming down on the other side of the sofa. She came down hard enough to feel the old wooden frame of the couch through the worn old cushions, causing her to wince as she landed.

Now on solid ground again, the ewe sat herself back up. By now Vernon was completely off the couch, standing up with his ears pointed in alarm. Dawn quickly figured out why as she spied Mrs. Hunter peeking at the couple through the slats on the stairwell.

"NOTHIN"!" Vernon barked awkwardly. "WE WAS N-NOTHIN'!" The wolf shook his head briskly. "I mean, we we're just resting!" He sputtered.

"Uh-huh." Audrey said in an accusing tone. As the wolfess made her way down the remaining stairs she cocked an eyebrow at the couple.

"Honestly! We were writing!" Vernon quickly turned to Dawn, his ears sagging as he finally seemed to notice the stunned ewe.

"We- oh Honey lamb!" Vernon rushed over, crouching down to the ewe still somewhat dazed on the couch. "I'm so sorry, are you alright!?" Vernon cooed, finally realizing he had thrown the lamb across the sofa. Dawn held her head and cringed slightly before patting Vernon's head.

"I-I'm fine...a little dizzy is all." She murmured.

"Oh Vernon!" Audrey chuckled. "Ya didn't have to throw the poor girl off ya. I know you two wouldn't do anything inappropriate in our house."

Vernon scratched the back of his head awkwardly, letting out a nervous chuckle.

"I'm so sorry Mutton Chop, I-"

"Vernon, please." Dawn caressed the side of Vernon's muzzle as she let out a chuckle of her own. "It's okay. I'm okay." Dawn eyed the wolf with concern. "Okay?"

Vernon nodded meekly before turning his attention back to his Mother.

"What are you doin' down here Ma?" Vernon asked nervously.

"Well I don't want to be too much of a Mom here..." The she-wolf trailed off. "But I thought I should remind you two that we leave for the Harvest Festival at seven tomorrow." The wolfess crossed her arms. "And if you two don't want to end up dead tired at the fair, you might want to get up to bed."

Vernon shook his head, letting out a chuckle.

"So, basically you're telling us we have a bedtime." Vernon grinned.

Audrey sneered. "Ya'll don't have to listen to me, but..." The she-wolf rolled her eyes as she smirked. " you'll be the ones too tired to do anything tomorrow if ya don't."

Now Dawn was giggling. Audrey was starting to remind the little ewe a lot of her own Mother during the more pleasant moments of her childhood. 

"Well, I am starting to get a little tired." Dawn muttered, rubbing one of her eyes. "I have been writing for a while, and the trip took quite a bit out of me."

"Among other things." Vernon grumbled as he crossed his arms.

"Oh hush." Audrey sassed. "I will talk to your Father about his behavior, don't you worry. And you can bet he's sleeping in his office tonight."

The she wolf made her way around Vernon, crouching near the ewe.

"So did Wade bring your bag up to your room?" Audrey asked.

Dawn scrunched her muzzle up in confusion. "M-my room?"

"Yes dear, The room you and the other girls will be sharing." Audrey replied.

Dawn's eyes went wide. The ewe had spent the last three hours calming herself down and easing her fear about Dorian only to have sheer terror come rushing back into her system. There must have been some mistake, Dawn couldn't have heard her right.

"I-I'm sorry?" Dawn sputtered.

"Ma are you serious!?" Vernon had crouched next to the couple, staring at the she-wolf in disbelief.

"What?" Audrey replied, clearly nonplussed.

Vernon blinked at her a few times.

"W-we're taking the guest room. We hav-"

"Oh no,no,no." Audrey chided as she stood back up. "I don't trust you that much Puppy!" The she-wolf laughed. 

"Ma!" Vernon's voice was grave as he stared at his Mother in horror. " You can't stick Dawn in a room with-with..." Vernon stammered.

"With who?" Audrey smirked. "Vanna?"

"And the others!" Vernon protested.

"What do you think Vanna, Ada and Qali are going to do?" Audrey crossed her arms. "Please, I'd be more worried about you not killing your brothers than Dawn's safety with those girls."

"Besides, Dawn isn't worried. Are you Darlin'?" Audrey turned to face the still petrified ewe. Dawn wanted to speak, to say something. But she was drawing a blank, her mouth continued to hang open dumbly as she stared at Mrs. Hunter. 

"Oh Hon, you'll be fine." The she-wolf smiled warmly, patting Dawn on the leg. 

"MA! We are taking th-" The wolf's voice was firm, but Audrey still managed to cut him off.

"You know the rules of the house Vernon!" The she-wolf chided. "If I didn't think Dawn would be fine I would allow it, but she will be." Audrey poked Vernon's nose, causing the wolf to recoil slightly. "You need to stop being so over protective!"

"I am not over protective!" Vernon huffed, crossing his arms.

"She's an adult Vernon, she doesn't need coddling." Audrey gave her son a half lidded stare. "And if I hear anyone gave her a hard time I'll take care of it."

"But Ma-"

"It's okay Vernon." Dawn interjected, drawing both of the wolves attention to her. Audrey's pat had drawn her back from her brain freeze, and she had managed to take in enough of the pairs back and forth to make a decision. Dawn was certain if she asked the she-wolf, even begged to share the guest room with Vernon, Audrey would allow it. Audrey had been willing to overlook her past, and was doing everything she could to make the ewe feel welcome in the Hunter household. But if Dawn caved to her own fearful emotions, she would essentially be spending the whole weekend in the Hunter basement. The ewe would be admitting defeat.

Dawn was scared yes. Scared of being hated by the members of her mates pack. There was a part of her that was deathly afraid Dorian would never at the very least accept her as part of the family. But while trying to figure out how best to deal with Vernon's Father, she realized that her final decision really applied to all her interactions with the family. If Dawn was going to make it through this weekend, and have a real shot at showing the Hunter pack who she really was, she was going to have to be prepared to discuss her past. The ewe was going to have to be brave, no matter how much she feared the judgment being open about her history may be. Dawn was going to do her best to suppress her worries and fears as much as possible, and soldier on.

"I can bunk with Vanna." Dawn muttered, twiddling her hooves nervously.

"Dawn, you can't b-"

"It's settled then!" Audrey chirped, clapping her paws together. Turning to her son, the she-wolf put her paws on her hips. "If Wade hasn't brought her bag up, you might want to do it for her Puppy." Audrey grinned. "It would be the gentlemamly thing to do."

Vernon traded glances with Dawn and Audrey. The wolf was aghast, muzzle twisted in horror and confusion.

"B-b-b..." Vernon's lip trembled.

"V-Vernon." Dawn mumbled. "I'll be okay..." Dawn reached out to the wolf, taking his paw in her hoof.

"Trust me." Dawn cooed. "I want to be a part of your family." Vernon's ears drooped as he let out a fearful whine. "And if I'm going to do that, I want to respect the house rules."

"B-But Honey Lamb." Vernon's eyes shimmered.

"You do trust me, don't you?" Dawn asked.

Vernon swallowed audibly before briskly shaking his head.

"O' course I do Mutton Chop, but-"

"Then trust that I will be okay on my own for the night." Dawn gingerly pet Vernon's paw with her other hoof.

The worried wolf glanced at his Mother briefly. The she wolf gave a chuckle before Vernon turned back to the ewe.

"A-Alright." Vernon muttered weakly. "If you're sure about this Dawn."

"I am." Dawn replied, giving the wolf a quick kiss on the muzzle.

With that, Vernon rose to his feet and began a slow trudge to the basement stairwell. The large grey wolf looked back at Audrey and Dawn with every few steps, occasionally letting out a nervous whine as he crossed the room. Finally reaching the stairs, the wolf took one last look back at the pair. 

"You sure?" Vernon's ears sagged as he cringed.

"Yes Vernon." Dawn said, smiling warmly back at the forlorn wolf.

With a final sigh, the wolf made his way up the stairs, each step slow and deliberate as he disappeared from sight. As silence returned to the basement, Audrey let out a barking laugh.

"That has to be the most adorable thing I've ever seen!" The she-wolf laughed loudly. " It reminds me so much of when he was little, I could just see my little two year old Puppy standing there!" Audrey's laugh petered away into a contented sigh as she turned back to Dawn.

"Poor boys a wreck." Audrey snickered. "You've got him wrapped around your hooves Darlin'." The she-wolf shook her head slowly.

"Well, he's got me wrapped around his paws. So I guess were even." Dawn sighed warmly.

"Dawn." Audrey's tone had shifted to a more serious one. " If you really would prefer a guest room for the two of you I-"

The ewe briskly shook her head in dismissal. "Absolutely not Mrs.-" Dawn paused to correct herself. "Audrey. I want to be a part of this family, traditions included." The ewe crossed her hooves. "I won't feel like I belong if I get any sort of special treatment."

Audrey grinned widely, giving Dawn a gentle pat on the back.

"That'a future daughter in-law." Audrey laughed. "I can already tell you are going to fit in just fine with the rest of the family."

Dawn blushed at the prospect of being Audrey's future daughter in-law. For the she-wolf to go so far as to imply she was certain Dawn and Vernon would wed was enough of a compliment on it's own.

The she-wolf suddenly grimaced. " Just gotta get Dori to stop being a stubborn dummy like he always is." The wolfess turned her attention to Dawn in alarm, before shifting her demeanor back into a warm and friendly one. " But don't you worry yourself none about him, I'll make him come around, you'll see!" Audrey chirped.

Dawn smiled back enthusiastically. She hoped the she-wolf would prove right in the end. But even with Audrey's assurances, and Dawn's own plans, the ewe could still feel that familiar knot tightening in her stomach.


	10. Trial Separation

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Ten: Trial Separation

"The Roaropean wolves are noted as being some of the last species in Roarup to reach civilization and establish a nation of their own, only beating out the mammals of Sibearia by about a half century. Once unified under the Düclaw clan came the merging of their language, writing, fables and other elements into more or less the Roaropean wolf culture as we have come to know it. But the North Mammalian Wolves took even longer than their Roaropean counterparts to reach a civilized state. In fact many modern mammals, especially descendants of the Norwulves, joke that the Canidean wolves still have yet to reach a state of civilization."

"Predating the colonization of the peninsula that would become Zootopia, the wolves of Canidea had no declared nation of their own. As was the way before Scottram and Norwulff organized, the North Mammalian wolves existed in pack based communes called 'tribes'. They also shared similar expansionist ideals to what the Norwulves once held. But unlike their brothers in Roarope who chose to rule over and accept the different species of the native regions they came to conquer, Native Mammalian Wolves were fiercely territorial and very aggressive toward outsiders, non-wolves especially. When expanding their territory, the tribes of Native Wolves would either drive the previous settlers or simply kill and in some cases eat them."

"At the time the first settlers came over from Roarope in 1630 there were a variety of different Native Wolf tribes largely spread across the northern part of the continent, but for the sake of exactly what pertains to both Vernon and my familial roots, the focus of this timeline will be the infamous 'Redclaw Pack'. Most of old Zootopia was inhabited by various tribes of rabbits, foxes, and other native mammals when the first settlers arrived, and as discussed before these natives were quickly adopted into the more modern society that the settlers had brought with them. However, the North Eastern part of Zootopia, just below the North Mountains that separate the peninsula from Canidea proper was inhabited by the 'Redclaw Pack'. This tribe of wolves were the sole inhabitants of the area that would become the Meadowlands."

"The Meadowlands back then were much as we know them today. The lush and fertile open grasslands made the area a perfect place for the farming early Zootopia would come to depend on to sustain itself, and there-for it became an essential area for the settlers to occupy. The Shcottish sheep were particularly fond of claiming it, as not only could they work the land, but it's climate was closest to that of their homeland. The natives who had been absorbed into the migrant society however, refused to step foot in the Meadowlands. They warned the sheep, and their representative Archibald Bellwether that the native wolves were dangerous. The other native mammals who had tried to go there before rarely if ever came back, and those who returned shared horrific tales of the heartless and cruel beasts they had encountered."  
"Archibald however, had faith that these new wolves would be just as interested in being a part of this new society as the other local inhabitants had been, and that any diplomatic issues could be easily resolved. So the migrants of Scottram began to build and farm in the Southern part of the Meadowlands, with plans for the easy acquisition the Northern portion through negotiations."

"Thus the first interactions between the early sheep and wolf settlers of the area and the Redclaws was nothing short of a disaster. Archibald wasn't prepared for an enemy that couldn't be reasoned or bargained with. Every attempt at diplomacy usually ended in violence on the part of the Redclaws. Sheep sent to meet with them either never came back, or barely escaped with their lives. These tribal wolves didn't seem to care what the new migrants had to offer them, and had no desire to share the land for the benefit of both parties. What made matters worse was that the tribe had begun attacking settlements that encroached too closely to the border of the North Meadowlands, and this is when it became apparent that many of the sheep who had disappeared in attempts to negotiate had been eaten by the tribe."

"Leif Hunter, whose Norwulff migrants had settled in the Alpine Ridge, had done his best to assist Archibald in trying every diplomatic effort they could to end the dispute peaceably. But the mounting failures were causing Archibald to grow more incised and enraged. With each diplomatic misfire, the Redclaws were painting a clear picture that they didn't care for outsiders, nor would they stand to have them anywhere near them. There were many times Archibald was ready to actively go to war with the natives, but Leif talked him down. This ultimately began to draw Archibald's ire toward the wolf as he began to question his loyalty toward the Shcottish sheep. Leif however, maintained that he was certain there was a way to get through to the natives, to end the senseless bloodshed."

"The Caprid Massacre of 1663" was the straw that broke the camels back and plunged the Meadowlands into a war against the Redclaws. The incident took place in a town on the border of the North and South Meadowlands known as Shetland. During the night, the Redclaw tribe invaded the small hamlet, killing the rams and capturing the ewes and lambs of the village. The rams were decapitated, their heads left on pikes scattered around the hamlet as a warning to the Shcotts. Presumable the ewes and lambs were eaten by the natives. Today the road that crosses where the town once was is known as 'Sheeps Head' in reference to the atrocity."

"It was that gruesome act that pushed Archibald over the edge. And thus he began to shore up an army to take the North Meadowlands by force. He was stalwart on not only driving the clan out, but wiping them off the face of Animalia. The level of masochism and horror involved in 'The Caprid Massacre' had also reopened the old wounds of the Shcottish caprid migrants, who were even starting to look at the Norwulves among them warily. The attack was tugging neatly at the old fears which sheep held for wolves of all kinds."

"The Redclaw war dragged on for three years, with each victory over the Redclaw's by Archibald's rams being undone in as little as weeks. No matter how many times the Shcotts seemed to drive the wolves off, they returned and took the land back with a vengeance. By the tail end of the three years, Archibald had begun to beseech the other representatives of Zootopia's districts to pledge their own voluntary armies to assist his own dwindling one. During this time Leif Hunter had kept largely out of the war. When diplomacy had completely and utterly failed the wolf seemingly retreated solely into the affairs of Alpine Glade, thus drawing more ire from Bellwether." 

"When it finally came down to the point where Archibald was begging the wolf to pledge some of the Norwulff citizens to join his fight, Hunter refused. As I mentioned earlier, Leif found it rather pointless to send more mammals to their deaths just to see the Redclaws take back the land they had died for. He actually called on Bellwether to simply end the war, to pull the settlements back from the border, and even offered to cede a portion of his own peoples district to allow the Shcotts to expand. This would allow them to get to know the tribe better, maybe initiate a trade system and slowly work them into proper society. Essentially Hunter had proposed a plan of attrition."

"Archibald completely and utterly refused, as the ram had become certain that the Redclaws would not rest until they had killed every last Shcott. More over, the ram refused to accept any mammal into civilized society that still saw prey as a food source. The impasse marked the start of a growing sour and distrust between the districts, which would only be made worse by the next actions Leif Hunter would take."

"In the third year of the conflict, Leif had begun to actively meet and trade with the Redclaw tribe. Bellwether, upon finding this out was naturally appalled. He saw this action as a stab in the back by the Norwulves, A slap in the face of Moira's treaty, as well as the innocent lambs that were continually losing their lives in the ongoing war effort. Hunter publically remained adamant that working to bring the Redclaws over to civilized society was the only path forward, and he intended to pursue that path. This opinion was abhorrent not only to the residents of The Meadowlands, but most of the wolves in Alpine Glade as well, and it continued to worsen relations between the two districts."

"In truth, Lief's public stance was a ruse. The wolf had seen 'The Caprid Massacre' as the point at which where there had been no going back. He had tried to be sympathetic to the natives, but they had proved themselves too monstrous to be trusted. But he had resolved to find the reason as to why the wolves refused to give up the land, and how they always managed to return despite taking heavy losses. Thus he had begun trading with the clan under the pretense of learning about them. Very quickly, he had managed to work his way up to meeting safely with the leader of the Redclaw tribe. In Leif's personal writings he described most of his findings as "disgustingly primitive" and "un-mammalian". "

"During his meetings he discovered a great deal about the Redclaw culture, and why the attempts at diplomacy had failed at every turn. The Redclaw saw prey as nothing more than food, and those hapless sheep that had mistakenly come to them seeking to make peace had essentially delivered themselves as easy food to the tribe. The few wolves they had killed among the sheep in the towns they attacked were justified as freeing servants to prey, which was a station worse than death. There-for the Redclaws had seen killing them as a mercy. They had called them worse than an 'Omega', a term Leif had never heard of before. Pressing that line of interest the wolf learned that the tribes still held staunchly to pack roles, and all they did was based around those stations. Omega's were the outcasts, the failures and dregs of their kind who were unwilling to adhere to the pack law."

"However, the most important thing Hunter would come to learn, as I mentioned in the chapter about Norwulves, was the Redclaws belief in divine right. Essentially, these wolves believed that all the land on Animalia belonged to wolves and wolves alone. Whenever the sheep would attempt to drive them out, the pack would lick it's wounds, garner help from neighboring tribes and inevitably take the land back. Because they refused to recognize any mammal but another wolf as having rights over land, a mammal as lesser to them as a sheep stood no chance in permanently holding a territory the tribe had deemed to be their own. It would take an equally strong tribe of wolves to drive the Redclaws away for good, lest the cycle would continue."

"With this new knowledge, Hunter returned to Alpine Glade and quickly drafted his attack plan. By now the continued trading with the Redclaws had given Hunter the location of all of their encampments, as well as when and where they were most vulnerable. Amassing his troops in secret, Hunter prepared his attack for the night of the harvest moon. A night he knew the tribe would be celebrating, and thus unaware of the oncoming attack."

"Thus on the cold October night in 1666, Hunter launched a siege on every Redclaw stronghold with an army made up entirely of Norwulves as well as Omega natives that had taken refuge among the Norwulff society. The surprise attack was bloody and brief, but in less than twenty-four hours and having suffered many casualties, the last remnants of the Redclaw pack were driven over the North Mountains never to attack again."

"The victory was a relief, but also weighed heavy on Leif Hunter's soul. Many migrant wolves had died, and even more innocents had been killed in order to make sure the Redclaws would never return. That guilt was something that would plague his personal writings till the end of his days."

"But what made it worse was the fallout that would come after. Archibald's half hearted thanks doused with anti-wolf rhetoric. In some instances Bellwether would argue that it was the brute-like nature of wolves that had caused the problems for the Shcotts in the first place, which is why it had taken that same brute force to end it. He began to parrot that the whole affair was a stark reminder of exactly where wolves had come from, and that caprid-kind should never forget it. I'm not sure exactly why he became such a staunch anti-predator leader despite Hunter ultimately saving The Meadowlands. Maybe petty anger over Leif's unwillingness to act earlier, or perceiving he was too sympathetic toward his own kind, or simple agitation over not getting what he wanted. Sufficed to say relations between wolves and sheep in Zootopia continued to worsen."

"As for relations with the remaining Redclaws, well they were over and done with. And those survivors warned the other tribes of the trickery and deception of the Norwulves. Alpine Glade, and it's governing bodies became synonymous with betrayers, and were seen as nothing more than slaves to lesser prey species. Thus most other tribes, whether warlike or peaceful refused to communicate with any Norwulff. The only native wolves that would communicate with those in Alpine Glade were Omegas, looking for refuge from the terror of living amongst the clans." 

"Today many tribes still operate all across Canidea and North Mammalia., but they grow smaller with each passing generation due to the rules of their pack structure. While some have become some-what civilized, organizing into city-states in a few sparse regions, most still operate in a tribal fashion. These wolves adhere to their steep traditions and pack structure rigidly, and those traditions mostly remain unchanged. Most have gotten rid of condoning the eating of prey, but there are still rumors and stories floating around that suggest savage tribes are still out there."

"The difference in cultural beliefs, as well as the historical war between the native and non-native wolves still causes friction between the two classes of wolves. It is a bitter rivalry and hatred that still exists to this day despite more and more tribal wolves integrating into modern Zootopian society. In fact the only native wolves that do manage to get along with Norwulves are the Omegas, many of whom bred into the Norwulff population over the years. Even the Hunters themselves would see-"

Dawn nearly jumped out of her wool as she felt a tap on her shoulder. As she whipped around the ewe threw the headphones she had been wearing to the side of her laptop before she found herself under the looming gaze of Vanna. The tigress, now dressed in a set of plain pink themed pajamas featuring cartoon tigers across the shirt, raised her paws defensively with her ears splayed back against her head.

"Sorry..." Vanna said softly. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just had to get your attention."

Dawn clutched a hoof over her chest as she did her best to slow the rapid beating of her heart. 

"Lamb sakes! You gave me a real s-start!" Dawn stammered, trying to ease her staggered breathing. "I d-didn't even know you were in the room!"

When Vernon had walked Dawn up to the girls bedroom, and reluctantly left her behind the ewe had been left all alone. Despite her exhaustion, the ewe had decided the best thing to do would spend a bit more time typing up some of the more drab, historical portions of her novel in an effort to help push her over the edge into an easy sleep. She assumed she would have been out by the time Vanna came up to the bedroom, but clearly the ewe had lost track of time.

The tigress winced slightly. "I was trying to ask you a question, but I guess your headphones were blocking me out." Vanna said.

Dawn chuckled uneasily. "S-sorry, I-I uh..." Dawn stuttered. "I like to listen to music while I work...I-It makes it easier to write."

Vanna gave a simple nod. "I see."

An awkward silence hung over the two mammals, and only when Dawn's heartbeat had managed to ease back down to it's natural tempo did the ewe fully contemplate what the tigress had said.

"Y-you had a question?" Dawn asked, slightly nervous about exactly what the coming question would entail.

The tigress lifted her right arm, revealing a matte grey machine hanging lazily in her claws. Dawn could see water sloshing around in a translucent compartment as the feline raised it.

"I wanted to plug in my humidifier." Vanna said flatly. "But I thought I should ask first if it was okay to set up. It is a bit noisy."

Dawn put a hoof to her lips for a moment as the mundane nature of the question had caught her off guard. Smiling, the ewe gave a brisk nod.

"O-oh sure." Dawn stuttered. "I-I don't mind."

Vanna nodded before making her way back to the bed across from Dawn. As the tigress began to set up the device on the nearby nightstand Dawn found herself reflecting on the earlier lunch where she had first met the tigress. Vanna's reception to the ewe was a cold one, but when the conversation lead to Dawn's past the feline seemed to give her a break despite it being obvious that Dawn's criminal behavior had affected the path her life had taken.

Still Dawn couldn't help but feel a deep sense guilt eating at the back of her mind in regards to the tigress. With Audrey, Dawn knew where the she-wolf truly stood in regards to her past. If Audrey were lying, it was nearly impossible to tell as everything she had said seemed to ooze with warm sincerity. But with Vanna, despite her assertions that she had been more tired with city life than anything else, Dawn could still sense a discomfort from her. Vanna's agreement to let the past remain in the past was clinical and awkward, and at the time Dawn was willing to accept it. But after what had happened with Dorian at dinner, and resolving to face her past despite it, it only seemed fair to give Vanna the chance to express if she really felt differently. At the very least Dawn could explain herself, and truly apologize for the trouble she may have caused Vanna. 

Despite the ewe's reluctance to even touch on it, she had to know the truth. Exactly how much did the 'night howler scandal' affect Vanna? Was she really burying some sort of deeper resentment for the families sake? The ewe was going to be open about her past, and it seemed best to test the waters with the tigress. 

With a dull whirr the humidifier hummed to life, emitting a barely visible column of steam as it chugged along. The tigress, seemingly satisfied, now took a seat on her mattress.

"V-Vanna?" Dawn murmured, her voice shaking with uncertainty. "C-can I ask you a q-question?"

The tigress arched an eyebrow at the ewe.

"Yes?" She asked in a slightly confused tone.

Dawn scooted to the edge her own bed, doing her best to hold a brave face as she eyed the tigress.

"F-forgive me I-If this is sort of personal." Dawn gulped. "But I n-need to know."

Vanna nodded for the ewe to continue.

"W-when you left Zootopia..."The ewe coughed. "I m-mean transferred to "The Meadowlands." Dawn gulped. "I-I mean, t-that was my f-fault right? It was the night howler scandal tha-"

Vanna held up a paw stopping the ewe mid speech. Letting out a sigh, the tigress placed a paw to her forehead.

"Dawn, you don't have to-"

"No." Dawn stood on the bed. "I w-want to know. I need to know if it's my fault you had to leave Zootopia Vanna. I-if you resent me because of it." The ewe sat back down. "Y-you shouldn't have to pretend to like me because of Audrey, Vernon, or anyone else."

"Dawn." The tigress shook her head.

"I want you to be h-honest...please." The ewe pleaded. " I-If I'm truly going to be part of this family we should be a-able to discuss this." 

The tigress placed her head in her paws as she let out another sigh. Vanna stayed like that for a moment before straightening back up and seemingly composing herself. With another deep breath, the tigress cleared her throat.

"I supposed you have noticed by now the way I carry myself." Vanna said. "I tend to scare a lot of smaller mammals. I've been told I'm very intimidating." The tigress lamented. "Which I am sure is why you feel I'm harboring some sort of anger toward you."

Dawn stayed silent, stuck somewhere between feeling it would insult Vanna to agree with her, but come off as condescending to disagree.

The tigress rubbed her face seemingly in an effort to wake herself up a bit more.

"I was a member of the Sahara Square Police Precinct for about eight years before I transferred out to the North Meadowlands Dawn, and it was at that time I got to see the worst Zootopia had to offer." Vanna smirked. "I suppose it's only natural when you are a cop after all."

"When I came to Zootopia, I didn't think it was all bright smiles and warm hugs like television made it out to be. I was smart enough to know the difference between a cheesy slogan and reality. But I had wanted to be a big city cop since I was a kitten, and I grew up watching real cold case documentaries and studying actual criminal statistics rather than cop movies. I had an idea of what I was getting into when I took the job. I knew there were plenty of truly evil mammals out there."

"But I wanted to help. I wanted to stand among my fellow mammals as someone they could look upon with pride and trust. Someone they knew was looking out for them, as childish as that may sound. I wanted to help make Zootopia what it was trying to be." Vanna gave a sarcastic chuckle.

"When I took my place on the force, I dove right into that dark side of Zootopia eager to clean house." She sighed. "And it was as bad, if not worse than I had ever expected."

"Despite all my preparations, I was still a country girl from a small town in the San Furnando Valley. The worst crime you'd find out there is teens pulling harvest pranks." The cat sighed. "I endured it all of course. The organized crime, the murders, the gang violence. But it hardened me in the process, made me colder because of it." She shrugged. "It was my way of dealing with it."

Dawn was now leaning forward, listening keenly to the felines story.

"Long before, well..." Vanna muttered. "Before your involvement in the 'Night Howler Scandal', I had long since been dealing with both prey and predators looking at me as if I were going to pounce on them at any moment."

Vanna scratched the back of her head uneasily. " I've been called my fair share of predator slurs, and cat slurs, by criminals and citizens alike." Vanna laughed weakly. " Especially the few times I had to work parking duty."

The tigress shook her head in disbelief. "I swear to this day I've never been called worse names than when I was handing out parking tickets!" She gave a terse laugh.

"But, I'm getting off track." The tigress said, clearing her throat. "The point is that as I hardened to the cruelties of all the crimes I saw, I began to harden toward the citizens I wanted to protect. The occasional stare, the mammals pulling their children slightly closer to them as I walked past, it was getting worse every year not because of my species, but the coldness I exuded on a daily basis." She placed a paw over her muzzle. 

"My partner for most of those years was a male tiger, and his demeanor with the public was nothing short of outstanding." Vanna smiled. "When citizens approached us for help, Thomas was always the one they talked to. Kids loved him, and if any prey were afraid of him they never showed it."

"It was because of him I learned why most of the citizens looked at me the way they did." Vanna shrugged. "Sure some did because I was a predator, that was something I accepted, there would always be some mammal to judge you based on your diet or species." Vanna raised a finger. "But my problem was I came into the precinct every day looking for a fight. I came to Zootopia already hardened, and devoting myself to my work almost constantly only made it worse." Vanna shook her head. "Thomas said the reason mammals looked at me like I was ready to pounce, because the flicker behind my eyes always said I was."

Vanna placed her paws on her knees as she let out another sigh. "He also told me if I kept up that way I was liable to snap. I was making my own misery by focusing on the darkest elements of Zootopia instead of trying to enjoy the beautiful parts."

Dawn was now practically leaning off the mattress, fully engrossed in Vanna's tale.

"S-so what happened?" Dawn asked timidly.

"I started giving serious consideration to giving up on the job, and trying to find something else to do with my life that would break down the walls I had built around myself. I mean, I had went into the job to be someone the public could look to for protection, not to be feared, and I had utterly failed at that. I tried meditation, yoga, going to the naturalist club, but none of that seemed to ease my intimidating aura I brought to the job with me every day. I knew If things kept going the way they were going I was going to have to quit the force." Vanna raised her paws before drooping them back to her sides. " 

"Then the mammals started disappearing." Vanna muttered.

Dawn felt a lump form in her throat, and swallowed hard in an attempt to break it up. "O-oh..."

"Granted things didn't blow up until Lionheart got caught, and that rabbit cop made that uninformed comment." Vanna shook her head. "Then suddenly predators at prey were more at each others throats than ever before, it was like there was a war broiling just below the cities surface waiting to break out."

"V-Vanna I-I'm so so-"

"But strangely, it didn't really change anything for me." Vanna cut the ewe off.

Dawn shook her head briskly in disbelief. "I-I'm sorry..." Dawn stammered dumbly. "W-what?"

"I mean, yes I was afraid of going savage." The tigress shrugged. "I thought it was a very real illness. But the public didn't really treat me any different than they had. I was used to the stares, to the fear."

"What was hard to watch was Thomas coming apart." The tigress sighed. " He had never known what it was like to be feared. The glares cut into the poor tiger like daggers." She crossed her arms. "I mean he was a mammal who actually lived up to the goals I had wanted to live up to. A beacon of peace, a mammal of distinction among the community, and suddenly they were all turning away from him." 

"Now Thomas was pulled down to my level, with only close prey friends and our fellow officers placing any degree of trust in him." Vanna grimaced. "The rest of the station was in more or less the same shape. Some of my predator colleagues openly wept sometimes because they were terrified of possibly turning. We tried to console each other, but as far as we knew it was an illness. It had an equal chance of striking any of us at any time. We were all terrified."

Dawn could feel her stomach sinking, gnarling in anguish. Being not only reminded, but given detailed accounts of the suffering she caused was making her regret ever bringing up the question. She wanted to weep right there for the lives she had so thoughtlessly ruined, but tried her best to remain stoic in spite of it.

"Then the order came down to start sticking all the preds behind a desk." Vanna grunted. "At Precinct Two, you get behind a desk and your active days are numbered. You are never getting back out on the beat. Some of us took the position with grim resignation, but Thomas decided he had enough and transferred back out to a precinct in his home town on east coast."

Vanna narrowed her eyes at Dawn slightly. "I take it you probably know that by that point many predators were starting to flee Zootopia because the outbreak was seemingly limited to the city."

Dawn gulped, nodding her head warily.

"Thomas was leaving partly because of that, but mostly because he felt like the mammals he swore to protect had rejected him." Vanna sighed.

"I feel guilty saying this, but because of his decision I was inspired to do the same thing for different reasons." She mumbled. "I wanted to leave because I didn't want to end up behind a desk. Because I didn't want to deal with horrible, grim, gory cases anymore. Because I wanted so desperately to go somewhere and start over, and become a less hardnosed, softer tiger than I was." Vanna grinned slightly.

"So I applied for a transfer to the North Meadowlands, rural enough to be a relatively quiet place, yet close enough to Zootopia that if it didn't work out I could transfer back. I had to wait about three weeks for them to place me, but until then I was off the beat, and glad to be. It was a load off my back." Vanna placed a paw behind her head, rubbing it slightly. "And then, two days after I applied for my transfer you were exposed and sent to jail." Vanna grimaced.

Dawn couldn't help as the tears began to run down her face. What the tigress had told her was nothing short of a horror story, one of the many she was sure the citizens of Zootopia had from that terrible time. The well of guilt in Dawn's stomach made her want to wretch. The ewe expected Vanna to confess a deep seated hatred for her right then and there, but instead the tigress held up a single finger.

"Don't cry Miss Bellwether, as I said before it is all over and done with." Vanna said coolly. " If you are worried about my fellow officers, they did recover. Unlikely as it seemed all the preds put behind desk were placed back into their usual beats. And Thomas is happier in the small town he set himself up in. We still keep in touch."

"B-But you..." Dawn whimpered. "th-they...I..."

Vanna slowly rose to her feet and crossed the room toward the ewe before sitting herself down next to her. Gingerly the tigress placed a large paw on Dawn's shoulder, causing the sheep to recoil slightly.

"My life turned out a lot better too." Vanna said, coming in slower with her paw as Dawn finally allowed it to rest on her shoulder.

"Out in the Meadowlands I got exactly what I didn't even know I needed Dawn." Dawn looked up to find the cat smiling warmly. It was a strange sight to see, the cold cat she had become so used to responding so warmly to what seemed like such a horrible event. "I met Zach, and well...he evened out my personality. He got me to learn to laugh, to see the brighter side of life when no other mammal could." Vanna gently shook the sobbing ewe with her paw. "I even got inducted into this wonderful family. And in that way what happened to you helped me find my way in life."

Dawn wiped the tears from her eyes as she stared up at the tiger in disbelief. Dawn sniffled loudly, letting out a choking gasp as she tried to compose herself but it was no good. She only hoped it wasn't loud enough for Vernon to hear, lest he come running to her 'rescue'.

"H-how can you look at what I-I did so positively?" Dawn sobbed. "I mean, y-you, your fellow officers, those victims-"

"You know one thing I learned from Zach, from the Hunters, was that mammals can get in over their head and make some pretty terrible decisions." Vanna rolled her eyes. "Especially when they are scared of something."

Vanna gave Dawn another gingerly shake, enough to draw the ewe's focus back to the tigress' face. "Now I don't know much about how you grew up, but based on what I heard about how you and Vernon were separated I can't imagine it was very good. And I know from seeing the trial that you weren't exactly working under the best conditions."

Dawn choked back another sob. "You saw that?"

Vanna nodded.

"W-why would you even give me the b-benefit of the doubt?" The ewe sniffled. "W-what if I w-was lying."

"Miss Bellwether." Vanna coughed. "Dawn, on that witness stand I saw a broken mammal, I knew it because I saw Thomas break the same way." Vanna murmured. "You don't fake that, you can't."

Dawn leaned into Vanna's side, sobbing quietly as she rubbed her face into the tigress' pajama shirt. She felt Vanna gently patting her back as she continued to quietly weep.

"Since I've been out here I've learned so much from the Hunters. I followed their example and got involved in rehabilitation programs, scared straight programs, talked at schools. " Vanna chuckled. "Those wolves really got me to care, to see the mammal before the criminal, and I'm eternally grateful to them. Those wolves are never wrong about any mammal, when they see someone who truly wants to change they know it's sincere."

Dawn felt the tigress pull away slightly. Looking up she could see the tigress smiling back down at her.

"I mean, look at Vernon." Vanna grinned widely. "He believed in you, and what happened?" 

Dawn simply whimpered, unsure of how to answer.

"You saved Zootopia, nearly at the cost of your own life." Vanna nodded. "At the cost of your own flesh and blood!" The tigress raised her voice slightly.

Dawn simply rubbed her eyes, desperate to stop the tears.

"But I-I still-"

Vanna gave the ewe a more vigorous shake. 

"If you want to know how I feel about you, then here it is. I don't hate you Dawn. I don't hold what you did against you. At the time I was mostly indifferent to it, and now after everything that's happened it seems irrelevant to me." Vanna said plainly. "If Vernon, Zach, Wade and Mom are willing to believe in you, why shouldn't I?"

"Be-because-."

"I'm giving you a clean start, even if Dorian doesn't seem to be." Vanna cringed slightly. "Whatever his reasoning." The tigress gave the ewe another shake as the lamb finally managed to start composing herself. 

"Just accept it already." Vanna chuckled. She shook Dawn again as she smiled down at the ewe, drawing a few laughs between the dying sobs. 

"I'm going to keep shaking you till you accept it!" Vanna was practically giggling now, something before this conversation Dawn had been unsure the tigress was even capable of. The laughter was infectious and soon Dawn found herself giggling as she pushed away from the large mammals grasp.

"O-Okay!" Dawn sniffled slightly, choking back her laughter. "Okay!"

"Good." Vanna gave the ewe a satisfied smile.

Giving Dawn a pat on the back, the tigress rose to her feet, making her way back to her own bed as Dawn chased the last of her lingering sniffles away. Despite how terrible revisiting her crimes had been, especially knowing about the mammals she had displaced in the process, Dawn had come away from her talk with the tigress feeling mostly relieved. What was even more surprising to Dawn was not just the fact that the tigress was earnestly willing to give the ewe a redo, but how the seemingly stoic and unmoving feline had treated her with such warmth and emotion. It was as different as night and day.

With a final hard sniff, Dawn slid back up to the top of her bed. Easing the laptop back onto her lap, the ewe briefly scanned what she had written before quickly saving and closing down the document. Peering over her computer, she spied the tigress lying flat against her own bed, staring at the ceiling.

"V-Vanna?"

The tigress leaned her head up and cocked and eyebrow.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Thank you." Dawn smiled.

The tigress gave a small smile in return before allowing her head to lay back down against the bed. A moment of silence passed between them before Dawn spoke again.

"Vanna?" Dawn asked again.

"Mhh?" The tigress murmured, this time she didn't raise her head.

"D-do you think I'll be a-able to get Dorian to like me?" Dawn whimpered.

Vanna let out a hard sigh. She was silent for a few moments, possibly mulling over the question before she finally responded.

"He'll come around." Vanna said. "He's a good mammal. Stubborn, but good." The tigress placed her paws behind her head. "Just give him some time."

"T-that was my plan." Dawn stammered. 

Vanna nodded affirmatively. "Good."

Again the room fell silent, but it didn't last long as the ewe thought of a follow-up question. Putting her laptop aside, Dawn started to move back down the mattress.

"D-do you think if Vernon and I-"

Dawn heard a pop, and suddenly the room was filled with the husky and familiar voice of the famous 'Suri Nicks' a she sang a live rendition of 'Crystal', one of Dawn's favorite songs. Dawn stared back at her computer quickly to find that she had pulled the headphones loose with her knee as she moved down the bed. She had completely forgotten she had left her music playing.

"OH-EM-GOODNESS!"

Dawn turned back to see Vanna was now sitting straight up in her bed. The tigress' face had an almost alien look of overwhelming excitement plastered on it.

"IS THAT SURI NICKS!?" Vanna clasped her paws together.

Dawn gave a meek nod.

"I. LOVE. HER!"


	11. Worry Wolf

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Eleven: Worry Wolf

"I hope she's alright." Vernon mumbled. The large grey wolf was sitting up against the dusky green pillows on his bed with his arms folded. The wolf let out a huff as he grimaced. Vernon had worried about a lot of things when it came to making the trip out to introduce Dawn to the family. Her reception with his parents and brothers going awry, touchy subjects coming up in conversation, or someone showing outright disdain for the ewe. And as luck would have it the pair managed to knock out all three checkboxes in the first day. But the one thing he hadn't given much thought to was the possibility of being separated from Dawn for the night. He couldn't have conceived his Mother would see it fit to treat Dawn just like the other females of the pack. But then again that was what he wanted, hadn't he?

Vernon was afraid. Afraid of leaving the ewe at the mercy of any of his family members without being there to stand up for her. Afraid that some of them were merely waiting for the sheep to be alone so they could tell her what they really thought of her. Afraid to spend the first night in months without his Honey Lamb curled up snuggly against his chest.

Vernon shook his head dismissively as he mulled over the last fear that had crossed his mind. It seemed like such a trifle compared to all the others, yet it managed to bother him the worst of all. In the three or so months since he and Dawn officially became an item they had spent every night in each others arms. The wolf had grown accustomed to the soft sound of her breathing as she slept, interrupted occasionally with one of her adorable little bleats. He had become attuned to the beat of her heart, it's slightly more rapid pulse acting as a white noise in the dark quiet of their bedroom. He missed the warm, downy feeling of her wool against his pelt. He wasn't entirely sure his own nightly ministrations had the same effect on Dawn, but he knew that just having her next to him had become a necessity for a peaceful nights sleep. 

Vernon felt a whine slip out as he looked up at the ceiling. He felt like such a puppy being so hopelessly heartsick over something as simple as sleeping in the same bed. But his relationship with Dawn was different, different than all the ones that had come before. He had never felt the kind of love for the other females that he had been with that he now felt for the ewe. It was a deep, visceral, burning feeling, and it almost left him aching to be separated from her for even a moment. The wolf chuckled to himself as he remembered his Mother talking about his Father in the same terms when the young wolf had finally started to take interest in the opposite sex. Of burning, aching, yearning, and knowing. Knowing that you had met the one mammal who was right for you.

The concept soul mates were already something deeply ingrained in wolf culture. But his Mother had also been firm believer in such a concept, and naturally it had spilled over into Vernon. But he never truly believed in the concept of a 'one' until he had nearly lost Dawn on that cold night in Tundratown. That week in the hospital was one of pure anguish and suffering, and it was something the wolf never wanted to relive. But when Dawn finally opened her beautiful lime green eyes, Vernon felt his insides burst with a wash of emotions. Relief through the staggering pain, tears through overwhelming joy, and the deep aching well inside his heart that was the true love his Mother had often spoke of so fondly. And with that overwhelming surge of love, came an almost vigilant and all encompassing desire to protect it like a precious jewel. After all, the wolf had almost lost her completely, and he wasn't willing to let anything close to that happen again.

So maybe he had become a little over protective. Wade was right, Dawn was a grown ewe, and could stand up for herself. She certainly had that night in the old bottling plant. But Vernon was not about to stand aside and let his family accidently sabotage the one thing in his life he was sure of. That he and Dawn were meant to be together, regardless of how they felt. The wolf let out another nervous whine as he eyed the ceiling once more.

Vernon was pulled out of his reverie by the sudden hard whap of fabric against his face. The wolf briskly shook his head before staring blankly at the dull orange pillow that had now suddenly appeared in his lap.

"Would you stop already Pup!" Zach chuckled. "I'm never going to get any sleep if you don't quit with the whining!" The wolf was sitting up in his own bed on the other side of the room. His blanket was still covering his legs as the wolf had been laying down prior to lobbing his pillow at Vernon.

Vernon tersely grabbed the pillow, pitching it back at the reddish wolf with agitated vigor. "Leave me alone!" Vernon hissed.

Zach had clearly been expecting the pitch, as he seemed to catch the pillow with ease. Now clutching it in both of his paws, the wolf squeezed it playfully.

"What do you think Vanna's going to do?" Zach grinned. "You know my kitten is a big softie, Dawn's going to be fine."

Vernon gave another huff as he shimmied deeper against his pillows.

"I don't know what to expect from anyone after what happened at dinner." Vernon sneered. "I wasn't sure how Pa would react, but I didn't expect that treatment at all!"

"Y'know, I have to admit." Wade murmured. "I've never seen Pa act that harsh to anyone." Wade was snuggly under his dull blue covers, clutching his blanket as he eyed the other wolves sheepishly.

Zach seemed to wince at Wade's words. 

"Well, Pa's probably having a rough day. I mean he-"

"There you go, always rising to Pa's defense!" Vernon snorted. "Crawl out of his butt!"

Zach frowned, his usual jovial demeanor seeming to wither in response to Vernon. The wolf crossed his arms defensively.

"I-"

"Always trying to be the favorite! Perfectly living up to everything Pa tells you to do! Why don't you live your own life for once!" Vern hissed.

Zach raised another pillow, readying it to pelt the wolf from across the room.

"Well we all couldn't just run away to Zootopia with our tails between are legs could we?" Zach growled. "Some of us decided to be realistic with our life goals."

Vernon quickly grasped his own pillow from behind his back. the wolf clutched it tightly as he sneered back at Zach.

"You're lucky, If the Mayor hadn't stepped in to get you an internship no one would have taken you. After six months of being turned away from every firm you would have come crawling back home for a job at the station!" Zach hissed.

"I'm lucky!?" Vernon snarled. "I NEARLY DIED!" Vernon raised his pillow high in the air, but just before he was going to throw it Wade had appeared between the two. The wolf had leapt from his covers and now stood with his paws outstretched.

"HEY! HEY!" Wade yelped. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" 

Vernon was seething, but without a clear shot at Zach the wolf reluctantly lowered his arm allowing the pillow to rest in his lap.

"The only mammal in the wrong here is Pa!" Wade pleaded. "So why fight with each other!?"

"But he's-!

"No buts!" Wade cut him off. "Look I don't know what's up with Pa, but Zach is around him the most." Wade said. "You shouldn't just write off what he has to say because you think he always defends Pa."

"But he d-"

Wade shook his head dismissively at Vernon before turning his attention to Zach.

"Look, I'll settle this." Wade stepped back slightly to allow the two to see one another again. "Zach, do you agree with what Pa did at dinner?"

Zach shook his head briskly. "O'course not! I've never seen him go off on a mammal like that outside of the interrogation room!" Zach looked back to Vernon, a deep frown forming on his muzzle. "I won't defend what he did, I just wanted to try to pose some reasons why is all." Zach shrugged.

Wade looked back to Vernon pleadingly, the wolf knew what was coming next.

"Er..." Vernon grumbled. "I-I'm sorry Zach." Vernon let out a sigh. He knew he was somewhat in the wrong. The wolf had been angry since dinner, and was looking for a fight. The anger he had for his Father's little performance had him ready to lash out at anyone who wouldn't see his side of things.

"And as for you." Wade turned back to Zach. "You shouldn't be heaping dung on Vernon's choices just cause you're jealous."

Zach looked shocked. "W-what!?" He spat. "I AIN'T JEALOUS!" Zach crossed his arms in defiance. 

Vernon could see Wade narrow his eyes at the russet wolf, and slowly his stalwart stance seemed to crumble away into insecurity. Zach's ears began the droop, and his posture slipped as he let out a sigh.

"I ain't jealous." He reiterated quietly. "B-but it was wrong of me to say that." The wolf scratched the back of his head.

"I-I just-" He stammered. "Ya'll know I don't like you sayin' I'm just trying to please Pop. I wanted to be a cop, I wanted to stay here." Zach shook his head. "I-it was my choice, and I don't like it bein..." Zach looked toward the ceiling as he scratched his chin. "Belittled." The wolf let out a sigh as he stared at Vernon with glossy eyes.

"I'm sorry too." He muttered.

Vernon felt his anger dissipate as he smiled back at his brother. In response, a slow grin came to Zach's muzzle.

"Hell I know you." Zach crossed his arms. "Even is no one hired you, you'd stay in Zootopia just to spite the ol' mam. Yer just as stubborn as Pa sometimes." Zach added with a chuckle.

Vernon let out a laugh. "I would have worked at Bug Burga forever if I had to." Vernon flashed a cheesy grin.

By now Wade had grown a smug grin of his own, once again the wolf had managed to diffuse a family fight and Vernon could tell he was proud of himself.

"But what is going on with Pa? Why'd he do that?" Vernon asked.

A flash of nervousness came back over Wade's features as the wolf seemed wary of Zach's response.

Zach meanwhile, had a definite look of concern over his face.

"Well, I'm not too sure." Zach shrugged. "He's been more irritable for a while now. He's been snapping at everyone, 'specially strangers."

Vernon slumped, letting out a sigh. "Gah...this whole things just a mess." the wolf whined.

"Oh come on Vernon." Wade tried to encourage Vernon, but the wolf didn't even acknowledge him.

"I've been trying to keep up a brave face for Dawn, but-" Vernon clasped at his head, dragging his paws across his eyes. "It's all fallin' apart around us." He flopped his arms to his sides.

"Oh come on, it ain't all bad." Zach added. "Ma likes her, I like her,-" The wolf rolled his eyes, looking toward the ceiling. "-and I'm sure Vanna likes her too."

Vernon gave a hard stare at his brother Zach, squinting slightly.

"Y-you really like her?" Vernon asked. "No foolin'?"

Zach laughed. "Hey I ain't one to hold a grudge. She seems like she's a good gal, and she did save the city and all." The wolf gave Vernon a serious stare. "And you know I don't lie about anything."

Vernon gave his brother a warm and genuine grin.

"I ain't like some of us." Zach grinned, flashing a glance toward Wade.

"Hey!" Wade immediately became flustered. "I haven't lied in-"  
Wade flashed Vernon a nervous glance as he seemed to remember the situation he was currently in and grimaced sharply.

"W-well It ain't like I'm trying to hurt anyone!" Wade pleaded. "I only lie with the best of intentions!"

Zach let out a barking laugh. "They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions." Zach grinned.

Wade made his way back to his bunk, flopping lamely back on to the mattress.

"Tch!" Go back to fighting with each other." Wade mumbled into the bed. "Just leave me alone." 

Zach eyed the now limp wolf suspiciously before turning his attention back to Vernon.

"What did he do?" Zach grinned widely. Clearly Wades behavior had made the russet wolf suspicious, Vernon simply shook his head negatively in response.

"I can't say." Vernon said coolly, crossing his arms. "Blood promises and the like."

That only seemed to excite the wolf, as Zach leaned forward on his mattress expectedly.

"Oh now I gotta know-"

"I'm still stewing on the mess I'm in right now." Vernon quickly tried to change the subject. "What the hell am I gonna do about Pa?"

Zach leaned back, his excitement fading back into a deep frown. "Well, I'm sure Ma will talk to him." Zach shrugged. "And if not, I'll talk to him tomorrow and see if I can figure out what's eating him."

Vernon leaned back on his pillow letting out another sigh. He could feel the knot tightening in his stomach as he continued to ruminate on what was to come.

"And what happens when the rest of the family shows up tomorrow? How are they gonna act? Sweet sawgrass what about Yuri?" Vernon hissed as the name came out of his throat. Crooking his head back up, he could see Zach's now worried face.

"Er...yeah....Yuri." Zach muttered. "W-well I mean...you can't win them all right?"

"Oh that's helpful." Vernon muttered.  
Zach scoffed. "Well you know how he is!" The wolf raised his paws in the air. "He teased you mercilessly when you weren't dating outside your species! He's not going to pass this up just to be respectful for once."

Vernon let out a groan as he placed his paws over his face.

"I mean, lets be realistic here Vernon. Not everyone in the family is going to like Dawn." Zach said. "It's just the law of averages. Teeth to Tails a bunch of us don't even like each other. I mean that's why most of us moved out the first chance we could."

Vernon gave a weak chuckle. "Yeah, family is about loving one another. But there's nothing in the rule book about liking each other."

Vernon turned to his side, allowing him to better see Zach. The russet wolf was still sitting up in his bed.

"But I just wanted Dawn to have a good time. I wanted her to see the nice parts of this family, I wanted her to feel welcome." The wolf groaned. "And I just feel like I'm going to fail at that with every second that goes by."

Zach sighed, shaking his head softly. "Well, aside from Yuri I'm sure you'll get that." Zach said. "I'm sure Pa will come around, and things will work out."

Vernon gave another weak chuckle.

"Always the optimist." Vernon laughed.

"Someone's got to be." Zach said placing a paw to his chest. "So why not the most handsome wolf in the pack."

Vernon gave another laugh.

"But honestly, you'd do yourself much better if you just rode it out Vern." Zach added. "Let the chips fall where they may. Why worry so much over this, if things go bad you can just leave. Heck I'll drive ya out if it comes to that." Zach shrugged. "But you ain't going to have a good time if you keep pressuring yourself to try to make this all perfect."

Zach let out another laugh. "Heck, a family is the definition of imperfect. So why let it get to you?"

Vernon was quiet for a moment as he mulled over his brothers words. There was at least one reason why it had to go perfect, especially in regards to his Father.

"I'm fixing to marry Dawn." Vernon said.

The wolf suddenly felt the familiar hard impact of fabric against his muzzle. Quickly rising into a sitting position, the wolf clawed the orange pillow out of his face to reveal and awe struck Zach.

"GET OUT OF TOWN!" Zach said in shock. "LITTLE PUPPY'S GETTIN' HITCHED!" The wolf sputtered.

Hucking the pillow back at the wolf, Vernon gave the russet wolf a terse 'shh!'.

"QUIET DOWN!" The wolf snarled. "I know we have good insulation, but I still don't want the whole house to hear!"

Zach quickly clasped his paws to his muzzle.

"Sorry, sorry..." Zach mumbled. "But seriously?" 

Vernon gave a nod. "We were going to try to do one of them caprid weddings next week. Dawn's Mother is sure to be okay with it and Gus is a registered caprid marriage official, so we figured it would be easy to get done."

"Wait." Now Wade was sitting back up. "I thought you said you wanted to do a tithing ceremony?"

"A TITHING CER-"

Vernon's own pillow hit Zach square in the face, muting him instantaneously. The wolf gave Vernon a dull glare before tossing the pillow back his way.

"Sorry, sorry." He mumbled again. "But a tithing ceremony!?"

"Ideally I wanted to do both." Vernon said. "I wanted it to be official to everyone, y'know?" 

"But you want Pa's blessing." Zach said knowingly. "That's why yer so flummoxed about this whole weekend going well." 

Vernon gave a simple nod.

"You see, I had this whole silly plan dreamed up." Vernon sighed, flopping back down on the mattress.

"I bring Dawn up here and get Ma and Pa's approval for a tithing ceremony on the sly." He murmured. " If I got the okay, I'd essentially propose to Dawn at the end of the weekend during the harvest moon. Then we'd pick a date to come back and do the ceremony."

"Wow..." Zach mumbled. "I-I...I didn't know it was so serious." 

Vernon simply nodded, eyeing his brother worryingly from across the room.

"Lil' Puppy..." Zach sniffled, wiping a false tear from his eye. "You've grown up so fast." Zach cooed.

"Ha." Vernon said sarcastically.

"B-but..." Zach mumbled. "What if Pa doesn't go for it?"

Vernon could feel the knot in his stomach twist at his brothers words.

"That's what I'm worried about." Vernon muttered. "But if he won't I'm going to have to do something drastic."

Zach eyed him warily. "L-like what Puppy?"

Vernon gave a simple grunt. He didn't want to even think about what he would have to do if his Father rejected his request. But he wasn't going to let him stand in the way of the two.

"Vern?" Zach pressed again. 

"Don't worry about it." Vernon muttered. "Just help me bring Pa around."

"B-But Vern..."

The dull hum of music suddenly drew the attention of the two wolves to the ceiling above. Vernon could barely hear the music, but the beat was instantly recognizable as one of Dawn's favorite Suri Nicks songs.

"Sounds like one of Dawn's songs."

"Sound's like one of Vanna's songs."

The wolves had muttered simultaneously before turning to each other in surprise. Zach was first to break, a wry grin crawling across his muzzle.

"Well, I don't think you gotta worry about those two getting along Pup." Zach chuckled.

Upstairs inside the pinker tinted bedroom, the tiny ewe and massive tigress stood back to back, or rather back to legs. 

"AND I WILL NEVER FORGET, THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU!" Vanna held a hair brush high above her mouth as she belted lyrics into it.

"LIKE A PHOTOGRAPH SO RARE! LIKE A PAINTING!" Dawn held her own wool brush tightly in her hoof, singing as loudly as she could into it. The two quickly spun around to face each other, each sharing a wide and gleeful smile as Vanna bent down to Dawn's height. 

"NO I WILL NEVER FORGET, THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU!" Vanna sung another verse at the ewe.

"NEVER TO BE! NOT YOU! NOT ME! NO! NO!" Dawn sang back before once again turning away from the tigress. The two once again stood back to back, but began slowly sliding down to the floor.

"SO I"M GOING AWAY, FOR A LITTLE WHILE, TO REMEMBER HOW TO FEEL!" Now the tow were singing in unison as they came to a seat on the floor. "AND IF I FIND THE ANSWER I PROMISE YOU I'LL COME BACK TO GET YOU!"

"WELL IF I FIND THE ANSWER I PROMIS YOU I'LL COME BACK TO GET YOU!" Dawn sang as the music began to fade.

"I'LL COME BACK TO GET YOU!" Vanna followed before joining the ewe in the final line. 

"I'll COME BACK TO GET YOU!" With that the music faded away and the girls dropped their ad-hoc microphones before bursting into a fit of giggling.

Vanna flashed Dawn a gleeful grin. "Congratulations, you are now my favorite sister in-law." Vanna chuckled.

Dawn excitedly clasped her hooves together. "R-Really?" She stammered excitedly.

"Oh yeah." Vanna sighed. "I can't let such good taste go un-rewarded. Don't worry about the other girls. If I like you, they certainly will."

Dawn simply beamed in response.


	12. Primal De-scent

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Twelve: Primal De-scent

"At first glance, most mammals couldn't tell the difference between a wolf of Roaropean descent or a wolf of North Mammalian descent. There is some degree of species overlap despite the continental divide, and even when presented with two wolves who are obviously of the grey wolf variety it's reasonable to assume they could have come from anywhere in the world. Because of reasons such as this, most mammals would also be quick to assume that all wolves are more or less the same. Sharing the same beliefs, social structures, behaviors and so on. But as we discussed previously with the settling of Zootopia, the interactions with the early wolf natives prove such a notion could not be farther from the truth. And upon closer inspection, you will find that many of the differences between native and non-native wolves are as drastic as night and day."

"It was Leif Hunter's notes that gave us our first real look into the society the native wolves had come to build for themselves. But since then the topic has been more thoroughly explored and expanded upon by daring explorers and researchers, as well as expounded upon by defecting "omegas" wishing to leave their society behind."

"There are a great deal of nuances between the tribes scattered across North Mammalia. The number of gods and goddesses across each tribe alone could have hours worth of passages devoted to them. But for brevities sake I'm not going to go over every single unique difference between the known packs. A complete compilation of wolf history isn't really the goal of this book. I am merely trying to present the portions I believe to be pertinent in order to get a better understanding of the motivations of the Bellwethers and Hunters. So you as a reader can better understand the forces that shaped myself and Vernon's lives, however small some portions may be."

"In this instance the most relevant pack would be the remnants of the Redclaws, and the factors that put them at odds with the early settlers and continues with the Roaropean wolves today."

"Despite the numerous gods in the different packs, they did have one unifying source of worship that even they shared with the Norwulves. This was the lunar god, and moon worship. To the Redclaws it was known as 'Pawluuk', and much like their Roaropean counterparts it governed a great deal of their actions and cultural events. Full moons were seen as optimal nights for hunting prey, as well as for ceremonies and mating rituals. Canideans lacked the agricultural systems that their brethren from across the sea had developed, but still observed smaller harvest events of their own. Most of their vegetation was scrounged from natural local outcroppings, but such natural springs were not tended nor fostered intentionally."

"The majority of their diet was derived from prey tribes and packs, from rabbits to rodents. Sometimes they even fed on other predators such as foxes, badgers and so on. These carnivores weren't picky, and weren't very merciful either. They also fed on non-sentient animals such as fowl and fish, and today that is what most tribes have come to rely on rather than their sentient neighbors."

"Canidean wolves also howl, like their Roaropean counterparts. It filled similar roles such as being a form of prayer, solidarity, and emotional expression. However, where they differ is in the development of a form of howl-speech. It was primarily used to measure distance, ready packs for war movements, and signaling positions between members of the pack. However, there are also instances of howl-speech being used playful conversation, mostly to fill in for concepts and things that had no verbal equivalent. Each tribe has their own variant of this language, and the Redclaws were no exception."

"Canadean wolf pack structure, unlike Roaropean packs, became more rigid rather than laxer as the tribes developed. Alpha males, along with the alpha females, lead their respective pack and its communal structure. The position of Alpha was not something relegated to the sire of the pack, but rather it was a position held by the strongest warrior in the tribe. It was also a position that was in constant challenge by the pack Betas. The Beta wolves were normally the enforcers and active warriors in the tribe. When not challenging for dominance they would aide the leader of the pack on hunts as well as reinforce the social structure of the tribal community. They had a great deal of incentive to fight to keep the pack the way it was, because they were the only pack role below the alpha that were automatically given permission to have a mate of their own without any sort of proving right ceremony. Permission to be tithed to a pack female and produce offspring was something that was to be earned by show of strength, and if a male couldn't keep up with the betas he was seen as inferior and would risk never getting pack approval for a tithing rite. Limiting breeding among the strongest of the wolves not only insured a more powerful pack, but allowed the leader to better control the growth and shape of the pack, as well as secure his position at the top. But in this day and age the degenerative effect of this practice on their numbers is reaching a critical point among the remaining clans."

"The lower positions were relegated to the growing pups of the betas in the pack, as well as the occasional stray looking for a new pack to prove themselves in. Adult wolves that didn't fall into the Beta category were usually relegated to tending to the village, and maintaining the order while the others were off on hunts or warring against other tribes to protect the pack from sneak attacks. In order to mate, they didn't necessarily have to reach Beta status, but they had to prove that they were strong enough to be worthy of the privilege of having offspring. This is where the mating ritual of the tribal packs comes into play."

"While Betas enjoyed the automatic approval of tithing to a mate, and the feast that would celebrate it. Those below the rank of Beta would have to go through a trial to prove they were fit to survive, and thereby reproduce. The exact elements of ritual differ from tribe to tribe, but they are almost unilaterally based on sending the prospective couple deep into the woods to survive on their own for one week. They are given nothing, forbade to mate, and in the case of the Redclaw tribe not only were they expected to last all seven days, but return with a number of prey for the tribe as payment."

"Working together to survive as well as meet the goal put forth by the tribe is what makes or breaks a mate. If they succeed it is apparent to the tribe that they are strong enough to survive, and the gods favor their pairing. The leader of the Redclaws then used the load of prey that the couple brought back to hold a great feast celebrating their union."

"But here's where an interesting little caveat comes in amongst the wolf tribes. The existence of a pack class that is simply not in the lexicon of the Norwulves, at least not at the time the tribal wolves were discovered. This is the so called 'Omega' wolves, the lowest caste among the Canideans. Omegas tended to live on the outskirts of existing tribes, usually on their own but sometimes with a small family in tow. They would be tolerated by the dominant pack, but never allowed to enter the main village. These wolves more or less survived on their own, either from scavenging scraps from the dominant tribe or hunting without the aide of an established pack. The hunts often went poorly because even if the omega succeeded in snaring prey, should the dominant catch wind of the successful hunt they would take most of it as payment for allowing the Omega to live so close to them."

"So we arrive at the question, how does a Canidean wolf end up becoming one of the loathed and detested omega wolves? As Leif would discover and write in his notes, becoming an omega could be the result of a number of factors. Any alpha who failed to hold his position against a challenging beta would find himself demoted to an omega and ejected from the pack, along with his female. If he died at the paws of the challenger the Alpha female and her pups would be driven off to live as omegas. Surviving males of village raids would be ousted as omegas for failing to protect the pack. If a couple waiting to be tithed mated during their survival trial they would be ousted. The list went on and on."

"So naturally, Leif Hunter was able to get a great deal of inside knowledge and help when it finally came time to oust the Redclaws from Zootopia permanently. In the end, their strict belief in weeding out the weakest among them lead to their inevitable downfall. In the packs continuing war against Archibald Bellwether, they had cast out more omegas than ever before. This both ultimately decreased their effectiveness as a fighting force as well as made them a great deal of vengeful enemies. Today, the Redclaw pack only exists solely by its omega descendants. The last pure bloods to the north bred themselves out of existence nearly one hundred years ago, but that hadn't prevented them from spreading tales of the treacherous Norwulves, and their crusade against their own kind in favor of lesser mammals. Because of this, most native wolves regardless of tribe have a bitter dislike and distrust of any wolf they perceive to have Norwulff ancestry.”

“Those visiting, or even now living amid the modern mammals of Zootopia still seem to hold this grudge despite their surroundings. Those wolves also still tend to look down their snouts at most prey as well, the superiority complex ingrained in their culture still as vehemently strong as ever. It's reasons like that which lead some mammals to believe that there are still tribes out there that to this day still prey on sentient mammals when given the chance."

"But where do the native wolves play into the Hunter family now? After all its been close to three hundred years since Leif drove the Redclaws out of the North Meadowlands, and the Redclaw tribe itself is long dead and gone. Well, that lies in the omegas that became official citizens of Zootopia and permanent residents of the Alpine Ridge District."

"It is known that a great deal of the omega wolves came in as the build up to Leif's war lay on the horizon. But after the dust settled and Leif stepped down as the district representative omegas slowly began to trickle in from all over North Mammalia and Canidea. The tales of the Hunter's treacherous attack was also a tale of encouragement for those cast from their respective packs, and so they began to migrate to what they hoped would be a better life. These wolves were eager to toss away the belief system that had short changed them in favor of what they saw as a superior way to live. Within the first three generations after Leif's death, omega natives began popping up on the Hunter family tree. Vernon's great, great grandmother was a native wolf from the west coast, ousted for her lack of hunting prowess from a pack known as the Moonfangs. She had a natural talent for botany, and settled land just on the edge of the Alpine Ridge. It was there she built a modest house and opened a farm."

"At one of the first Harvest festivals she met Silas Hunter, and later tithed to the wolf. Silas took primary ownership of the modest farm and built it into a fine ranch home for their expected family. They would have three children, only one of which would stay to keep the family farm running while the others went on to law enforcement. In the 1920's, the border between the North Meadowlands and Alpine Ridge was redrawn, and the Hunter ranch found itself absorbed by the new North Meadowlands. Vernon's great grandfather would have two sons and a daughter and again only one would stay to keep the farm running. Aldus Hunters took great pains to modernize the current Hunter ranch in an effort to prepare it for his own children. Unfortunately, Vernon's grandfather would have only one son before his mate Allison Hunter passed away. That wolf, Dorian Hunter, had no interest in continuing keeping the Hunter Ranch at all, or so I've been told. I suppose he would have simply left if it hadn't been for Vernon's Mother."

"Audrey Hunter, maiden name Snarllör, is not only the mammal who kept the Hunter Ranch from being abandoned, but ironically is one of the last blood links to the remnants of the Redclaw pack. Her grandmother, Talia Redclaw was one of the last remaining Redclaw families in Zootopia before tithing into the Snarllör family. It's strangely poetic that the pack the Hunters had driven out would end up keeping them from leaving the North Meadowlands."

"AWOOOOoooooOOOOoooo!" Dawn winced as a lone howl echoed through the home, causing the ewe to clamp down on her laptop protectively. After recognizing just what the noise was, the ewe opened her laptop back up. Glancing at the corner clock on her computer, the ewe could see it was just a few minutes after seven in the morning. Dawn outstretched one of her arms as she let out a weak and somewhat shaky yawn.

"Audrey wasn't kidding about waking up early." Dawn mumbled, hitting the save button on her work in progress. 

Dawn was rather groggy, the inevitable end result of a rather poor nights sleep. Of course she had expected as much when she had been told she'd be spending the night sharing a room with Vanna. From an instinctual standpoint alone the prospect of sleeping with a strange, massive predator nearby would be enough make an easy sleep a struggle. But Dawn was prepared for much worse, as she was dead set on finding out just how Vanna truly felt about her. For all she had known at the time, the tigress could have absolutely hated her. But for all that preparation and steeling herself, the last thing Dawn could have even conceived was spending the wee hours of the morning singing terribly off-key duets with the massive tigress. Their unexpected shared love of the famed llama songstress Suri Nicks had the pair gossiping and giggling like school girls. Dawn could have never foreseen her first night at the Hunter Ranch ending on such a wildly fun note, and yet it had. In the short span of an hour or less, the tigress had went from a cold stranger to practically a sister, and the ewe couldn't have been happier.

But even with the pleasant turn of events with Vanna, the ewe found herself robbed of a good nights sleep regardless. She had spent the night tossing and turning, waking back up at nearly half hour intervals until about six in the morning. At that point Dawn had simply thrown her hooves up in defeat, and instead turned back to her historical writing in an effort to lull herself back to sleep via boredom. 

At first it hadn't been completely clear what was stealing away the ewe's much needed rest. The first suspect was Vanna's humidifier, but turning it off while the tigress slept did little to change her predicament and so she elected to turn it back on as to not risk disturbing her newly earned friendship. After that Dawn suspected it was a subconscious fear of the coming day, and mending the fences with Dorian. But after how things had turned out with Vanna, the sheep was feeling considerably more positive about what lied ahead of her. At that point all that seemed left was to furtively grasp at straws. Was it the strange bed? The foreign smells? The deafening silence outside compared to the hustle and bustle of big city living. The ewe threw her pillows by her side, pulling herself tightly against them when it suddenly dawned on her the true nature of her nocturnal discomfort. There was supposed to be a big grey wolf lying where her pillows now lay in a crumpled heap.

Dawn hadn't realized just how used to the comfortable wall of fluff that Vernon’s inviting pelt provided she had become. She found herself missing the warmth of burying herself into his fur, the low and oddly soothing grumble of his snoring, the familiar earthy scent he always seemed to exude. She also missed the feeling of comfort and protection that came with having his large paws wrapped around her tightly, pulling her in close. It was almost laughable to the ewe. She absolutely hated being reminded of how small and weak she was, and yet here she had been actively pining for the feeling of protection that came from her mates embrace. 

Three months of sleeping in the same bed had made her completely reliant, no addicted to the wolf’s presence in order to sleep peacefully. Even the quiet, instinctual fear of wolves ingrained in a sheep had seemingly gone radio silent in Dawn’s head. To the primal animal buried deep inside, Vernon appeared to have become a complete non-threat. His harsh edges and predator features sanded away leaving behind little more than a cuddly stuffed animal. It craved his feel, it craved his scent, it craved...

Dawn shuddered as she felt a tingle shoot down her spine, a low and lustful bleat involuntarily escaping her throat. The ewe quickly wiped her brow, cursing under her breath as her mind had inadvertently drifted to a sudden, strong desire to mate. Giving a brisk shake of her head, the ewe did her best to cast off the feeling, but despite her best efforts the tingling sensation seemed to linger. It was a different sensation than normal, but still quite familiar to the sheep. Something symptomatic of a condition the ewe was now silently praying wasn't picking this morning of all mornings to start. As if the weekend couldn't have been more of a difficult venture, the ewe seemed to have started suffering the symptoms of remnant estrus early. 

"Please don't let it be that, not now." She whined quietly. "It was supposed to start next week." She hissed under breath as she closed her laptop. 

Her remnant estrus, a leftover relic from the days of ancient sheep breeding seasons was something she was long accustomed to, but it was never the less an irritant. While mammals had long evolved to desire to mate all year round, many mammals still had retained little leftovers encoded in their DNA, and sheep just happened to be one of those mammals. The thing was, for Dawn at least it had become a highly predictable process. Her semiannual estrus-high that came in the fall and spring was something she usually had down to the day. Thinking back, she had felt some of the early symptoms the day before. But they could have been easily mistaken as simple nervous jitters for the upcoming re-union. 

But as she allowed her mind to drift back to her mate she felt a second strong jolt of desire shivered through her. There was no mistaking it now, it was just that much stronger than normal. Dawn wiped the sweat off her brow again. Now she was really feeling the itch, the gnawing desire for Puppy's 'attention'. The only thing the ewe could reason for it's early arrival would be the fact that she was in an active relationship, and thus her body had responded to the frequent 'attention' in kind.

Spending so many years out of a relationship, and her most recent years before Vernon spent in nearly complete isolation had dampened that urge significantly when it reared it's ugly head, but now...

A series of howls echoed though the house, far to many for Dawn to reason it was simply the five wolves she had already met. They varied in length and octave, some deep and bellowing while others high and seemingly gleeful. On top of that Dawn could also hear a strange whooping like laugh that sounded nothing like a wolf.

"ROOOOAAAAAaaaaaAAAAARR!" Dawn jumped as she turned her attention to the tigress across from her. The groggy looking cat had leaned up on one paw, her eyes still partially closed as she snarled. As the roar finally died away, Vanna slumped hard back down against her pillow, dragging one over her head.

"Five more minutes..." Vanna grumbled beneath the fabric. 

Dawn's heart was beating at a mile a minute as she clutched her chest tightly. She hadn't exactly been prepared for that kind of wake up call, and was thankful she had already been awake before Vanna's roar. Even so, it seemed that her roar had silenced the other wolves in the Hunter household, so at the very least Dawn had the lingering silence to calm her down. 

The ewe scooted off her mattress, opening the nearby drawer to grab her clothes for the day. Dawn grabbed a lavender tinted plaid shirt that she had bought specifically for the trip. It was something Judy had suggested when she had spoken to her over the phone about the coming trip. It had been years since Dawn had been out to the country, and Judy thought it would help her to better fit in among the country mammals. As well as having the added bonus of being a more rugged material suitable for farm work, which it seemed would turn out to be a boon if she actually helped at the stall. The only thing she hadn't listened to Judy about was the jeans. The rabbit said it would be the more durable option, but Dawn simply couldn't do it. The wool on her upper thighs made jeans impossible to pull above her hips without bunching up on her legs. 

Dawn grasped a dark purple skirt from the drawer as she made her way over to the corner of the room where a pinkish tinted room divider leaned against the wall. Dragging it out and into place, Dawn huddled behind it and quickly changed into her country dress. It only took a few minutes before Dawn was dressed up and ready to go.

Dawn straightened the hem of her skirt as she glanced at herself in the nearby wall mirror. The ewe took a deep prideful breath as she eyed herself. She certainly looked the part, and she was ready to attack the day. She was determined to fit into her mates pack and at the very least win his Father's respect, or go out trying.

As the ewe strode back to her bedside there was a gentle knock at the bedroom door. Vanna let out a groan.

"Go away..." Vanna grumbled.

"Dawn." She could hear Vernon's hushed whisper on the other side of the door. "Honey lamb, you up yet?"

"Oh Vernon!" Dawn chirped before clasping her hooves to her mouth. Glancing over at Vanna, the tigress remained unmoving. The pillow still remaining firmly clasped atop her head. 

Dawn scurried over to the door, gingerly opening it as quietly as possible to avoid drawing any ire from the bedridden tigress. As the door swung open the tall and familiar wolf was revealed leaning against the frame. He was wearing a plaid shirt of his own, a deep blue print with a pair of faded blue jeans to match. Around his neck was the familiar green bandana the wolf seemed to love to wear. Dawn found it sort of ironic that Vernon teased Wade over his faded blue cap, when Vernon seemed to have a similar attachment to the jungle green garment. But she did like the way it made his deep emerald eyes stand out as he stared down at her. The wolf gave her a broad smile.

"Well look at this!" Vernon chuckled. "We match." Vernon brushed a paw down his shirt.

Dawn cocked an eyebrow, placing a hoof on her hip as she flashed the wolf a wry smile. "Well one of us is going to have to change."

The two shared a laugh before Vernon eased into a crouch, placing a soft kiss on the tip of Dawn's snout.

"Mornin' Honey Lamb." Vernon rumbled softly. The low tone sent a shiver down her spine.

"Good morning Puppy Love." Dawn smiled warmly, trying to suppress the tingling that was being stoked by her urges. It wasn't too hard as the ewe was able to focus on the bags under the wolf's eyes. Dawn quickly reached out, giving the soft area below one of Vernon's eyelids a gentle rub.

"Oh Puppy." dawn cooed. "You've got terrible bags, you're all puffy under your eyes."

The wolf wiped his eyes as he stood back up, seemingly desperate to rub the sleep away.

"Y-yeah, yeah." Vernon muttered. "I didn't sleep so well last night."

"O-oh." Dawn said as the wolf leaned in, giving the ewe a more intense stare.

"You don't look like you slept to well either." Vernon said. " Guess the concert kept you up pretty late huh?" Vernon grinned, cocking an eyebrow.

"O-oh...you heard that huh?" Dawn mumbled.

"Not too much, the insulation in this place is pretty thick. But me and Zach recognized the basic tune." Vernon shrugged. "I trust that means things worked out pretty well huh?" 

Dawn smiled widely. "Actually yes, we-"

A pillow sailed over the ewe's head and struck Vernon in the stomach before slumping to the floor by his feet. Dawn turned around to see that Vanna's head was exposed, one of her eyes now squinting at the two.

"Please, please go away." Vanna mumbled. "I just want a few more minutes."

Vernon chuckled, flashing the ewe a grin. "We can talk about it on the way down to breakfast. Best to leave ol' miss grumpy puss to herself for a while."

Dawn watched as the tigress stabbed a finger in Vernon's direction despite not raising her face from the pillow. 

"Don't act like you wolves are any better with mornings than I am." She grumbled. "Just make sure they save me some coffee by the time I get downstairs." She hissed, burying her head more aggressively into the pillow.

Vernon suppressed a snicker as he reached for the door knob behind Dawn. Taking the hint, the ewe scooted into the hall allowing him to close the door to the bedroom tightly behind them. Now up and about, Dawn was ready to hit the bathroom and fix herself up before meeting the other wolves.

"I do need to fix my wool and brush my teeth." Dawn said. "I can't go do-"

Vernon shook his head. "Don't worry about it Floof's. Most of the mammals downstairs have bed head anyway." Vernon laughed. "We usually clean ourselves up after breakfast."

Dawn shook her head. "Oh but Vernon, I cant go down there like this!" Dawn said, raising her hooves to accentuate her point. "My poof's all messed up and I've got stray wool everywhere. I would make a terrible first impression."

"I think you look real pretty." Vernon smiled warmly, drawing a harsh blush from the ewe. She could feel that familiar itch coming back. Dawn did her best to shake it off, but by that time it was apparent that Vernon could tell something was going on. His ears now stood straight up and sharply pointed. The wolf took a few whiffs of the air before eyeing the ewe curiously.

"D-Dawn," He muttered quietly. "I u-uh...I smell ya." Vernon said.

Dawn gave a meek nod.

"It's really strong." Vernon said, his voice seemed to break slightly. The wolf gave a brisk shake of his head.

"S-stronger than normal. Are you feelin' alright Lamb Chop?" The wolf asked.

Dawn twiddled her hooves together nervously. For a brief moment she wished she could go back to before the wolf was even aware of her pheromones. But that cat was long out of the bag, and now the wolf had become quite attuned to them.

"I-I uh..." Dawn muttered. "I-I think I've kind of gone into remnant estrus early..."

Vernon looked puzzled for a moment before it seemed the realization hit him. The wolf wiped a paw across his brow.

"W-well that shouldn't be a problem for e-everyone else." Vernon mumbled. "I mean I couldn't pick up on that until..." The wolf trailed off, a lurid glimmer forming in his eye. The wolf shook his head briskly in a clear effort to maintain composure.

"M-maybe it is a good idea to hit the bathroom first." Vernon muttered. "Or maybe one of these guest rooms..." The wolf gave a slight whine. " For like five mi-"

Dawn shook her head briskly. "No Vernon! Remember what you told me yesterday!" Dawn crossed her arms.

"S-sorry Honey Lamb!" Vernon yelped, shaking his head. "It's just r-really strong. I-I I'm going to have a hard time keeping my head on straight all weekend if I'm constantly smelling you. You know how well a wolf's sniffer works!"

Dawn placed her head in her hooves. "I-Is it really that noticeable?"

Vernon put a paw to his forehead, a look of concern crossing his face. " To me, yes." He nodded. "And if it keeps up it'll be distracting me all day." Vernon shook his head briskly, stabbing a thumb in the direction of the downstairs. " And that mess down there will pick up on that pretty quick. Especially Yuri." Vernon grumbled.

The wolf dragged a paw across his face, slowly pulling it across his tired eyes. "By the gods, like he needs any more material to harass us on."

Dawn brought a hoof to her chin, scratching it thoughtfully. "Well, if this were normal circumstances there would be a pretty easy way to fix this." Dawn mused.

"How?" Vernon asked quizzically.

"A quick rut would quell the urges for a few days and therefore my pheromone levels would go back down to normal, but-"

"Great!" Vernon interrupted, his eyes seeming to shine with lust. " We'll just duck into one of the guest rooms and-"

"They will hear us!" Dawn yelped. "You said-!"

The wolf shook his head in a clear effort to come to his senses. "Yeah, yeah I know what I said!" Vernon crossed his arms, his muzzle twisted into a snarl as he seemed to curse himself. "This had to happen now." He shook his head. "I mean I can tolerate the usual dose, but if it's going to be coming off this strong-"

"I-I'm sorry." Dawn murmured.

Vernon sighed. "It ain't your fault Honey Lamb. I'll just have to work a little harder to keep it together is all. I can do that." The wolf ran a paw through his hair tuft.

"You make it sound like you're the only one who has to." Dawn smirked. "Considering I know the only one who can give me the 'attention' I need to ease this particular feeling is going to be right next to me most of this weekend."

Vernon chuckled weakly. "Maybe it's for the best we didn't end up sharing a bed."

Dawn frowned slightly. "Y-yeah." The ewe rubbed one of her arms as she looked to the floor. "I did miss you though."

Looking up, she found Vernon dreamily smiling back at her. "I missed you too Honey Lamb." The wolf crouched, taking one of her hooves in his paw. "How do you think I got these bags under my eyes?" The wolf said, pointing to the dark puffs beneath his eyes.

"Oh Puppy!" Dawn was nearly leaned in for a hug before stopping herself. She quickly recoiled, causing the wolf to follow suit.

"Ahem." Dawn coughed, adjusting her glasses. "I should definitely go to the bathroom and cool down for a bit before we face the family."

She watched as Vernon grew a wide and mischievous grin. 

"Oh no, no mister." She tutted, waiving a hoof. "You're going to have to wait outside."

Vernon's ears sagged as he grimaced. 

"Once I've cooled down, and doused myself with my usual products you won't even smell me. We'll be fine." Dawn asserted.

The wolf eyed her warily, seemingly nervous. " I- I don't know Honey Lamb, I mean-"

"It will work, trust me!" Dawn said proudly as she began to lead the walk toward the bathroom. However, despite her proclamation, worry was starting to build in her mind once again. To Dawn, it was beginning to seem as if fixing one problem only left a spot open for another one to take it's place.


	13. Breakfast Battleground

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Thirteen: Breakfast Battleground

Dawn had spent a good twenty or so minutes tending to her tousled poof, making sure that it didn't sag anywhere before she applied her usual make-up. Under normal circumstances, that would have been enough for the day ahead. However, thanks to the early visit of her remnant estrus, she was going have to do her best to both cover her scent and try to minimize it's production or else she'd risk driving her mate crazy. Not to say that the ewe was any better off at the whim of her own gnarling urges. If she wasn't careful, it would be very easy to give in, and pull Vernon along with her, or cave to his persistence should she not keep the pheromones in check. Sadly the ewe hadn't brought much in the way of perfume, at least nothing strong enough to mask pheromone production. She had always been the kind of mammal to believe that when it came to perfume you needed a light touch. But now she was wishing she was the kind of mammal who doused themselves with the contents of a perfume store. At least then she'd have a ton of the stuff at her disposal.

"You all right in there Honey Lamb?" She could hear Vernon on the other side of the door. Clutching the lone bottle of 'Ewenique' perfume tightly in her hooves, she haphazardly began to spritz herself all over in an effort to cover up the scent. She had nearly drained half the bottle of the floral scented essences before placing it back on the sink and opening the large bathroom door. Vernon was leaning against the frame with a worried look on his face.

Dawn spread her arms out and closed her eyes as she gestured expectantly to the wolf.

"Well?" Dawn asked.

"It's still there." Vernon whined.

"Mutton Chops!" Dawn cursed, flopping her arms lamely to her side. Briskly she turned back to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

"What now?" She heard Vernon mutter from behind the door.

It was then and idea popped into Dawn's head. It was both instantaneously brilliant while also absurdly cruel, at least it would be to Vernon. Dawn was reluctant to pose the idea, but she was out of options.

"Vernon, does your Mother wear perfume?" Dawn asked.

"Yes, bu-" Vernon's reply seemed to stop dead in it's tracks.

"OH ABSOLUTELY NOT! WE ARE NOT DOING THAT!" Vernon hissed.

"PUPPY, IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER IDEA I'D LOVE TO HEAR IT!" Dawn shouted back.

"Dawn." Vernon murmured. "That's, I mean. Jeeze I'm going to need therapy." Vernon whined.

"Well then you'll need therapy!" Dawn huffed. "Luckily for you I know a good Doctor, now please ask your Mom for her perfume!"

"What do I even say we need it for!?" The wolf spat back.

"An emergency!" The ewe replied.

Dawn could hear the wolf grumbling and whining, the sound fading as he presumably went off in search of Audrey. The ewe crossed her arms, sitting on the nearest toilet as she waited for Vernon's return. It was a solid plan. Smelling like Audrey would definitely make Vernon shy away from her, and as long as she tried her hardest at keeping her pheromones to a minimum they would make it through the day just fine. But internally, she worried about the amount of mental scarring that Vernon would experience thanks to the association of smells. He might not even want to touch her months afterwards, but it was better than risking the entire Hunter clan hearing them mate. The embarrassment alone would be impossible to live down, let alone the trouble it could cause among the family.

"D-Dawn?" Vernon murmured.

"Did you get it?" Dawn hopped off the toilet.

"Y-yeah but-"

"Then give it to me Puppy!" Dawn yelped as she threw open the door.

The wolf looked pitiful, a mixture of mortified and miserable. His ears sagged sharply as he whimpered.

"Phrasing!" Vernon hissed.

Dawn could see a purple tinted spray bottle in his paws, and clasped her hooves tightly around it. However the wolf wouldn't let it go. Dawn looked up at the weary looking wolf.

"D-do we have to-"

"Vernon, we do." Dawn said. "Now please give me the bottle." 

With a heavy sigh, Vernon released his grip allowing Dawn to pull the bottle into the bathroom and close the door. Dawn wiped a thumb over the label, reading the swirly script softly to herself.

"Winter's Moon." She muttered.

"Y-y'know, I don't think we need it." Vernon mumbled from behind the door. "I can keep it together wi-"

Dawn ignored the wolf, giving the bulb atomizer several squeezes. The scent was heavy on the lavender, with maybe a hint of something like amber. The ewe couldn't fully place it, but it was at the very least a pleasant scent. Once she was satisfied that she was thoroughly covered, the ewe opened the bathroom door again.

Vernon was now slumped on the floor with a wary look in his eyes as the lamb approached. She handed off the bottle to the forlorn wolf before raising her arms again expectantly.

"How about now?" Dawn asked.

Vernon shook his head, letting out a whine. "Sweet Sawgrass, you smell just like her...ugh." The wolf recoiled.

Dawn gave Vernon a soft pat on the head.

"I'm so sorry Puppy." She cooed. "But I had too."

The wolf simply whined in response.

"Don't worry, I'll wash it off later." Dawn reached out to the wolf again only for him to pull away. Vernon quickly rose to his feet, turning away from the ewe.

"Let's just get breakfast." The wolf muttered, taking a few steps forward. " And don't stand too close until the smell weakens a bit. It's real unsettling."

Dawn began to follow the wolf, doing her best to mind his words as she kept a few paces behind him. It wasn't a pretty solution, and she hated to put Vernon in such a position, but for now it at least was working.

By the time they had reached the kitchen Dawn could hear a rising din of voices and clattering dishware. It was a loud, raucous clamor that immediately put the ewe's nerves on edge and brought her mind back to the new task at hoof. Dawn didn't know exactly what she was walking into. Just around the doorframe she would be faced with a whole bunch of strange mammals, most of whom already reservations about the lamb and her presence. On top of that, Dorian was most likely there as well to make the situation that much more awkward and intense. She was nearly ready to turn tail back to the bathroom in order to hide when the delectable aroma of hot pancakes caressed her nose. Her stomach groaned in response, effectively blanking her mind of the sudden fear in exchange for gnarling hunger. The scent was now aiding to pull her along as she followed closely behind her mate.

"That smell..." She murmured dreamily as the two entered the dining room. The sound of chattering voices was now booming, and the noise caused Dawn to linger slightly farther behind the edge of the door frame as nervousness began to creep back up despite the sweet scent.

"That'd be Ma's pumpkin flapjacks." Vernon replied.

"Best in the county!" Audrey yelped over the din. The she-wolf quickly sidled up along the pair as they stood in the door frame. Audrey extended her paw out to Vernon expectantly. The wolf passed the familiar purple bottle back to the She-wolf.

Audrey eyed it curiously, seemingly taking stock in just how much had been used.

"T-thanks for the help Ma." Vernon mumbled.

"Well I don't know what 'emergency' ya'll needed this for, but yer welcome Puppy." Audrey said, reaching up to give Vernon's hair a tousle.

"HEY, THE RUNT'S HERE!" A sudden voice loudly exclaimed. It was quickly followed by a whooping laugh.

Dawn watched as Vernon's ears immediately flattened against his head. The wolf grimaced sharply as he stared across the room beyond Dawn's line of sight. The ewe took a deep breath before poking her head around the edge of the door to fully take stock of the packed dining room. Now she could see everyone, a nearly packed house of mammals save for what looked to be Zach, Vanna, and much to Dawn's relief Dorian. At the far end of the table in what the ewe assumed to be Dorian's usual chair now sat a jet black wolf with piercing yellow eyes. He wore a brownish-red somewhat aged looking jacket with a multitude of clips and chains on it. The wolf was leaned forward expectantly as he grinned back at Vernon. 

"Yuri..." Vernon grumbled.

Standing just next to the dark wolf was what Dawn now assumed to be the source of the odd laugh she had heard. The large female hyena stood with a paw over her mouth, still stifling giggles as she eyed the wolf next to her. Her striking green eyes stood out amid the sea of speckled browns, grays, and blacks that dappled her pelt. And her long mane of hair was toned in a perfect split of pure black and cloudy grey. It pulled to one side, exposing a portion of her scalp she had seemingly purposely shaved down to the pelt line. She had a similar jacket to Yuri's, except it matched the wolf's pelt in it's darkness.

"C'mon now Yuri, can't we go five minutes of Vern showing up without you picking on him?" Another unfamiliar wolf interjected. The wolf's fur was strikingly white much like Dorian's, but he had sharp blue eyes unlike his Father. His hair tuft was styled similar to that of Vernon's, except it seemed to be more springy, standing higher than Vernon's own stalks. The wolf was dressed in a baggy blue almost military styled jacket that had 'Burrows District Trooper' written on chest, with a grey sweater underneath. He had laid his utensils down as he eyed the darker wolf in disapproval.

"You rather I make fun of you Trent?" Yuri sneered. "After all, you are the real Puppy in the family!"

The white wolf scoffed before picking up his knife and fork again.

"But Vernon's special, cause he'll always be the runt!" The black wolf hissed, pointing his butter knife at Vernon.

Vernon let out a groan.

"Just ignore him like always." Trenton said to Vernon, before shoving a slice of flapjacks into his mouth. "That mouth of his is only good for things going in it, not for what comes out."

Yuri let out a barking laugh. "No way!" He chortled. "I'd say that's more Xavier's bag." The wolf leered across the table at another rather stern looking wolf. The wolf had a similar fur pattern to Vernon's, however the white patches had seemed to creep further out into his pelt, making him appear almost half white and half grey. His cold grey eyes glared at the black wolf in irritation as he adjusted his small spectacles. The wolf looked like he came from a career of high distinction, wearing a suit jacket and sweater that reminded Dawn of Dr. Gnu's style of dress.

"Oh, yes, let's start in with the gay jokes." The wolf muttered. "It's not like I haven't heard all of them a million times over." The wolf daintily took a bite of his own pancakes. "I swear, your obsession with what Malcolm and myself do in private says more about you than me." Xavier flashed Yuri a smug smirk.

"He's just jealous Darlin'." Said the huskier, green eyed wolf seated next to Xavier. The chubby red wolf took a few pancakes from one of the stacks on the center of the table. He was still dressed in an apron on top of a button down shirt that featured a few smatterings of batter on it, leading Dawn to believe he had been helping Mrs. Hunter prepare the food that now lay before them. His hair tuft was in immaculate shape, perfectly coiffed and parted down the middle.

"He wishes Ada could cook like me!" Malcolm laughed.

A snort came from the Hyena still standing next to Yuri. "Yeah, I'd probably boin the whole kitchen down if I looked at da oven da wrong way."

Dawn had almost completely lost herself in the scene playing out before her. Her nerves and fears dying down in the face of the conversation that was going on. She was simply observing from a safe distance, much like a trip to the aquarium or the reptile house. 

"Hey, who's that?" The question came from a small white fox seated next to Trenton. The purple hoodie wearing vixen stood in her seat, pointing her own butter knife Dawn's way as she squinted her one visible amethyst eye at the ewe. The other seemed to be almost entirely covered by a messy tuft of hair. With all the commotion, Dawn hadn't realized she had slowly been leaning further and further out of the door frame. Now she was simply standing in the open doorway, and the other mammals eyes had all turned to the fully exposed ewe.

"Eep!" Dawn yelped before scurrying behind Vernon. She clasped the wolf's pant leg tightly as she braced herself for whatever was coming. Dawn looked up at Vernon fearful and pleadingly. Now that she was in the thick of it, she really didn't want to be there. The basement suddenly seemed a lot more homier and welcoming than she had considered it to be the day before. She wasn't ready, and she was looking to her mate for an out. Instead however, Vernon gave her a warm smile before placing his paws on her shoulders and guiding her out in front of him.

The ewe now stood before the assembled wolves and other mammals, their eyes focused intently on the new arrival.

"This is Dawn." Vernon said firmly. "She's my mate."

The faces in front of her bore a mixture of non-verbal reactions. Some surprised, some confused, Yuri however looked surprisingly pleased with himself, and there was another wolf Dawn didn't know who looked utterly terrified. The dark grey wolf's yellow eyes were wide as saucers. As the wolf dramatically rose from his seat and stabbed a finger in her direction, Dawn could see his black tee-shirt bearing what appeared to be a pyramid made up of a bunch of sheep.

"THAT'S DAWN BELLWETHER!" The wolf yelped in shock. The other mammals eyed him briefly before turning their attention back to Dawn and Vernon. Dawn looked up at Vernon nervously, but the wolf simply crossed his arms as he stared back at the others.

"Yeah," Vernon said. "And?"

The wolf continued to point, stabbing his finger out several more times as if to accentuate a point.

"She's part of the conspiracy!" The wolf hissed before grabbing at his shirt. He pulled the graphic forward shaking it at the others. "The sheep conspiracy to take control of EVERYONE'S MINDS!"

The attention remained on the seemingly beleaguered wolf. Dawn meanwhile, was feeling deathly ill. Despite the sweet smell of flapjacks in the air, her stomach had completely soured. 

"THE NIGHT HOWLERS!" The wolf pleaded! "SHE DID THE NIGHT HOWLERS!" He sputtered.

"ULRIC WOULD YOU SHUT YER TRAP!" Trenton stood up and snarled at the grey wolf. Ulric sunk quickly back into his seat. "We know who she is."

Vernon took a step forward, placing Dawn slightly behind him and holding a paw over her protectively.

"She also saved the city and nearly killed herself doin' it." Vernon said. "So if ya'll got any problems I expect you to take 'em up with me." Vernon bared his teeth at the assembled mammals. With that, Audrey stepped in between the pair and the table.

"And I'd like it if you would all make her feel as welcomed as possible." Audrey added.

The reactions were a mixture of shrugs and nods before the mammals all returned to their plates. Ulric however was still shaking, eyeing the couple with a mix of fear and suspicion. As for Yuri, the wolf had leaned forward over his plate again, smiling almost sinisterly.

"Well, you want me to make her feel like part of the family or you want me to kiss ass?" The wolf sneered. "Cause you ain't a part of this family if you can't take a little heat. Teeth to tails Vernon can barely take a little teasing and he's practically an omega because of it."

"YURI!" Audrey snarled. "WE DO NOT USE THAT WORD IN THIS HOUSE!" The she-wolf stared daggers at him. For the first time Dawn could see the wolf seemingly shaken, his nasty demeanor faltered slightly under his mother's glare. The wolf leaned back into his seat as he crossed his arms. The wolf let out a huff.

"Whatever." Yuri hissed.

"WHAT WAS THAT YOUNG MAN!?" Audrey began to walk toward the wolf, and Dawn could see an immediate flare of terror flash behind his eyes. The wolf recoiled defensively.

"I -I mean!" His voice was shaking slightly. "S-sorry Ma!"

Ada let out another cackle, slapping Yuri on the back as the wolf's muzzle curled up in annoyance.

Audrey stopped mid-step, flashing the other wolves a smug smile before turning back to Dawn and Vernon.

"Well, I already set up seats for you two, so please help yourselves." The she-wolf grinned as she bent down to Dawn's level. "And don't you worry none, I'll be here the whole time. I'll be doin' my damndest to keep that Pup in check." She gave Yuri another glare, and the wolf quickly looked down to his own plate. 

With that, Audrey made her way to her own seat, and sat back down as the normal clamor of the meal returned. It took a few moments for Dawn to realize that the spotlight was finally off her. The topic had traveled so quickly to the worst of her crimes and then suddenly everything had seemingly returned to normal. Her head still felt like it was reeling as she was beginning to grapple with the fact that for the most part the rest of the Hunters didn't really seem to care about what Ulric had said.

"Honey Lamb?" Dawn looked up to find Vernon staring down at her with concern. "Ya'll right?" He added.

Dawn gave a meek, reluctant nod.

"W-well then let's sit down and get some food in us huh?" Vernon added. "I can introduce you to everyone once we sit down."

Vernon reached out a paw, beckoning Dawn to take with a sheepish grin.

Dawn, still somewhat shell-shocked, took Vernon's paw involuntarily. She only seemed to recover her full senses as she found herself being lead around Audrey at the other head of the table. The arctic fox in purple was eyeing her curiously as she and Vernon neared the vacant chairs next to her. She was seated on a similar, albeit somewhat smaller stack of phone books much like Dawn had been the day before. Dawn could see another stack of books in the chair right next to her, clearly intended for her. However, before the ewe could say anything Vernon quickly slid the books into the chair closer to Audrey and sat in the now vacant spot, effectively cutting off Dawn's view of the mysterious fox.

Still holding Dawn's hoof, Vernon helped the ewe make her way onto the phone book stack and carefully seat herself. Dawn made herself comfortable as best as she could, but she couldn't bring herself to raise her head. Instead she simply focused on the empty plate sitting right in front of her.

"Dawn?" Vernon's voice came from the seat next to her, however she couldn't bring herself to look away from the dishware.

"Y-yes?" Dawn muttered quietly. 

"Ya'll right Lamb Fry?" Dawn could hear a hint of worry in the wolf's voice, causing her to wince.

"I-I'm okay." She mumbled.

"Because you're still clasping my paw like you're holdin' on for dear life." Vernon whispered.

Dawn quickly turned to find Vernon had leaned in to quietly bring up what she was unwittingly doing. Looking down at their connected hands she could see her own hoof squeezing his paw tightly. Dawn quickly released her grip, blushing furiously as she went back to staring at her plate. 

"And ya ain't looking up." Vernon added in another whisper.

"I-I know." Dawn murmured quietly. In truth she was scared to. She was certain every member of the Hunter family was staring at her, and was too petrified to confirm it. If that was the case she imagined she'd just completely freeze up, unable to say a single word.

"I-I" She mumbled.

A wet 'plap' finally broke her focus on the plate as it suddenly filled with a small stack of orange tinted pancakes. Out of reflex Dawn looked up to find it was Audrey who had placed them there.

"There ya go Darlin'." The she-wolf said, placing the large platter of flapjacks back in the center of the table. "Save ya having to reach out for 'em." She said with a broad smile.

Dawn immediately smiled back before realizing she was now looking out across the table. She was about to return to staring at her meal when she realized that she had been wrong. Not a single wolf at the table seemed to be staring. Instead they were all still buried in their various piles of cooked batter and coffee.

"Syrup?" Audrey asked. She was now holding a small ewer filled with a thick amber liquid. She tilted it back and forth playfully causing the amber syrup to slowly slosh from side to side in the container.

Dawn gave a brisk shake of her head as the fear of being the center of attention and ire began to fade.

"Y-yes please." Dawn said, adjusting her glasses as she smiled more confidently. 

As she she-wolf began to pour some syrup on Dawn's pancakes the ewe was becoming more aware of her surroundings. Without the sudden panic clouding her mind, she began to note the wolves seated around her. At the head of the table to her right was Audrey, and across from her she could see Wade. That coupled with Vernon taking the spot on her left had essentially formed a protective enclave around the ewe. Now she knew why Vernon had swapped seats with her. Another protective gesture by the wolf to create a little wall of safety around her. The only other wolf that was still directly in her line of sight that she didn't know anything more than the name of was Malcolm. The red wolf was seated next to Wade, but seemed to be more focused on scooping flapjacks onto his plate than the ewe.

"There you are Darlin', all set." Audrey said as stopped drizzling syrup on the orange hotcakes. By now the warm and luxurious scent had drawn the ewe back to the contents of the plate. Dawn licked her muzzle reflexively as she eyed the syrup covered cakes.

"T-thank you Mrs. Hu-" Dawn stopped to correct herself. "Audrey."

"No problem Darlin'." The wolfess grinned as she turned back to her own plate and began to dig in.

Taking a page from the other wolves, and unable to resist the sweet scent any longer, Dawn cut herself a slice of syrup soaked pancake and quickly popped it into her mouth. The flavor was almost indescribable, and the ewe nearly bit her own tongue as her taste buds tingled with pleasure. Without saying another word Dawn was quickly on her second and third bites, letting out a few pleasurable moans as she chewed.

"H-hey, Hey!" Vernon suddenly drew Dawn's attention back to the wolf at her side. His expression was one of clear anxiety. "T-take it easy Honey Lamb." The wolf pulled at his shirt collar. "D-Don't uh, don't want to eat that too fast or ya might choke."

Dawn eyed him quizzically for a moment. Vernon was opening his eyes wide, flicking his eyebrows up and down clearly trying to convey some sort of message to her that she wasn't getting. 

"Yer' moanin'." Vernon whispered as he leaned in, causing the ewe to blush furiously as she returned to staring down at her plate. In the ecstasy of the warm and sticky breakfast playing on her tongue she had almost completely forgotten about the pheromone problem. Dawn gulped sharply as she slowly and cautiously returned to her meal, now actively trying to savor it just a little bit less.

"How is it Darlin'?" Audrey asked, getting Dawn's attention again.

The ewe looked up, still in mid-chew of another scrumptious bite of the savory cakes.

Dawn gave a terse nod of approval. "S'good." She said through her chewing. Dawn winced at her own terrible table manners before taking a hard gulp of the chewed food.

"I m-mean it's great. T-thank you." Dawn stammered. "Sorry."

Audrey chuckled. "S'alright Darlin. I know yer nervous." The wolfess said as she to another bite of her own meal. "Just relax and try to enjoy the meal.".

The ewe gave a sheepish smile as she cut another slice of her own stack of hotcakes. Glancing over at Vernon, her smile widened the wolf seemed to be enjoying his food as well. However, it was at that moment Dawn noticed that once again the arctic fox was staring at her. This time she was leaning around Vernon as the wolf hunched over his plate. The second the two made eye contact, the vixen immediately withdrew behind Vernon's frame.

"Would you knock it off Quails." Dawn heard another voice murmur from behind Vernon.

Dawn could see Vernon swallow hard before sitting straight up and glancing toward the couple to his left. With the wolf sitting straight, Dawn could see further down the table as the white wolf she had heard called Trenton leaned into her sight line.

"Welp, I might as well be the one to start." She heard the white wolf say, running a paw over his scalp as he looked directly at her and Vernon.

"Howdy Ms. Bellwether. I'm Trenton Hunter." The wolf gave a weak wave of his paw, his arm never leaving the table.

Dawn watched as he reached out behind the chair that Vernon seemed to be blocking before dragging the arctic fox from before out into view. The fox looked terribly embarrassed as Trenton held her in Dawn's line of sight.

"And this lookie-loo here is my mate Qali Pelagere, whose sorry fer staring."

The white fox grinned sheepishly as she held up a paw, flicking her fingers in an uneasy wave.

"Sorry. I-I um." The fox stuttered. "Nice to meet you."

Dawn gave a meek nod. "N-nice to meet you too."

"Oh thank you for breaking the ice!" Dawn's attention suddenly turned to the red wolf seated across from her. Malcolm looked almost gleeful. "It felt so awkward after Ulric's outburst! I had no idea what to say!" 

"How about your name for starters Dear." The bespectacled wolf next to Malcolm adjusted his glasses as he spoke.

Malcolm practically lunged across the table. The wolf was seemingly unaware of the stack of pancakes he had leaned across in the center of the table to extend a paw toward the ewe. Dawn reflexively shrank away at the sudden movement, but the wolf was grinning broadly, seeming not to notice her initial reaction.

"The name's Malcolm Hackett!" The red wolf's eyes flicked back and forth between the ewe and his extended paw, gesturing with increasing vigor for her to take it.

Dawn meekly extended a hoof only to have Malcolm snap it up in his paw in an instant, giving it a excited shake so turbulent it left the ram rattling in her seat.

"Malcolm Dear, while I love your enthusiasm you are clearly scaring the lamb." The well dressed wolf was now leaning on his paws as he eyed the spectacle taking place across the table. "Forgive my mate Ms. Bellwether, he's quite energetic and often forgets to mind others personal space. Also Darling, you're leaning in the pancakes."

Malcolm quickly released his grip, leaning back into his seat with a blush. "Sorry Ms. Bellwether." The wolf grinned sheepishly as wiped smushed pancakes off the apron he was wearing. Malcolm gave the wolf next him a playful elbow as he grinned. "Good thing I was wearin' mah apron already huh?"

Xavier dipped his head down, shaking it dismissively as he sighed.

"My name is Xavier Hunter." The wolf straightened back up, extending his own paw across the table. Dawn meekly reached out and shook it. His handshake was more gentle yet firm, something that he seemed well practiced in. It reminded Dawn of the type of mammals she used to deal with as the Assistant Mayor. 

"Y-you can call me Dawn." She replied as the broke the shake.

"Good, then you can just call me Xavier, no need for formalities here." Xavier replied as he adjusted his glasses.

Dawn smiled timidly.

"I'm Ada Dabu! 'Course you can call me Ada, or Addy, or Dabs." Dawn turned to see the hyena standing near the jet black wolf was the one talking. "Nice ta meet ya lamb chops." The hyena let out another cackle, but quickly covered her muzzle as if it an accident.

Trenton leaned forward again. "You'll have to forgive Ada, she has an abysmal sense of humor."

"Pft!" The large hyena turned her back to the table as she crossed her arms. " Not my fault you guys just don't get me!"

"Is that why you laugh at your own jokes?" Vernon asked, stuffing another slice of pancakes into his mouth.

"Or Yuri's brand of 'humor'?" Trenton mused. "Or statements, questions, or really random things half the time?"

Ada shook her head dismissively. " Eh rut all of ya's! You know I can't 'help the yelp' sometimes." The Hyeness shrugged. "It's a tic."

"And since they probably won't introduce themselves..." Xavier trailed off as he pointed his butter knife toward the shuddering wolf seated by him. It was the first one of the Hunter's Dawn could say was really staring at her, although seemingly more from fear than anger or hate.

"This whimpering little mess of wolf is Ulric. He's a professional, how do you say, wackjob?" Xavier concluded. 

Ulric seemed to straighten up in his seat, although still twitching slightly. He snarled at Xavier.

"Hey! I'm a truth seeker!" He hissed. "You guys are so sheepwashed!" 

Xavier gave the wolf a bop on the nose, causing him to recoil slightly as Xavier pointed a fork back in Dawn's direction. 

"Could you please mind yourself in front of the lamb you dolt?" Xavier said sternly. "She's a guest, and you should respect that."

"B-B-B-" The wolf stammered.

"Sorry Dawn." The ewe turned to the wolf sitting next to her. Vernon's ears were sagging as he gestured to the fidgety dark grey wolf. "My brother firmly believes that sheep are responsible for everything that goes on in the world. Part of some secret society or somethin'." Vernon muttered. "It's not you specifically."

"O-okay?" Dawn said, utterly confused as to what to make of the wolf's words.

"Oh yeah! Not her specifically!" Ulric laughed oddly. "Not like the Blackwool's haven't been trying to take over the world since the dawn of time!" The wolf began to rifle through his pockets, quickly raising his phone in the air triumphantly. "If you guys would just look at the documentation I can pro-OW!"

Xavier ribbed the twitchy wolf hard enough that he dropped his phone directly on to his un-eaten food. It sank into the syrup soaked stack, allowing the excess maple drippings to slowly swallow the phone into the mashed flapjacks. Ulric simply stared at it in shock, blinking down at his increasingly submerged phone in dumbfounded confusion.

"She doesn't want to see your conspiracy blog!" Xavier grumbled. "Honestly there should be limits to the type of trash you can put on the internet these days."

Ulric huffed, eyeing Xavier with disdain before his line of sight passed over both Vernon and Dawn. He glared at them suspiciously before pulling his syrup soaked phone out of his pancakes. As he aggressively wiped the sticky phone with his napkin, he began to mutter to himself almost inaudibly. Dawn couldn't make out everything he was saying, but phrases like 'mind controlled' and 'wool over their eyes' managed to ring out clearly enough to pick up on. Needless to say Dawn was starting to feel uncomfortable, and hoped someone would move the conversation somewhere else.

"Anywaaaay." As if on cue, Xavier picked up where he had left off. "And old scowley at the end of the table there is-"

"Does anybody else smell that?" Yuri had cut the other wolf off. The black wolf was now leaning forward on his paws as he eyed the rest of mammals. As his piercing yellow eyes fell on Dawn a mischievous grin crawled across his face.

"What?" Trenton asked tersely.

Yuri seemed to sniff the air a few times, his nose aimed toward the ewe. Seemingly satisfied, his grin grew almost Cheshire in proportion. Vernon leaned forward, blocking out the wolf from Dawn's eye line.

"I smell Ma's perfume." Yuri chuckled. 

"You've got to be kidding me." Dawn could hear Vernon hiss under his breath.

"So, Ma's probably wearing it." That had come from Trenton. "What the hell does that matter for captain obvious?"

Dawn heard a chair squeak sharply, and almost simultaneously Vernon rose to his feet. Dawn could see that Yuri was standing as well, staring Vernon down with an almost sinister grin.

"What's a matter Runt?" Yuri asked.

"Why are you getting up?" Vernon asked.

"None of your business." Yuri retorted, taking a step closer to the larger wolf.

"I-it is my business!" Vernon snarled, reaching a paw back toward Dawn. The ewe was simply frozen, watching in confusion and rising terror.

"Yuri! Knock it off right now!" Audrey chimed in. "I'm wearing my perfume! Mystery solved!" The wolf added.

Yuri continued to grin, taking another step towards Vernon as he sniffed the air.

"Nah." The wolf chuckled. "Whoever's wearing it is drenched. It's overpowering." He sneered. "You don't wear it like that Ma."

"Just sit back down and leave it." Vernon said, starting to growl.

Trenton stood, attempting to block his brother, but Yuri elbowed passed him, nearly knocking him on the table.

"HEY!" Qali hissed.

"YURI!" Now Audrey was standing. But the wolf was already standing in front of Vernon. There was silence for a moment before Dawn was startled by the black wolf's nose darting around his brother in an attempt to sniff her. Vernon weaved in his way, but the wolf simply switched sides as Dawn tried to shrink away. 

Suddenly the wolf stumbled back, Vernon had clearly pushed him away. However, Yuri's face was twisted into a smug snarl. 

"By the gods, you that much of a Momma's boy you gotta make your mate smell like her Puppy?" The wolf cackled.

"SHUT IT YURI!" Vernon snarled.

"Bad enough you get yer rocks off prey chasin', but now you want to rut Ma too?" The wolf shook his head as he chuckled. "Oh this is rich!"

A whooping cackle came from Ada, but again the hyena clasped her paws to her muzzle in clear embarrassment.

"S-Sorry everyone." Ada muttered. "Y-Yuri, that really ain't funny."

Yuri turned back to his mate, scowling at her slightly. 

"Oh c'mon babe, this is too good to pass up!" The wolf outstretched his paws as he continued chuckling. "I can get weeks of material out of this!"

Vernon stomped back toward the darker wolf, getting up into his face.

"Why can't you ever just shut up!" Vernon hissed.

"Oh are you mad little brother?" Yuri said in a mocking and childish tone. "That because you've once again proven you're even more of a little freak than I previously thought?"

The wolf turned to the table, seemingly beckoning the other family members to applaud him for his little show.

"Or is it because of that other smell I'm picking up. The one she's trying to hide?" The wolf sneered back at Vernon, seemingly catching the wolf off guard.

Dawn could see Vernon glance back at her worriedly for a brief moment.

"Surprised I could pick up on it aren't you runt?" The wolf grinned widely. "My poor messed up little Runt, so far gone that even a little hot ewe scent gets him so worked up he-"

"YURI!" A sudden voice boomed, drawing the attention of the entire family toward the entrance to dining hall.

In the door stood Zach, and a very un-amused looking Dorian. Zach seemed nervous, the russets wolf's eyes darted from mammal to mammal with a look of unease. But Dorian was cold and cool, his eyes firmly fixed on the shrinking black wolf before him. The older wolf crossed his arms as he continued to stare his son down. He exuded authority and severity, and it was only amplified by his clothing. While Zach was wearing a simply orange hoodie and faded blue jeans, Dorian was clad in his full Sheriff's uniform, a deep faded green suit complete with a deep green hat emblazoned with a sheriff's badge and a belt heavy with various equipment. The black pelted wolf immediately took a step away from Vernon, his ears splayed back as he began to twitch in a way similar to Ulric.

"PA!" Yuri yelped. "I-I w-wa-!"

"You weren't what boy!?" Dorian snapped. "Instigating fights again!?" The wolf hissed.

Yuri took another step back, letting out a whine. "I was-."

"You know how you're supposed to behave in this house!" Dorian hissed.

Yuri took another step backward, bumping into Trenton as he continued to cower. Dorian remained unmoved, but his eyes were still locked on Yuri.

"B-But I was j-j-"

"KIDDING!?" The sheriff scoffed. "Always kidding aren't we boy?"

"Well guess what Mr. Funny mammal, ya'll just earned yerself loading duty!" Dorian spat. "You get to load yer Ma's food truck all by yourself till you ain't in such a funny mood no more!" Dorian waived a paw toward the wolf. "Now get yer ass outside and get to work!"

Yuri looked at Ada, and then his half eaten plate of food with uncertainty.

"B-but Pa, I ain't even finished ea-"

The older wolf stabbed a finger directly at the jet black wolf.

"GET YER ASS OUT THERE NOW!" 

Yuri practically stumbled over himself as he bolted around the table, darting into the kitchen with his tail between his legs as fast as he could. He was a black blur, gone in an instant before Dawn could fully register it. The room fell silent as the mammals all stood stock still, seemingly unsure of how to proceed.

"Welp, go on." Dorian muttered, waiving his paw at the rest of the group. "Go back to yer damn breakfasts." His eyes passed over the collection of unmoving mammals. Dawn looked at Vernon, who was looking back at her with seemingly equal uncertainty.

"I said eat yer food!" The wolf huffed.

Some of the other members of the family immediately went back to their plates. Malcolm in particular stuffed an entire pancake in his mouth as he eyed the others nervously.

Dorian let out a terse sigh before storming out of the dining room leaving and Zach standing in the hall alone for a brief moment. Dawn could hear the front door open, and then slam shut sharply. She could almost feel the table rattle from the vibration. Zach looked at toward where Dorian had run off too nervously for a moment, before flashing the rest of the group a sheepish grin.

"I-I uh..." Zach muttered. "I'll...I should-" The wolf shrugged before quickly scurrying after his Father. The front door clattered again, and then the room fell silent.

Everyone remained quiet as Vernon slowly eased back down into his chair. The wolf leaned over his plate, placing a paw to his head as he let out a frustrated sigh. Dawn meanwhile was still trying to process everything that had happened. It had all escalated so quickly and then went out in an instant, like fire in a bottle. If it weren't for the lingering silence the ewe wouldn't even be fully sure of all that she had just witnessed. Vernon had mentioned he held a great dislike for his brother Yuri, and now that she had met him she could easily see why. 

At least in Dorian's case he seemed to dislike the ewe for a reason. Granted it was one she remained somewhat unsure of, but it was something that seemingly had a motivation behind it. Even Ulric's distrust of her stemmed from misinformation and paranoia when it came to caprids in general. But Vernon's brother Yuri seemed to get a massive amount of glee out of simply terrorizing Vernon. Dawn barely seemed to matter in the full scheme of what had just happened, she had merely been a tool to better torment his brother.

"I'm sorry." Dawn was pulled out of her thoughts by Vernon's sudden words. The ewe could see the wolf looked devastated, his tone sullen and sorrowful. "Y-you shouldn't have had to-"

Dawn reached her hoof out to Vernon, gingerly placing it on his paw as she offered the wolf a timid smile.

"Vernon I'm sorry." Dawn said. "Y-your brother-"

"Is such an asshole." Qali interrupted. "Gah, why'd he even show up this year?" The arctic fox glanced over at Ada, who was still standing by Yuri's evacuated chair seemingly dumbfounded. Qali's ears seemed to droop and she let out a slight whine.

"Sorry Ada, no offense." Qali said.

"None taken." The hyena replied.

Slowly Ada made her way over to Dawn and Vernon. She gingerly placed a paw on both of their shoulders, surprising the ewe completely.

"I-I'm sorry about dat really." Ada muttered. "D-don't let dat spoil the whole weekend huh?" Ada gave the pair a firm pat with her paws. The hyena gave a sheepish grin before slinking away from the pair. Walking back toward the direction Dawn had seen Yuri scurry off toward. With one last weak smirk toward the family, the hyena disappeared behind the kitchen door frame. 

"Yuri, he's-"

"Hey." Dawn stopped Vernon, gently caressing the wolf's cheek. "I-it's okay. Really."

"No, it ain't." Vernon spat. "We just, I mean..." The wolf ran a paw through his head fur.

Dawn simply spread her arms open, beckoning the wolf for a hug. Vernon was quick to oblige, wrapping his paws around her as he buried his face in her neck. She could hear a sniffle escape the wolf's mouth.

"I-I'm glad you're okay H-Honey Lamb." Vernon murmured. It seemed he tried to cover up his sniffling but Dawn heard a few more quiet ones escape as the wolf rubbed his face into her neck.

Dawn gently rubbed the wolf's back, cooing sweetly as she tried to comfort the clearly troubled wolf.

"I'm okay Puppy Love." Dawn said with a sigh.

After a moment the wolf recoiled from Dawn's grasp, wiping his nose roughly. The ewe eyed the wolf in confusion. 

"Teeth to Tails! You smell too much like Ma!" The wolf hissed.

Dawn chuckled as she suddenly remembered the 'repellant' she had earlier applied. Unfortunately the aroma barrier was going to make it hard to comfort the wolf. Still, Dawn supposed that the sniffling she had heard earlier was the wolf recognizing the scent as not quite what he was expecting rather than stifling sobs. Not that she would probably be able to get Vernon to admit the true answer either way.

"What's wrong with smelling like me?" Audrey asked, raising an eyebrow at the wolf.

"I didn't say anything was wrong with it!" Vernon whined. "I jus-"

"I am curious though, why are you wearing Mom's perfume?" Xavier asked.

"Let's just drop it okay?!" Vernon yelped.

At that moment, Vanna crept out of the Kitchen door frame. She was dressed in a pink zip up jacket with cartoon tigers frolicking across the chest. and a pair of tight and partially shredded jeans. She leaned against the frame, slumping slightly as she cradled a coffee mug in one of her paws. With the other she was groggily wiping her eyes.

"What did I miss?"


	14. Et Tu Zachary?

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Fourteen: Et Tu Zachary?

Vernon felt sick, too sick to even finish his the warm, sticky homemade breakfast that had been one of the few things the wolf looked forward to when visiting home. What remained on his plate had become as revolting as the scent of his Mother's perfume, and the wolf simply slid it aside as the rest of group continued to eat in near silence. Barely anyone had said much of anything after Dorian had come in and chased Yuri out of the room, something Vernon was at least partially grateful for. If things had continued Vernon was sure he would have slugged the wolf, probably earning himself a black eye among other wounds, and trashing the dining hall in the process. But the cavalry had ultimately arrived too late to save the already abysmal turn the morning had taken. Granted, it had already been on shaky ground to start with Dawn's sudden and unwelcomed visitor. But Yuri's little performance had successfully managed to destroy any little remaining hope that the day would be an overall positive one. It had already seemed to be ruined, and the wolf had barely been awake for more than thirty minutes.

Vernon had long been used to Yuri's particular form of teasing and torment. The black pelted wolf had always been nasty, vindictive, rude little mammal ever since they had been pups. And there was not a member of the young Hunter brood that didn't suffer at one point or another due to Yuri's usual cruelty. But it was Vernon more so than the rest that the wolf seemed to reserve the worst he had to offer for. When they had been pups, Yuri had been the largest member of the brothers and was always using it to his advantage in sinister ways. Whether it was intimidation, or brute force the pup was quick to exert his 'dominance' over the others, especially Vern. Vernon could easily remember a number of times Yuri had simply sat on him to pin him down, and refused to let the wolf up until he stated that Yuri was the 'Alpha' and that he was the 'Omega'. Yuri knew better of course, they weren't allowed to use terms like that under Ma and Pa Hunter's roof. But he was nearly a master at being able to perfectly evade their parents detection when torturing his brothers.

As he got older the abuse worsened, and losing Dawn as a childhood friend only gave Yuri more material to work with. Rather than offer the wolf pity or sympathy, Yuri ramped up the already incessant teasing and fighting. It was only when Vernon went through his growth spurt that Yuri seemed to lighten up a bit when it came to physical side of hurting Vernon. Looking back, Vernon could easily chalk it up to the fact that Yuri had went from the largest wolf in the pack, to the smallest after the others all sprouted up around him. Yuri had always been an opportunist and a coward, never going after mammals larger than he was unless he knew it was a situation he could get away clean from. But despite no longer getting physical with Vernon, Yuri was no slouch. He had perfected the art of verbal abuse, and now reveled in the fact that as long as he wasn't the first to swing he would always be in the right.

If it hadn't been for the fact the Yuri was one of the first to leave the ranch Vernon was certain he would have lost his mind and killed him despite taking a vow of nonviolence after getting into high school. Vernon could remember one or two nights he had drifted to sleep plotting exactly where he would bury the wolf where no one would find him. But when the first litter of the Hunter brood graduated high school, while Zach and Xavier were spending their Summer preparing to attend their respective colleges, Yuri had decided to spend his Summer traveling. The wolf simply took off with little warning, taking to his motorcycle with a duffle bag full of his things and blowing away like a tumbleweed in the wind. He had spent his time traveling all over North Mammalia if the post cards Vernon's parents received were anything to go by. But before Dorian and Audrey could question whether or not the wolf intended to become a professional drifter, Yuri turned up on his first scheduled day at the Marshland Police Academy, and with that their worries seemed to be put at rest.

Meanwhile Vernon had spent his Summer actually enjoying being home for the first time in his life. By comparison to Yuri he managed to get along with his other brothers like a dream. In fact, Yuri's absence is one of the reasons Vernon ended up lingering around the Meadowlands for a few years after high school. It was, in some way, like an entirely new experience exploring the district without the weight of his brother looming over him, and the wolf was making up for lost time. Eventually though, Vernon made the choice to break away from the family vocation, and strike out on his to become an architect when the opportunity finally presented itself. With Gus living in Zootopia, and willing to share his apartment with the wolf, Vernon was free to support himself without worrying about Dorian trying to steer him back on the path to police duty. Vernon was free of the responsibilities that being a Hunter seemed to carry along with it, and was more than delighted to be. That said, his visits to the Ranch since leaving for college had been few and far between. And if Yuri was set to visit, Vernon would tend to cancel at the last minute. It was only as recently as Zach and Vanna's tithing ceremony that had he seen the wolf again.

Vernon had hoped he would have changed, but in fact Yuri had become worse during his time on his own. And while he was attached to Ada at that time, who despite her seemingly similar demeanor turned out to be a rather sweet mammal, it had done nothing to change him. It was for Ada's sake that Vernon had resisted the urge to belt him when he used his opportunity to speak at the reception for Zach and Vanna to devote a minute and a half of material to putting Vernon down. And it was also for Ada's sake that Vernon ended up leaving early rather than stay another day and risk mauling the smug sneering wolf.

The wolf had remained silent for most of what remained of the morning meal, occasionally sipping his now disgustingly cold coffee or glancing over at the ewe sitting next to him. Somehow Dawn had managed to finish her food, something that Vernon found surprising considering all that had happened just a short while ago. The wolf ended up more or less reasoning that Dawn's appetite surviving Yuri's mood killing scene had something to do with her four chambered stomach.

"Vernon Darlin'?" The wolf was pulled out of his thoughts by his Mother's voice. He turned his head to catch the wolfess staring at him, her features fraught with concern. 

"Yer done with your food? You've barely touched it." She grimaced.

"Yeah, I'm about done. I'll just stick with what's left of my coffee." He muttered, giving her a dismissive nod.

The wolf took a sip of the brew, cringing at the nasty aftertaste the chill somehow amplified.

"Vernon." That came from Dawn. The wolf glanced down at the equally concerned looking sheep sitting next to him. He could tell by the lack of inquisitiveness in her tone that she knew he wasn't being honest and pressing for truthfulness. Something she had either learned to pick up on better than his Mother, or his Mother simply knew to let some things go.

"I'm fine Floof's, really. I feel better now." Vernon grumbled. "Just not very hungry."

The ewe placed a hoof on Vernon's paw, rubbing it affectionately.

"Well, I guess if everyone's more or less done eatin' we can start getting ready to head out." Audrey interjected. "We should probably start by figuring out who's riding with who."

Vernon winced as he recalled the number of cars available to carry them to the fair. If he counted correctly, between the food truck, his Father's squad car, and his Mother's pick-up that limited the number to three cars in total. Vernon knew, thanks to Yuri's punishment he would be forced to ride in the food truck. And Dorian refused to let anyone drive his squad car but him. Vernon wasn't willing to be in the same car with either of them at the moment, the prospect of relentless mockery should he be stuck in the passengers seat next to Yuri, or painfully awkward silence that would come from sitting near his Father were almost equally unappealing. So that left Dawn and himself with no options other than his Mother's truck, which considering his Mother took up the driver's seat, left the pair split up once more. Unless he could convince Zach to take the pair in his squad car so they had some modicum of privacy and recovery time after the mornings events, but the wolf rarely used his squad car outside of work.

"Vernon?" The ewe asked. As Vernon turned to face Dawn he went to open his mouth to speak only to accidently gulp a large whiff of his Mother's perfume coming off the lamb. The odor burned his throat, causing him to let out a few hacking coughs as he turned away.

"Teeth to Tails!" Vernon hissed. "We really went overboard with that stuff!" The wolf wafted a paw in Dawn's direction in an effort to diffuse the smell. Dawn frowned sharply.

"I wasn't going to say anything..." Audrey spoke quietly. " But it is a little much. Tell me Darlin', do you always wear your perfume that thick or...?"

Vernon watched the ewe briskly shake her head, waiving her hooves pleadingly at the she-wolf. "Goodness no!" She stammered. "I'm so sorry I used so much, I just-just-"

"Ya'll don't need to say the reason. I don't need to know." Audrey assured. " I just hope it's helping..." Audrey trailed off as she seemed to struggle to find the words. "Whatever it is ya'll needed it for." The she-wolf scratched the back of her head awkwardly. 

Vernon nearly laughed out loud. Of course his Mother knew, everyone more or less knew thanks to Yuri's little scene. The wolf wasn't sure what he found to be a more horrifying prospect, the fact that his mate now smelled like his Mother ready for a hot night on the town, or the fact that his Mother was aware that Vernon seemed to have such little self control when faced with his mates pheromones that the couple had resorted to something this drastic. 

"I-It's nothin' against you Ma." Vernon stammered. "Really! I ju-"

"A sensory conflict." Xavier muttered, sliding his empty plate atop of Malcolm's. The red wolf rose to his feet and continued to collect empty plates as Xavier went on. 

"A scent and a stimuli that aren't usually mentally associated with one another can be quite jarring, more so for certain..." The wolf lingered for a moment, seeming to be carefully choosing his words. "Relationships those connections pertain to." 

"What he said." Vernon said, gesturing to his brother.

"Oh gods, ya'll don't need to go any further." The she wolf huffed, rising to her feet with her own empty plate. "I said I really don't need to know!"

"Is it bothering anyone else?" Dawn asked, twiddling her hooves together nervously.

"Nah, you just smell like air freshener." Qali said before clasping her paws over her muzzle. She eyed Audrey nervously, a deep blush peeking out under her fur. "I-I mean, no offense Mrs. Hunter. It smells great when you wear it!"

The she-wolf let out a scoff as she rolled her eyes. As she scooped Dawn's empty plate onto her own she let out an exasperated sigh.

"I told ya Qali, please call me Audrey." The wolfess said as she took Vernon's plate, laying it gently on top of the stack she was holding.

"I'm really lousing things up this morning." Vernon heard Qali mumble quietly.

Vernon groaned as he slumped his head into his paws again. 

"It makes sense that it would only really bother Vernon all things considered." Xavier added, intertwining his fingers together as he leaned forward on the dining room table. "But Vernon dear brother, what exactly are you going to do for the rest of the day?"

Vernon looked out from between his fingers at Xavier in confusion.

"I don't follow." The wolf muttered.

"Well." Xavier adjusted his glasses. "Surely like the rest of us you intended to spend time with your mate at the fair. Together, as a couple."

"He means a 'date'." Malcolm laughed. "Honestly Hon, you ain't in the courtroom so try to talk normal."

Xavier coughed awkwardly, adjusting his spectacles again. "Yes, well. How do you expect to go about that if Dawn's smell is so off putting?"

Vernon blinked at the wolf a few times in surprise. The wolf hadn't even considered that. Part of his big plan for the day was to have as much fun as possible with Dawn in an effort to make up for everything that had happened so far. To blot out every last bit of negativity brought on by the others members of his family by the sheer joy of experiencing the fair together, just the two of them. Yet the emergency plan Dawn had come up with now seemed to have created a roadblock that Vernon wasn't sure he could easily over come. It would barely make for a very good date if he had to remain a few feet away from her most of the day.

"I wouldn't worry about it." Audrey said. The she-wolf was handing her plates off to Malcolm creating one large pile. " The first note on my perfume is the most potent, it'll be more or less gone in a half hour. All and all it'll be totally gone by the afternoon."

"Notes?" Vernon asked.

"Layered scents." Audrey replied. "Perfumes are made up of scents that burn off throughout the day."

Dawn glanced at Vernon nervously for a second, then back to his Mother.

"W-what do I do-"

The she wolf held up a paw. "By then we'll be heading back home. You can borrow more if you need it."

The ewe gave a meek nod.

"But, I figured you guys were going to ride in the same car together." Wade added. "How are you gonna do that if-"

"Dawn can ride with us in the back of the pick-up." Vanna said. The tigress had been sitting in Ada's empty chair. By now she was on her second cup of coffee. "It would be a good way to introduce her to the rest of the girls proper."

"Now hold on-"

"I-I'd be okay with that." Dawn muttered.

Vernon stared at her in shock.

"I-I mean, as l-long as Vanna will be there." She added.

Vanna gave the ewe a nod, smirking slightly.

"Now wait a minute!" Vernon huffed. If there was one thing aside from Yuri that got under Vernon's pelt, it was being talked around. "I don't really know if that's such a hot idea."

"Why not?" Audrey asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Vernon dropped his paws to the table top, clenching his teeth in irritation.

"Ya'll act like I'm a puppy here." Vernon hissed. "Just because I don't like a smell doesn't mean I can't tolerate it! There's no reason we shouldn't be fine riding together."

"I know Honey." Audrey cooed. "But we're trying to make this easier on everyone, including you."

"Easier?" Vernon crossed his arms. "What would be easiest for me would be to make sure I'm around Dawn at all times here. I can't ju-"

"Puppy, yer bein' too overprotective again." Audrey chided.

The wolf ran a paw over his scalp before slamming it down on the table. 'Overprotective' had become an entirely meaningless word in the face of everything that had happened so far, and Vernon had begun to stop caring about how overprotective the rest of his family perceived him to be, especially when it came to his mates welfare.

"Overprotective!?" Vernon laughed sarcastically. "Sure, clearly the better idea is to just leave Dawn at ya'lls mercy! You think after all that's happened so far I'm gonna leave Dawn alone with any of ya'll!?" Vernon snarled.

The table seemed to fall silent, leaving the bitterness of Vernon's comment to hang in the ether. The awkward silence caused Vernon to immediately start to regret his words, and he quickly glanced over to Dawn in fear he had inadvertently offended her. She was frowning, but once his eyes were on her she seemed to be trying to smile. It was weak and forced, and in that instant the wolf felt slightly ashamed. Here he was complaining about the rest of the family treating him like a child while he was doing the same to the ewe he professed to love. It was a feeling made worse by looking out among the sea of faces all staring back at him in a mixture of confusion and in the case of his Mother, hurt.

"Vernon." She said sternly, a slight tremor in her cadence. "It's wrong of you to throw the rest of the family under the bus just because of your Father and Yuri's behavior!" The she-wolf crossed her arms "I've done nothing but try to make you and Dawn feel welcome, and there ain't another mammal seated at this table right now who's said anything out of turn!" Audrey's gaze flashed over Ulric briefly, causing her to grimace as the dark grey wolf seemed to falter slightly. "Well almost all the mammals seated here."

Vernon frowned as his Mother continued to heap spoonfuls of truth onto him, with each statement the wolf found himself releasing an involuntary whimper.

"Thinking you need to be around to protect Dawn from the rest of us is not only an insult to me, but I'm sure it's an insult to Dawn." Audrey lamented.

Vernon glanced at Dawn as his feeling of shame continued to deepen. The ewe wasn't smiling, but she didn't seem mad either. She was eyeing the wolf in what seemed to be a mixture of concern and worry. Vernon could feel her hoof wrap around his nearest paw, squeezing it tightly.

"I-I'm sorry Honey Lamb." Vernon muttered, averting his gaze.

"I-it's okay Puppy Love..." Dawn cooed. "I-I know it's just because you worry about me."

The wolf winced slightly, turning his attention to the rest of the table. The other mammals were still more or less silent.

"I-I'm sorry guys. I-"

"Don't Vernon, believe me I understand." Xavier cut him off. 

"Yuri gets all of us pretty riled up, he's practically got that down to a science." Trenton added.

"The first time I brought Malcolm home he was making the most vile wisecracks." Xavier grimaced. "He got me so worked up I nearly broke a dinner plate over his head."

Trenton chuckled. "And Xavier is a lawyer, he's paid to keep his composure as cool and analytical as possible." 

"Key words being 'he's paid'. I don't get paid to keep my composure together in the face of Yuri's 'charming presence'." Xavier scoffed.

Trenton leaned over Qali, placing a paw on Vernon's shoulder. The white wolf gave Vernon a smile that seemed to ooze confidence and reassurance.

"Regardless, listen to Ma." Trenton said. " I can't speak for everyone else here, but I've got nothing against you and Dawn."

"Me too!" Qali piped up, placing a paw on Trent's elbow.

"I second that." Xavier added, adjusting his spectacles. "Both from a legal standpoint, as Dawn has fulfilled her debt to society, as well as from a brotherly standpoint." 

"Could ya'll sound anymore like a robot?" Malcolm gave Xavier a playful elbow as gathered together the last of the silverware. The red wolf turned toward the kitchen, only to take two steps before glancing back at the family table.

"Oh, and I'm with ya'll too." Malcolm said, grinning broadly as he turned back toward the kitchen with his load of dishes. As the red wolf disappeared behind the door frame, Ulric suddenly rose to his feet. The wolf had been largely quiet since his own outburst, only letting out the occasional mutterings since being shouted down.

"I-" The wolf glanced at Vernon, then at Dawn, his eyes darting back and forth as the cagey wolf seemed to be trying to process what to say in the face of what he was looking at. "I-I better help Yuri out."

With that, Ulric quickly darted out of the room in the direction of the kitchen. Almost as quickly as he had disappeared behind the doorframe a loud crash erupted from somewhere in the kitchen.

"ULRIC, YOU DUMMY!" Vernon could hear Malcolm shouting loudly. It didn't exactly take a genius to figure out that the paranoid wolf had collided with the dishes Malcolm was carrying. Audrey sat back at the table, placing a paw to her head as she let out a sigh.

"Teeth to tails, at least those weren't the good dishes." The she-wolf muttered.

Despites Ulric's little flight or flight response, Vernon suddenly found himself feeling his spirit renewed. With Xavier and Trenton on his side, as well as their mates, more than half the family was now pulling for him and Dawn to really fit into the family. He had never hoped to change Yuri, or expected anything out of him other than humiliation, but he could accept that if the family largely didn't share his views on things. For a brief moment the wolf felt like the day could be salvaged, that he had a real shot of bringing his Father around and making Dawn a real member of the pack. 

"Hey Vern?" Vernon turned to find Zach once again standing in the hall. The wolf was peeking around the archway, his face had uncertainty written all over it.

"C-can I talk to you for a minute?" Zach added.

Vernon crooked an eyebrow at the wolf in confusion. He was about to simply walk over to him when he remembered the thread of the conversation at hand. The wolf waived a paw at Zach dismissively.

"Yeah, give me a sec." Vernon replied.

Turning back to Dawn, Vernon gave her a soft smile. "You sure you wanna ride with the girls Mutton Chop?"

The ewe seemed to have a flicker of confidence shine behind her eyes as she nodded briskly.

"Yes Vernon, It'll be fun." Dawn smiled warmly.

"Well, mostly fun." Vanna said, sipping her coffee. "Qails and Ada don't have as good a taste when it comes to music as we do, but we'll manage."

Dawn stifled a giggle as the diminutive arctic fox crossed her arms and let out a huff. "Just because I like some of today's top hits doesn't mean I have bad taste in music!"

"Backstreet Bucks." Vanna replied with a smirk.

"They were my childhood! C'mon Vanna!" Qali yelped as she placed her paws on the table.

"I rest my case." Vanna said, taking another swig of her coffee.

Vernon smiled as Dawn tried to hide another giggle. This is what he wanted to see, how he wanted things to be for her. This little moment was like a fleeting golden glimmer of what the wolf had dared to hope introducing Dawn to the family would be like. It was almost enough to forget what happened at the start of breakfast.

The wolf gave her a playful tousle of her wooly poof as he rose to his feet. He could feel the ewe's playful swats as she pretended to protect herself.

"VeeeRRRNoooOOOoooN!" She whined as she adjusted the clump of wool atop her head, trying her best to stifle her laughter.

"Alrighty, I'll meet you all outside then." Vernon said, brushing his shirt free of whatever crumbs had accumulated there. Glancing over to Vanna, to wolf flashed her a slightly serious glance. Vernon pointed a stray finger at the large tigress.

"Keep her out of trouble." Vernon chuckled. His words were a playful jest, but his eyes said what he truly meant. And Vanna's stern nod told him she had gotten his message. 'keep her safe if things go wrong'. 

Vernon leaned down, stealing a quick kiss of Dawn's cheek before heading making a half jog over to the hall. He could hear Dawn let out a surprised squeal as he put distance between them. He was sure he had left the ewe blushing fiercely, and on top of that he had managed to snag the kiss without inhaling the perfume.

As Vernon rounded the corner he could immediately feel the rising pleasant vibe in him begin to wither as his eyes fell on Zach. The russet tipped wolf was pacing in front of the main door, seemingly unaware that Vernon had entered. The nervous wolf ran a paw over his scalp as he continued to pace.

"Zach?" Vernon muttered quietly.

The wolf seemed to jump at the sound of his brothers voice. and clutched his chest briefly as he turned his attention to Vernon.

"H-hey little bro." Zach said with a shudder. 

"Everything alright?" Vernon eyed the wolf curiously. It was a rare sight for Vernon to see the wolf this consternated. 

"Y-Yeah, no. I mean." The wolf shook his head briskly. "I'm okay."

"You don't look it." Vernon murmured. "What's got your hackles up?"

Zach ran a paw over his scalp, glancing out the front doors side window for a moment as if he were afraid he was being watched. Turning back to Vernon, the wolf let out a long sigh.

"I- I spoke to Pa." Zach said solemnly.

Vernon grimaced as it became clear why to wolf seemed to be behaving so nervously. It was obvious the talk Zach had promised hadn't gone well.

"I see." Vernon murmured.

"Yeah." Zach replied.

The two remained silent for a moment. It was disappointing to say the least that Vernon wouldn't be expecting an apology to Dawn anytime soon by his Old Mam' for his behavior. Sadly it seemed they would have to rely heavily on their 'B Plan' of bringing the wolf around by impression alone. Still the wolf was at least appreciative of his brothers efforts, however for naught they may have turned out.

"Well, I appreciate you trying." Vernon huffed. "What exactly did he say anyway?""

The wolf glanced over his shoulder again, frowning deeper as he returned he glance on Vernon.

"H-He really kind of ignored what I was saying." Zach sighed.

"Should have figured." Vernon grumbled. "He's a stubborn as an ass."

Zach gave a simple, meek nod. 

"Well, I guess I'll be riding in the food truck then." Vernon scratched the back of his head. "If Yuri's driving he won't be able to actually talk to me if I'm in the back. So that's a slight improvement on riding with you and Pa. I should probably ge-"

As Vernon went to turn away he felt Zach suddenly grasp him on the shoulder. Turning back to his brother he seemed to be even more nervous than before. It was quickly becoming clear there was something more deeply wrong he had yet to tell the wolf.

"P-Pa..." The wolf swallowed hard. "Pa thinks it would be best the for the family if..." The wolf trailed off, tugging at the neck of his hoodie. "You two hung back here for the day."

Vernon stared blankly at his brother for a few moments. He couldn't have heard that correctly, could he? Vernon blinked a few times before it finally began to register.

"What?" Vernon said, irritation and disbelief lacing his inflection. 

Zach let out a whine, placing a paw over his face as he started to stammer.

"H-He thinks, I mean, T-the townsfolk, U-Uh..."

Vernon clasped his paws on his brothers shoulders, giving him a brisk shake.

"Out with it Mam'!" Vernon sneered.

"Pa thinks that between you two being a predator prey couple, and who Dawn is th-th-tha-" The wolf stammered.

Vernon gave him another shake, harsher than before as his blood began to boil.

"THAT WHAT!?" Vernon snarled.

"That it'll cause a huge stir!" Zach sputtered. "Maybe a scene! And Pa thinks it could cause trouble for the whole family's reputation!"

As Zach sputtered out his last few statements with rising panic, Vernon finally released his grip, practically shoving the wolf away as the last of the painful statement hit him. Vernon felt like the ground was falling out from beneath him, the surreality and irony of situation leaving the wolf feeling almost hollow. He could feel the acid rise in his gullet as his nausea returned in full force. Vernon tried to stare his brother dead in the eyes, but he had grown so angry he couldn't even see straight.

Interspecies relationships among the family had never caused his Father to 'fear' how the public would perceive the family before. It hadn't mattered with Zach and Vanna, nor Yuri and Ada, or Trent and Qali. In fact, Vernon imagined the Hunter's were known to the native Meadowlanders as having somewhat of a monopoly on 'unconventional' relationships. Sure predator and prey relationships were rare, something that mammals tended to whisper about behind closed doors. But Vernon found the prospect of his and Dawn's relationship causing a scene of something completely preposterous. Especially considering Meadowlands came off as a much more socially tamer place compared to Zootopia proper. To Vernon's recollection, a mammal getting accosted in the meadowlands for their life choices was a rare as a shooting star.

No, it was clear to Vernon this was more about who Dawn was, and what implications that could have for the family. Despite her hardship endured during her time and prison, and her effort to reform. Despite nearly getting killed multiple times, and ultimately having to kill her own Father to save the city, it somehow failed to be enough for the older wolf to give the lamb a shot. Dawn being around was somehow a risk to the Hunter's family image, the feelings of a bunch of strangers mattered more than the feelings of his own son. And what made him even more enraged was that his Father hadn't even had the courage to tell him face to face. Instead he had twisted Zach's arm into acting as an arbiter for his orders.

"That's insane!" Vernon spat. "How dare he insinuate, to even-I-" Vernon shook his head. He was becoming more livid the more he thought about his Father, and it strangled his words.

"I mean, can you believe that!?" Vernon hissed. "That's the most ridiculous excuse I've ever heard!"

Zach remained quiet, his eyes darting around as he tapped his claws together.

"W-well it's not entirely implausible..." Vernon could hear Zach mutter.

Vernon was sure he was going deaf. He had to be seeing as this was the second time in just a few moments the wolf wasn't sure of what he was hearing. Vernon stared hard at Zach, and the wolf began to shrink away.

"What?" Vernon asked, his voice trembling.

Zach placed a paw over his muzzle. "W-well I mean..." He stammered. "The way Pa p-put it, w-well..." He trailed off, nervously scratching the back of his head. "I hadn't thought about it that way before."

Vernon blinked at the wolf in utter shock.

"Y-you agree with him?" Vernon muttered, his voice faltering as he spoke.

Zach winced. "Well, I mean Dawn's pretty w-well known. Who k-knows what kind of mammals would come out of the wood-work in pu-"

"I- I can't believe you." Vernon's voice cracked. The wolf could barely process what Zach was saying.

"It's just safer if you two-"

"Do you have a problem with us being together!?" Vernon growled, he could feel the fur on the back of his neck stand up as he found himself looming over Zach. The smaller wolf placed his paws up defensively, frantically waiving them.

"NO! No of course not!" Zach whined. "But other mammals at the fair might no-"

"WE'RE GOING! UNDERSTAND!?" Vernon was seething, his blood boiling over. He could feel his heart beating in his ears, nearly drowning out his brothers voice over the rapid rhythm. "Neither one of you is going to tell us we ain't! GOT IT!"

Vernon slammed a paw into the nearby wall causing it to tremble slightly. It hurt, but the wolf could barely register it over the blind rage he was feeling. It was bad enough to have his Father try to exclude him from the families traditions, but for his own brother to agree was practically treasonous.

"If ol' Mam Hunter has a problem with it he can talk to me in person and see how that shakes out!" Zach continued to shrink away, until he was finally back against the wall. "I don't need his lapdog trying to convince me to see things his way!"

"WE'RE GOING!" Vernon was in Zach's face now, and the smaller wolf began to slide down the wall.

"Y-yeah, y-yeah, okay." Zach placed his paws out defensively.

With a huff, Vernon pushed himself away from the wall and turned back toward the kitchen. With a final glance back at his now crumpled and pathetic looking brother, the wolf flashed a sharp sneer.

"I ain't telling Dawn about this, and you better not either. We are going to have a great time today, understand?" Vernon hissed. "In spite of that old mangy mongrel Rutter! And you can tell him as much. I just hope staying in his good graces was worth it Zach, I really do." Turning back to the door the wolf continued toward the dining room.

"Do me a favor, and steer clear of me for the rest of the day. Got it?"

"G-g-got it." Vernon heard a whimpering reply.

And with that, Vernon stormed his way out through the now empty dining hall. The sooner he was alone in the back of the corn truck, the better.


	15. The Hunter Girls

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Fifteen: The Hunter Girls

Dawn did her best to hide the blush the sneaky kiss left by her mate had caused to radiate off of her muzzle. It was utterly pointless though, judging by the warm grin she could see had curled its way up Audrey's muzzle. The older wolfess let out a wistful sigh as she leaned on her paw.

"You two are just adorable." Audrey cooed. "You are really making me hanker for my younger days, back when my husband was a bit softer and more bright eyed than he is now."

Dawn frowned slightly. "O-oh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

The wolfess held up a paw as she chuckled. "You apologize too much Darlin', ain't yer fault I thought of that." 

Audrey slowly rose to her feet. Getting out of her chair she slid it back into its place near the table. "Ya'll two are just making me miss when things were new and exciting."

Dawn could see the other members of the family at the table more or less starting to do the same. They were packing up what little remained at the table and placing their own chairs back in their settings. Dawn prepared herself to clamber down her chair, only to find Audrey offering a paw to help her. With the she-wolf's aid the ewe made it to the floor with ease, and as Dawn looked over to the small arctic fox seated across from her, she could see Vanna more or less helping her the same way.

"I told ya that Dori was a lot like Vernon when he was his age." Audrey said.

"I just don't see it." Dawn's attention drew back to Qali who was now off her seat. The arctic fox strolled over to the pair lazily. Dawn found herself starting to wonder if all foxes walked that way considering the rest of the foxes she had come to know in her life seemed to show off the same trait.

"I mean, he's seemed so grouse and cold every time I've met him." Qali continued. "I certainly don't see any of that in Trenny, or really any of the other boys." Qali stretched an arm, seemingly trying to wake herself up. "Well, maybe Yuri." She shrugged.

"Well time changes mammals." Audrey lamented as the rest of the family started to migrate toward the head of the table. "As well as the job ya pick."

Audrey shook her head briskly. "But none of ya'll probably have to worry about that, 'specially you Dawn." The she-wolf smirked. " Vernon is a bit softer than Dori, and he ain't a cop. That'll alone will probably keep that lovey dovey personality in him burning bright."

The wolfess let out another wistful sigh. "Anyway, enough trips down memory lane, we better get a move on!"

Dawn watched Xavier and Wade group up together, while Trenton was already making his way toward the kitchen.

"I'll ride in the back of the food truck. Least then I won't have to listen to Yuri talk." Trenton muttered as he made for the exit.

"Hold up." Audrey barked.

The white wolf stopped in his tracks, glancing back at his Mother curiously. Dawn watched as Audrey rifled a paw through her jean pocket for a moment, before pulling a set of keys out. Raising her paw to the air, she motioned for the other wolf to catch them before the she-wolf lobbed the keys in Trent's direction. The white wolf caught them effortlessly, without even turning his body around.

"Just bring the pick-up around for me, okay sweetie?" Audrey asked.

Trent gave a simple nod before finally making his way out of the room. With the white wolf gone, Audrey turned her attention to the other males.

"You two heading with yer Pa?" Audrey asked the other two brothers. Xavier gave a polite nod.

"While I'm not a fan of riding in the backseat of a squad car, I don't have much of a choice. It's not like Zach's going to give me the passenger seat." Wade shrugged.

"Well he is technically the Deputy of this District, I suppose it's only fair he gets that seat." Xavier added.

As the two brothers followed after the white wolf that had left before them, Dawn watched a beleaguered looking Malcolm enter the room. The red wolf wiped a paw through his sweaty mop of head fur as he swept it clear of his eyes.

"Well, I saved most of 'em Ma." Malcolm puffed. "But we lost about three plates and a mug."

"That Ulric." Audrey shook he head dismissively. "I swear that boy..." The she-wolf trailed off as she muttered inaudible curses. Dawn wasn't much of a lip reader, but the phrase 'nit headed' seemed to stick out among the she-wolfs grumblings.

Audrey suddenly turned her attention back to the remaining mammals, clapping her paws together loudly. "Alrighty, that means the rest of us are in the pick-up. Malcolm Darlin', yer riding shotgun." Audrey grinned as she patted the wolf's shoulder approvingly.

Keeping her paw on his shoulder, she began to steer the pudgy wolf toward the kitchen. With her other free arm, she waived to the rest of the girls to follow suit.

"Time's a wastin' girls! Let's get a move on."

Dawn did as she was told, dutifully following behind the clan as they moved into the kitchen. Dawn was sticking as close to Vanna as possible. Despite knowing she was more or less safe with the rest of them, the kinship she had quickly developed with the large tigress added an extra layer of security for her. Especially seeing as how once again Dawn had managed to catch another odd stare from Qali. The arctic fox tried to play it off, but it was clear despite her assurances that she held nothing against the ewe, there was still something going on with her.

As the group exited the nearby porch, Dawn could see Audrey's familiar faded pinkish truck. The golden rays of the early morning glimmered off the bits of exterior that still had some form of enamel on it creating an almost blinding effect. Dawn raised a hoof above her glasses to cut the glare, doing her best to make out the wolf already seated in the truck. Vernon's brother Trenton was easing his way out of the driver's side as the group approached, the wolf handed off the pair of keys to his Mother with a smirk.

"Here you go, no more scratches than usual." Trenton said.

"Thank ya Darlin', I'll take over from here." Audrey replied, spinning the set of keys around a finger by its chain loop. Flashing a grin to the rest of the assembled mammals, the she-wolf beckoned them with a paw.

"Alright, all aboard everyone, next stop the Harvest Festival!" The wolfess gave a hard pat to the hood of her car before clambering into the driver's side. In one swift motion she slunk into the seat and slammed the vehicle door sharply behind her.

With Audrey in the car, the group started to disperse, with Malcolm heading around to the passenger side while Vanna and Qali began their stroll toward the entrance to the truck bed. Taking her cue, Dawn scurried back up to Vanna, practically falling into lock-step as they made their way around the car. Once poised at the trunk of the vehicle, Vanna crouched to ground level, placing her paws out flat on either side of her.

"Step on up." Vanna said, motioning for the mammals to use her paws as a boost. Qali made it with little trouble, her tail swishing as she practically bounced off the tiger's paw and into the bed. Dawn took it a bit slower, steadying herself by grabbing the frame as she climbed into the back. It was a little shaky, as the ewe wasn't quite used to using Vanna as a stepping stool, but she figured that with time perhaps she could develop the confidence the little fox seemed to have when it came to what the tiger could support.

Now on board, Dawn made her way to the back of the cab, peeking over it to see across the Hunter yard.

Trenton was still near his Mother's side of the car, now leaning on the rusted frame as he made small talk.

Farther across Dawn could see a rather large moving van. It was a old, beat up looking thing, similar to Audrey's pick-up. The faded grey paint that coated the frame was peeling off, with swaths overtaken by patches of rust. It was also rather plain, lacking any kind of lettering or logos that Dawn assumed would mark the families food delivery truck. The ewe wondered if it had either worn off over time, or they had simply never placed one on it as the truck was something they probably didn't use often.

Dawn shrunk slightly as she noticed the black wolf standing by the side of the truck. His muzzle was twisted in a scowl, but thankfully his eyes weren't on her. Instead they were locked on the spotted hyena standing next to him. The large canid also bore a scowl, baring her teeth as the two seemed to be trading harsh words. Dawn watched warily as the darker wolf crossed his arms and shook his head dismissively as the hyena continued to bicker at him. Ada raised her paws up to the sky, and Dawn heard what she could only describe as a somewhat guttural snarl. But what happened next surprised her.

Dawn watched Yuri's frame slacken a bit as the hyena continued to chatter at him, and soon enough the wolf had an uneasy expression on his face. Yuri seemed to scratch the back of his head awkwardly as Ada's odd tirade seemed to come to a close. With her rant concluded, Yuri looked down and mumbled something before giving the hyena a quick kiss on the side of her muzzle. It was a shocking moment for the ewe, one that based on what she experienced in the dining room she could scarcely conceive. It had looked as if the seemingly heartless wolf had a tender moment with his mate.

It was then Ada suddenly caught Dawn's eyes, and the ewe quickly turned away to look at something else, praying the hyeness hadn't seen her. Dawn didn't exactly know if those sort of moments were something the couple kept to themselves, and the last thing Dawn wanted to do was start off with the peculiar cackling canid on the wrong hoof.

Near the corner of the house Dawn could see Dorian's police car. Wade and Xavier were leaning against it, talking to one another, although it was much too far away to pick-up any of what they were saying. But she couldn't see Vernon's Father. Placing a hoof above her eyes, the ewe squinted at the windshield, which was heavily obscured by the morning light. Despite her best efforts she could only barely perceive the outline of a mammal in the driver's seat, but that was enough to confirm for Dawn the older wolf was in there.

Dawn stumbled slightly as the pick-up truck rumbled to life, its frame shimmying as it idled in place.

"Hold on! Hold on!" Dawn turned around quickly to find Ada running up along side the parked car. Without missing a beat, the hyeness pushed herself off the edge of the frame with one arm, boosting herself up and into the bed in one swift motion. Now sitting in the truck, Ada brushed her swooping mane of hair back into its previous place.

"Can't trust old Auddy wit dat lead foot of hers." Ada chuckled. "Don't wanna get left behoind."

Glancing to the opposite side of the bed, Dawn could see that Vanna was now seated opposite Ada. The tigress let out an irritated sigh as she closed the trunk door she had clearly left open for the hyena.

'SLAM!' The sudden clatter drew Dawn's attention back to porch the family had exited from. By the time Dawn had spun her head to the source of the sound she just barely caught a glimpse of the grey and white blur that was Vernon as he stomped his way out of the house. The wolf looked absolutely furious as he stormed toward the food truck, his muzzle twisted into the sharpest, teeth grinding grimace the ewe had ever seen. 

"Vernon!" Dawn's own attempt to call out was cut short by Zach's own. The reddish tipped wolf now stood in the open porch doorway, reaching out in vain toward the wolf who had sped off. The beleaguered looking wolf ran a paw through his mop of head fur, running it back over his scalp.

By then Vernon had closed the gap to the food truck, and giving one last glance back at Zach, the wolf piled into the back of it.

"Sweet sawgrass, what now?" Dawn could hear Audrey say. Looking back toward the cab, Dawn could see Trent was now leaning away from the car, a paw still clasping the door to hold him up as he stared off toward the van where Vernon had hurriedly tromped to. The white wolf scratched the back of his head.

"Zach, what'd you do?" Dawn could just barely hear Trent mumble over the engine idling.

The white wolf quickly glanced back at his Mother.

"Don't worry Ma, I'll make sure he's alright." Trenton said as he released his grip from the door. Taking a few slow steps back from the truck, the wolf seemed to noticed Dawn leaning over the edge of the cab. 

"Don't worry Ms. Bellwether, I've got this." The wolf grinned sheepishly. "He'll be fine by the time we get to the fair, don't worry!"

Despite his words of assurance, the ewe felt considerably uneasy. She couldn't conceive exactly what happened to send Vernon off in such a huff, especially after the family had managed to turn his mood around so well at the end of breakfast. As Trenton jogged over to the back of the food truck the ewe found herself regretting not traveling with Vernon on the ride out. The look on his face alone made her wish she was there to comfort him, helping him through whatever had set him off so badly. With that, the ewe glanced back at Zach worriedly.

By now the wolf was slowly making his way toward his Father's squad car. His ears sagged as he stumbled in a slow backward walk toward the vehicle. He was looking toward the food truck Trenton was now making a beeline for with a mournful frown. One which only deepened as he managed to catch Dawn's gaze. The wolf's stance withered as he looked back at the ewe, heavy shame marking his features as he continued to cow from the unwanted attention. In short order, the wolf turned away from Dawn, scurrying to the passenger side of the squad car and getting in as quickly as possible. Whatever had happened, it was bad, and based on the wolf's body language, Dawn was clearly involved somehow.

The ewe couldn't leave Trent to handle Vernon. It was clear to her that she needed to be there to take care of the wolf. Perfume or not, Vernon needed the love and understanding that only she could provide. Getting to know the other girls of the Hunter brood would have to wait, Dawn needed to be on that food van.

But as Dawn turned to make her way off Audrey's truck, the vehicle lurched forward causing the ewe to stumble into a seated position. Now sitting on the floor of the moving cab, Dawn could see the other girls leaning over the sides of the truck, eyes fixed on what Dawn assumed to be the food van Vernon had disappeared into. Now that the car had begun to move, the other girls returned their focus to the truck interior.

They were now all exchanging looks of concern, eyes darting from one to another as they seemed to be searching each other for an idea on what had just happened. Then slowly, the focus of the confused and baffled stares turned to Dawn, and the expressions switched from those of concern to those of discomfort. Dawn frowned at the sudden attention, balling up a little tighter as a result. Despite not knowing the slightest bit of context as to what just happened, the situation had still managed to spread the awkwardness to the back of the cab. The ewe twiddled her hooves nervously as the mammals continued to trade unsure glances.

It was only as they rounded the corner of the driveway, hitting a bump as Audrey turned on to the dirt road back off of the farm that something finally broke the uneasy silence. As the truck coasted the bump, Ada jumped in her seat, letting out a loud barking cackle before slapping her paws over her muzzle. The hyena blushed slightly as her eyes darted between the other mammals.

"What do ya want!" She sputtered. "I get noivus during awkward silences!" Ada rubbed the back of her head as she looked down at her lap.

Qali chuckled. " It's fine Chuckles."

"Very funny squoit!" Ada crossed her paws, rolling her eyes at Qali. "Remember I could eat ya's in a single bite. So watch yerself." She laughed.

Despite the demeanor of the cab softening, Dawn was still in her own little bubble. The ewe was pondering exactly what had happened back at the ranch that had upset Vernon in such a short amount of time. Was he okay now, was Trent helping any? She wished she could be sure, that she were there right now. 

"Dawn?" Dawn snapped out of her funk to find that Vanna had place a paw on her shoulder. The tigress was eyeing the ewe down in concern. Dawn struggled to fake a smile, but she couldn't manage to keep it up.

"Hey." Vanna cooed. "He'll be okay. Trust me." The tigress gave a reassuring smirk.

"Oh yeah. Trent and Vernon are tight." Qali interjected. "If he can't get Vernon out of his mood, no mammal can!" The arctic fox had now wormed her way between the two mammals, giving the pair a confident grin. Vanna looked down at Qali dully, letting out a sigh. 

"Geeze snowball, you gotta stick yourself into everyting don'tcha?" Ada laughed. "Let Vanna handle it, you don't even know her yet!"

"Sorry, sorry!" Qali backed out from between the pair. "I'm being too forward again. My bad. I just wanted to help."

Dawn was now genuinely smiling.

"T-thank you, I do appreciate it." The ewe replied, earning a smile from the diminutive fox. Eagerly, almost pleadingly Qali turned the smile on Vanna. The tigress let out another sigh, but despite it she was smirking. Vanna released her grip on Dawn's shoulder, shifting herself into the seat next to the lamb as the car continued to rumble down the road. Now Dawn could see a straight shot at the road behind them, and the food truck that was now trailing them. In the driver's seat the ewe could just make out an irritated looking Yuri. He was swatting his free paw at Ulric, who seemed to be gesticulating to the wolf wildly about something.

"That poor dope." Dawn could see Ada was watching the fray in the car behind them as well. "You couldn't pay me to sit wit Ulric for more den five minutes."

"He was forced to, remember?" Qali laughed. "Not like he didn't deserve it."

Ada simply nodded. "Oh my dumb little ray o' gloom." The hyena chuckled darkly.

"So..." Vanna interjected, giving Dawn a little nudge with her elbow. "You girls wanna keep rambling on, or are you going to officially introduce yourselves to the new Hunter?"

The fox and hyena glanced at each other curiously before turning their attention back to Dawn. Ada scratched the back of her head awkwardly, wincing as she seemed to strain in an effort to pick her words carefully. While Qali leaned on her paws looking directly at Dawn. The fox seemed to have the same fixation in her stare that Dawn had caught earlier, and the ewe was about to finally ask exactly why she was doing that when Qali broke the silence for her.

"Okay, first off I have to say..." The fox trailed off as she moved in closer, causing Dawn to draw back slightly. The ewe wasn't sure exactly what the strange fox was up to and was growing uncomfortable as the mammal invaded her space. Now practically a foot away from Dawn's face, the fox's muzzle curled into a grin.

"I LOVE YOUR HAIR!" Qali yipped as she rolled back slightly, clasping her knees as she titled. Once she was sitting again, the fox adjusted her own draping coif, sweeping it away from her eye. "It's amazing!"

Dawn winced, slightly surprised and greatly confused by the fox's excitable outburst. 

"T-thank you?" Dawn croaked in an uncertain tone.

"I just keep looking at it and wishing I could get mine like that!" Qali gaped as she stared at the ewe again. The look was the same as before, and it quickly became clear to Dawn that her poof had been what was drawing the fox's ogle all along.

"Is that like a wool thing or-?" The fox abruptly stopped, reaching a paw out toward Dawn's head. "Can I touch-"

Vanna's paw quickly caught the fox's before it made contact with Dawn's wool. Looking up, Dawn caught the tigress glowering down at Qali, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Seriously?" Vanna muttered.

"What!?" Qali replied, seemingly unfazed.

"You don't just touch a sheep's wool ya dunce!" Ada chimed in, leaning over so she could see the other mammals. 

"Why not!?" Qali replied in a huff, paw still locked in Vanna's grip.

"I don't know, what if some stranger wanted to touch ya tail? Would youse let 'em?" Ada crossed her arms.

A look of realization came over the fox's face, her eyes opening wide. "OOOHHH!" With the sudden moment of clarity, the fox quickly pulled back out of Vanna's grip as well as Dawn's personal space. Her ears drooped as she clasped her paws over her muzzle.

"S-sorry again." Qali muttered. "I-I just really think it's cool and all."

"If you haven't picked up on it by now, Qali is kind of excitable." Vanna muttered.

"I kind of get a bit too excited and sometimes I do things without thinking, you know?" Qali mumbled.

Dawn smiled, warm thoughts of another mammal she knew that sometimes acted without thinking crossing her mind. "I-It's okay." The ewe assured.

"A-anyway. I'm Qali Pelagere. Trenny's mate, obviously." The diminutive fox reached her paw back out, this time stopping well short of Dawn's own space. The fox flashed a nervous faltering smile. "And I promise I won't touch your wool without asking from now on."

Dawn chuckled as she extended her hoof, giving the fox's paw a brisk shake.

"And I'm Ada Dabu." The hyena put a paw to her chest proudly. 

"That dumb mutt Yuri is my mate." The hyeness lazily gestured a thumb toward the truck that was trailing them. "And he's a lucky to have me, because one of us has to know how ta talk to mammals for his sake."

Ada extended a large paw out Dawn's way, and the ewe tentatively took it into her hoof. The shake was surprisingly softer than she expected from a mammal that seemed to exude pure harsh edge. As Dawn released her grip, The hyeness leaned back against the side of the truck bed, allowing both her arms to rest across the siding.

One thing Dawn had noted as the two mammals introduced themselves was that unlike Vanna, the two had introduced themselves without the family last name. It was an oddity she felt the need to press upon.

"So, you didn't take Trent or Yuri's last names or-?"

"We're both still in da datin' stage." Ada said with a chuckle.

"Oh yeah." Qali bounced in her seat. "Trent and me have only been together for like a year, so were still seeing how things go."

"O-Oh..." Dawn replied.

Ada leaned her head back, looking up at the sky.

"I've been wit dat joik for about three years, but we still ain't togedda in dat way." She scoffed. "I tink he's afraid to take da plunge."

"He seems like the type to be scared of commitment." Qali added.

"Did I axe you?" Ada sneered.

"I literally just said what you said." Qali retorted, flashing the mammal a dull stare.

"If I say it dat's okay." Ada replied. "You can't say dat, he's 'MY 'mate" The hyena smirked, emphasizing the word 'mate' with corresponding air quotes.

"I'll remember that the next time you make a joke about Trent." Qali grinned smugly, giving the hyena a playful nudge. "Which should be about what, like five minutes from now?"

"Anyways..." Ada simply ignored Qali, talking over the end of her question. "What about you? You takin' Vern's name? Are ya dat serious?" 

Dawn nervously fiddled her hooves, looking down at her lap as she tried to bury her building blush.

"W-well w-we talked about doing a caprid ceremony..." Dawn jerked up slightly as she recalled further. "O-Oh and an official partnership license at town hall."

"Dat serious huh?!" Ada let out a cackle as she slapped her knee. "So den, I take it yas two been talking about dat goofy 'tithing' ceremony."

Vanna sneered slightly, staring down Ada in what Dawn could only describe as indignance.

"It's not goofy." Vanna huffed.

"Whateves'" Ada waived Vanna off. "So how bout it?" The hyeness turned her attention back to Dawn. "Ya a little tith-curious?"

Dawn frowned slightly, looking down at her lap. Her and Vernon had discussed caprid marriage, that much was true. But the only discussions they had about 'tithing' had been limited to Dawn's historical probes. Granted the discussion about a wedding had only been as recent as yesterday, but 'tithing' hadn't really come up as an option. Dawn could easily assume exactly why they hadn't really talked about it. Thanks to her research she knew that sort of thing required the support of the leader of the 'pack'. Having Audrey's approval certainly helped, but it wouldn't be quite enough without Dorian. And the way things had been going so far with the older wolf, it made the possibility of such a ceremony seem far, far off.

"W-well, I t-think t-that's a bit out of reach for now." Dawn sighed. "Possibly forever really."

Ada flashed the ewe a confused frown as the whole tone of the conversation seemed to dip back into awkward silence. Looking around, the ewe could see the other females sharing similar sympathetic expressions. Not wanting to let the ride settle back into a painful silence for the rest of the journey, the ewe was quick to try to steer the conversation back into positive territory. 

Dawn took a deep breath, swelling her chest with air as she smiled.

"B-but I'll be more than happy with an old fashioned sheep wedding!" Dawn chirped. "That with the partnership license will give me more than enough to be able to proudly proclaim to my friends and family that I'm Mrs. Hunter-Bellwether!" The ewe let out a pleasant sigh as she finished her bold statement. 

She wasn't lying, in fact she would be happy to simply spend the rest of her days with the wolf regardless of public proof of their union. But Dawn couldn't help but wonder if the aspect of getting approval for wolf ceremony was important to Vernon. The wolf hadn't really expressed how he felt about the whole thing, merely how they were performed.

"Hunta-Bellwether huh?" Ada chuckled.

"W-well we haven't sorted that out yet." Dawn stuttered slighty, twiddling her hooves again. "Vernon wants me to keep my last name in, but I don't really want to."

"Aw that's so romantic." Qali sighed. "To want to keep your name in there, now that's adorable!"

Dawn blushed slightly.

"I wouldn't worries about old greyfur." Ada said. The hyena had resumed leaning against the wall of the bed, her arms outstretched and hanging over the edges on either side. "Pop Hunta is pretty lax when it comes ta his boys choice in mates, so he'd probably okay a 'tithing' ting, even if youse are 'prey'."

Dawn looked at Ada in confusion. The fact that she had described Dorian as being 'lax' was mystifying. Was she describing the same mammal Dawn had met at dinner the previous night, because it certainly didn't sound like it. The ewe was about to open her mouth when she noticed Qali sharing the same baffled look that she had. 

"Wait, what?' Qali chirped, scratching her head. "This is old Mam' Hunter were talking about, right?"

Ada simply nodded.

"Lax?" Dawn added.

"What?" Ada replied, now donning her own look of confusion.

"I wouldn't exactly describe Mr. Hunter as 'lax' Chuckles." Qali shook her head briskly. "More like, um...like..." The diminutive fox scratched her chin, clearly struggling to find the right word.

"Severe." Dawn interjected.

Qali gave a affirmative nod. "What she said."

Ada let out a barking laugh. "You two are yankin' me." The spotted hound slapped her knee. "Sure Old Mam' Hunter can be a little stern, but he's a big softy."

Dawn's let out a slight gasp, but was quick to stifle it. 'Softy' was another word she hadn't expected to be associated with the dour, angry wolf. It certainly didn't describe her experiences with him at all. But at the very least Dawn could see she still wasn't alone in this. Qali was now eyeing Ada suspiciously, her eyelids drooping in what one could only describe as annoyance mixed with disbelief. Ada in turn began to look uneasy, and it didn't take long for a nervous cackle to escape her maw. The hyena clasped her jaw shut.

"Is this another one of your dumb pranks?" Qali asked.

"Well, I mean he said if I eva wanted to do the 'tithing' thing wit Yuri I had his blessing." Ada shrugged. "I mean, maybe dat's because he's worried if I won't do it no one will." Ada flashed an awkward smile.

"I don't under-"

"No, it's sort of true." Vanna cut in.

Dawn looked up at the tigress in surprise. Vanna let out a long sigh before gesturing over to Qali.

"Qali, when did you first meet Dorian?" Vanna asked.

The fox scratched her muzzle as she seemed to ponder the question.

"Maybe like, two months ago?" Qali muttered. "Yeah, it was right after his graduation. Trent and me waited a while before taking the whole 'meet the parents' step. Well his anyway."

Vanna turned her attention over to Ada, gesturing at the large canid.

"And when was the last time you were out to visit Ada?' Vanna asked.

"Pfft..." Ada shrugged. "Your 'tithing' thing two years ago." The hyeness let out a sigh.

The tigress placed her paws on her knees, letting out another sigh as she glanced down at Dawn.

"Dorian has always been kind of stern, and stubborn. But...well..." The tigress sighed. "The last few months he's been a little harsher than normal."

Vanna turned away from Dawn slightly, staring off into a passing field of stalks of grain. The slight breeze was causing waves to shimmer across the surface of the canes.

"According to Mom he was even more easy going years ago." Vanna continued. "I mean she's told you as much." Vanna briefly glanced back at the ewe, and Dawn nodded affirmatively.

"But more recently he's been kind of reclusive..." Vanna said. "and colder." She added with a mutter.

Ada scratched the back of her head, wincing as she seemed to process the new information.

"So what's eatin' Pop?" The hyeness asked.

Vanna shrugged. "I don't really know." She replied. "He won't acknowledge it, not even Mrs. Hunter can get it out of him."

Dawn felt a strange mixture of emotions. She was confused, concerned, and yet some how found this information slightly relieving. After Dorian had blown up at the dinner table the previous evening, the ewe knew the wolf certainly held who Dawn was against her. But Dorian hadn't known about Vernon and her relationship until a little less than two weeks ago. Certainly it wouldn't have been possible for her to have caused Dorian's change in behavior before he had even known she was coming. That possibility managed to give the ewe a sliver of hope that it might be easier to turn the wolf's opinion of her around than she first thought. He might have even called her out at the table simply because something else was plaguing him, and he simply had directed his anger at the ewe. Of course, Dawn knew the chances of that were slim, but it was still something to work with.

"Eh, he'll get over it eventually." Ada waived the tigress off before stabbing a thumb toward the van behind them. Returning her attention to the drivers, Dawn could now see that Yuri was grinding Ulric's face into the dashboard with a free paw. The ewe couldn't help but cringe.

"If he's anyting like his dumb son, even at his angriest it'll blow over like a savannah squall." The hyeness chuckled.

"A-and if not?' Dawn mumbled.

Ada grinned widely, giving Dawn a good look at her incisors.

"Den we'll have to help him get ova it." She laughed. "We'll get dat old fart to be beggin ya to 'tithe' to his pup in no time."

Dawn let out a slight gasp, surprised at the hounds sudden kind declaration.

"Y-you mean that?' Dawn stammered.

Ada gave a brisk nod. "Vanna says your a Hunta, den your a Hunta."

"Yup, yup!" Qali added.

"You's may not 'officially' be a part of dare pack, but yours a part of ours. Us Hunta goils gotta stick tegetha'." Ada flashed another wide grin.

"She's right Dawn." Vanna added, smiling down at the ewe. Dawn could feel tears beginning to well up as a smile crawled across her muzzle. "We look after our own. And we'll do what we can to help."

Dawn lifted her glasses up, aggressively wiping her eyes in an attempt to hide the now steadily flowing tears. But it was little use, as Ada picked up on it right away.

"Hey now, stop wit da water woiks, or I'm gonna start calling you drips!" Ada let out a laugh.

Dawn sniffled hard, laughs cutting through her sobs as she tried to compose herself.

"S-sorry." Dawn choked. "I just, I-..." Dawn shook her head softly.

"Thank you, thank you all so much." The ewe stammered, giving a final snort as she sucked back the last of her tears.

"Dat doze remind me doh, now dat you are a Hunta goil, you do need a nickname." Ada grinned.

"Oh no..." Dawn glanced back up at Vanna. By now her head was in her paw, and she was shaking it back and forth slightly.

"I-I do?" Dawn asked curiously.

"Of course! We all have one!" Qali chirped happily.

"No we don't." Vanna replied.

Ada let out another barking cackle. "Oh please, you know youse love it when I callz ya 'Kit Kat'.

The tigress sneered in annoyance as she crossed her arms.

"I never agreed to that!" Vanna retorted.

"O'course you didn't, ya don't get ta pick your own!" Ada chuckled.

"I'm 'Snowball'." Qali interjected. "And she's 'Chuckles'." Qali added, stabbing a claw in Ada's direction. 

The hyena sneered slightly. "Yeah, see. I don't like dat one, but it's what stuck."

"S-so what are you gonna c-call me?" Dawn twiddled her hooves nervously, silently praying whatever they came up with wasn't a complete embarrassment.

"Hmm..." Ada scratched her chin thoughtfully. "Howa bout...'Woolly'?"

Dawn couldn't hide her cringing at the awful name, which only drew a mischievous smile from Ada.

"No, no, no." Qali cut in. "That sounds way too much like a name for a ram."

"'Woolz'?" Ada replied, raising an eyebrow at the tiny fox.

"How about 'Mutton'?" Qali asked.

"No." Now Vanna had stepped in. "Vernon calls her something like that, it's probably best you stay away from pet name territory."

The fact that Vanna was getting into it now cause Dawn to gulp. As the mammals continued to argue Dawn found herself quickly becoming more and more unsure of exactly what she was getting herself into. But at the very least the ewe managed to take some solace in the fact not only had she been embraced by all the females in the Hunter family, but that her chances of earning Dorian's acceptance might be better than she thought. Despite how poorly the morning had started out, and the dismal outcome of the previous days dinner, the lamb was actually starting to recover a bit of the hope she had lost. And with the help of her new 'sisters', she was certain her chances of changing Mr. hunter's opinion of her were even better. 

"You can't call her 'Dags'!" Vanna hissed. "That's sheep for 'dung'."

Dawn was drawn out of her thoughts by the argument that seemed to be escalating.

"I still say 'Woolz' is good." Ada barked.

"What about 'Gims'?" Qali chirped.

The mammals continued to bicker wildly, throwing around a variety of sheep slang and summarily shooting them down. Dawn let out a sigh, shaking her head in disbelief. Maybe they would be able to help, if they could stop arguing over nickname first.


	16. Bonds of Brotherhood

A Lamb Among Wolves

Bonds of Brotherhood

Vernon was completely livid. His mind was simply replaying Zach's words over and over again, every statement overlapping each other creating a muddled, almost deafening mental static. With each echo, each replay of the words Dorian had sent Zach to say the wolf could feel the fire inside screaming to erupt from every pore. It made his fur tingle all over, as if it were mere seconds away from catching and engulfing the wolf in a spectacular inferno. Vernon mindlessly marched forward, blind to nearly everything but the back of the corn truck that lie before him. Getting to that truck was the only goal that was managing to keep the wolf from pitching a fit in the middle of the driveway, he just had to keep it together until he was out of sight. Out of sight of the family, and most importantly out of sight of his mate.

It didn't take Vernon very long to cross the drive and reach the van. It's dark cool interior lined with buckets of corn and boxes of his Mother's delicious pumpkin pies. Riding in the back of the truck was something Vernon usually enjoyed when harvest season came around. As a pup, getting out of the lingering heat of the dying Summer while being inundated in the sweet and sugary scent of his Mother's famous pastries was a warm and comforting memory. Without fail, at least one pie wouldn't make it to the fair unscathed between Vernon and whoever else was riding in back with him. But now the smell seemed repulsive and bitter, the pleasant memory drowned out by the heat roiling beneath his pelt. 

Making his way to the back of the truck, the wolf practically threw himself against the steel seating, barely registering the painful shockwaves the impact sent through his hip bones. In fact, it did little more than anger Vernon further, and once again the wolf found himself throwing another wild punch at the nearby wall. The enraged wolf let out a loud snarl as the metal siding of the truck rumbled with the impact. That time he felt the pain, his knuckles now screaming in agony from making contact with the un-yielding wall. The pain was at least a distraction, something that manage to diffuse some of the steam that had been screaming for an outlet. Vernon sucked in his breath sharply as he pulled his wounded paw toward his chest protectively. Eyeing his now throbbing hand, the wolf gently massaged his knuckles to check had badly he had damaged them. They were sore certainly, but thankfully not sprained. It would most likely be little more than a forgotten memory by the time he reached the fair. Unfortunately he didn't have that luxury when it came to his Father and Zach.

Vernon grit his teeth as the rapidly diffusing pain allowed the phrases to rise in his mind once more. 

"P-Pa-Pa thinks it would be best the for the family if... you two hung back here for the day." He could hear Zach repeat.

"Pa thinks that between you two being a predator prey couple..." Vernon crossed his arms, letting out another snarl as he glowered at the floor. 

"...and who Dawn is..." Vernon could feel bile rising in his throat, and he part his clenched teeth in order to bite his tongue in a effort to quell the sickening feeling.

"That it'll cause a huge stir! Maybe a scene! And Pa thinks it could cause trouble for the whole family's reputation!"

Vernon let out another loud snarl as he kicked the nearest bucket of corn as hard as he could. The large worn blue tub barely moved under the weight of the cobs it contained. Instead, it only caused Vernon more pain as the impact pulsed up his leg. Vernon let out another hiss before returning to his seat, once again crossing his arms and turning toward the nearest wall.

"How could they?!" Vernon barked. "How could he!?" The wolf shook his head briskly. Vernon was beside himself, his anger only dwarfed by his disbelief as to what had happened. Vernon wasn't sure what to expect from his Father after the dinner the previous night. He had hoped perhaps things would turn around, that Dorian would see Dawn for the mammal she really was. But the wolf had also been prepared for Dorian to keep up his cold stance, and refuse to apologize. It would have made things harder sure, but it was something Vernon was prepared to deal with. Something he thought his Father could be brought around on, or at the very least come to terms with and accept. He had not expected however, that his Father would ask him and Dawn not to come to the fair at all. And to go so far as to have Zach be the one to deliver the news rather than telling Vernon himself made it hurt that much more.

The wolf took a deep breath, letting out a sharp sigh as he attempted to calm himself. Yet despite his best efforts he could still hear Zach's excuses floating around in his head.

"That it'll cause a huge stir!"

"Maybe a scene!"

Vernon rubbed his temples as he let out groan.

"...cause trouble for the whole family's reputation!"

The wolf threw his head back, letting out a long exhale as he stared up at the ceiling of the truck.

That's what Dorian had said, or at least what Zach had told Vernon he had said. But was that the real reason? Vernon wasn't sure, but he had his suspicions. His Father was often indirect when he was being evasive about his true intentions. The wolf could recall him behaving in a similar way when he had told him he wanted to be an architect instead of a police officer. Vernon could still remember standing in his Father's study, looking him straight in the eye, mustering up every once of his courage and simply laying out his intentions for the old mammal. The wolf could remember the feeling of anxiety eating away at his insides as the statement left his muzzle, followed by a seemingly unending silence from the older wolf. The wait for an answer was almost a torture in itself, but eventually Dorian finally responded by simply telling him they would 'talk later'. 

As it would turn out, 'talking later' was pretty much code for having Audrey tell Vernon that Dorian felt it was a bad idea, and the beginning of a war of attrition between the two wolves. In time of course, his Father seemed to muster the courage to directly tell Vernon that he didn't want him 'wasting his time at something wolves don't do'. But the start of Vernon's battle for independence began with using the other members of the Hunter household as unwilling messengers, mostly on Dorian's part. 

It was shame, that was his reasoning that Vernon would later find out. He could remember during one of the last embittered arguments before he left the Hunter Ranch being told he was throwing away everything Dorian had painstakingly set up for each of his pups. That Vernon was throwing away a stable future, and a career he could take pride in.

"It's in your blood Vernon! You can't just walk away from it!" Dorian barked. 

"Well I'm walking." Vernon replied. 

"Vernon, this is a one time opportunity, If you toss it aside I won't be bailing you out! Once you fail, you're stuck boy." Dorian replied.

"And what if I don't fail Pa!?" Vernon snapped back, staring his Father right in the eyes. "What if I succeed!? Huh!? What if I excel!? Didja ever think that!?"

Dorian squeezed the bridge of his muzzle, letting out a tired sigh.

"You won't." The wolf replied coolly." You got talent boy, real talent that yer gonna waste out there! You were made to protect other mammals like it or not!"

"I'm done fightin' Pa." Vernon groaned. "The last thing I want to do is go into something where I have to fight half the time. You have six other sons who are working law, ain't that enough!?" Vernon panted. "Why can't I do something else!?"

"Vern-"Dorian reached out to Vernon, trying to place his paw on his shoulder. However, Vernon pulled away. He had to be strong, to keep his resolve.

"I'm going Pa, I'm done. Gus has a place to stay and a job for me. I'm doing it. I have to, for me!" Vernon whined. 

"I'm not helping you."

"I didn't ask you to." Vernon replied coldly. "I can do it myself."

With that Vernon began to storm toward the stairwell, set on spending the rest of the evening calming down on the basement couch and trying to forget the argument. But as he reached for the knob his Father spoke again.

"Vernon." Vernon froze, glancing over his shoulder at the old white wolf. 

"You would shame this family?" The wolf paused. "Shame me by throwing you life away on something so foolish?"

Vernon let out a cold, calm breath.

"It's your choice." Vernon replied. "You get to choose whether you're ashamed or not. But it's my life to live."

Vernon sighed, his paw still poised on the door knob.

"I don't have a choice." Dorian replied.

Vernon could remember how hearing his Father say that hit him. He didn't turn around, or cry, or even speak. But inside it felt like someone had cored the wolf and stuffed his body full of bricks. The weight of his words burned them into the very strata of Vernon's being. After everything he'd done, his brother's had done, Vernon not choosing the career his Father wanted for him earned him his shame. Dorian was ashamed of him. 

And it was then it became clear to Vernon the true motivations behind why he didn't want the couple to go to the fair. Dorian was simply ashamed of him. His Father was ashamed at who he had chosen to be his mate. A prey mammal and an ex-criminal. And not just any ex-criminal, but one who nearly every mammal could recognize by her face alone. Vernon knew better, he knew that even if the locals had a problem with seeing a pred/prey couple walking around the fair they would be far too meek to speak up. And with what Dawn had done to save the city, the odds of finding someone who still held her original night howler scheme against her were slim to none. It was about being an embarrassment to Dorian, and once again going against what his Father had wanted for him. Continuing to fail in the eyes of the older white wolf. And what hurt even worse was the fact that Zach had been more or less swayed by his words. That Zach agreed with his Father about the fair. That managed to cut the wolf like a knife, and Vernon found himself leaning over to stare at the floor.

Letting out another sigh, another sensation began to creep into Vernon's mind. The easily recognizable inkling of fear and doubt. Whatever lingering hope he had of managing to get his Father's approval for getting a 'tithing' ceremony were almost completely extinguished. And worse yet, the words that keep swirling around in his mind were starting to pick away at his resolve. Clearly his Father was ashamed, it had to be that. But what if someone did speak up at the fair? Someone called the couple out and made a scene. Would that have some sort of impact on his Mother's stand? What if it had? Would it change the way she felt about Dawn, about Vernon? The wolf found himself biting his claws as he continued to travel down the rapidly negative spiral of thought. Vernon didn't care about what other's thought about Dawn and his relationship, even the other members of his family. If they didn't like her, or refused to accept her, that was something Vernon could deal with. But if he were responsible for something bad happening to the rest of the family because of him and Dawn, he wasn't exactly sure how he could handle it.

TAP! TAP! "H-hey big bro."

Vernon sat straight up to find a familiar white wolf peeking into the back of the van, his paw still hovering over the wall he had knocked on to get his attention. Placing a paw over his muzzle, Vernon closed his eyes and let out a groan.

"I-I don't want to talk right now Trent." Vernon mumbled. "I really want to be alone."

Despite Vernon's refusal, the wolf could feel the truck bob slightly as Trenton climbed into the back. Opening his eyes he could see the wolf carefully making his way toward him.

"It's either me or Ulric." Trenton said. "Because I'm stuck on this truck for the ride out. No room in the other cars." Trenton gave an awkward cough.

Vernon let out another irritated groan.

"I mean if you want to talk about the 'Illubaahnati' for the whole trip I ca-"

"Sit your ass down Trent." Vernon grumbled, gesturing to the seat next to him.

The white wolf flashed Vernon a meek smile before easing himself into the seat next to him. Once seated, Vernon watched as the white wolf raised a paw and gave two more heavy taps against the back of the cab, and after a moment Vernon felt a shudder travel through the van as it rumbled to life.

"Just letting 'em know were good to go back here." Trenton said. "Can't afford to be late after all."

Vernon let out another dismissive grumble before returning to his leaning stance. The wolf was taking deliberately slow and deep breaths as he focused on the metal flooring beneath him. It was an attempt to try and clear his head, to calm him down, but it was doing very little to accomplish that. He couldn't shake his Father's words, or the doubt that was slowly consuming him. His rage now mostly boiled off, leaving behind a growing sorrow in it's absence. For the first time, Vernon was starting to give serious consideration to just calling it quits, simply packing up and heading back to the city with his tail between his legs.

"I'm sorry I missed your graduation." 

"W-what?" Vernon sat back up, staring at Trent in surprise. The statement had completely caught him off guard.

Trenton scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"I-I said I'm sorry I missed your graduation." Trenton repeated. "I'm would have really liked to be there. I mean, you did it Pup. That's a huge deal."

Vernon gave a slight scoff before shaking his head. 

"I wasn't at it." Vernon muttered.

"What?" Trent replied.

"Dawn was in the hospital during that whole thing." Vernon replied somberly. "I-I couldn't leave her alone during that." The wolf paused. "I wouldn't." Vernon could feel Trenton's paw pat him on the back.

"Sweet sawgrass, I'm sorry. I didn't know the details on that." Trenton sighed. "I thought that was before your graduation."

Vernon simply shook his head no.

"S'not like I made your's either." Vernon muttered.

"Hmm?" Trent asked.

Vernon crooked his head up to look at his brother.

"Yours was the same week remember?" Vernon added. "Like two days apart. I couldn't be at yours or mine."

Trenton chuckled. "Ah don't worry about it." The wolf grinned. "You've seen one of us graduate a police academy you've really seen 'em all."

Vernon couldn't help but chuckle despite his soured mood. It was true, Vernon had seen enough graduations that prominently featured badges and handcuffs for a lifetime.

"Still yours would have been something to see." Trent continued. "Finally one of achieves somethin' that ain't farmin' or keepin' the peace."

Vernon let out another scoff as he leaned back into a sitting position. The wolf raised his arms above his head, stretching in a effort to get more comfortable. Now looking out at the back of the van, the wolf could see they had begun to move. The Hunter ranch was slowly pulling out of sight, being obscured by the family corn field. It was too late to go back now he supposed, they were already on their way. All the wolf could do was keep his fingers crossed that the fair wouldn't be as bad as his mind was now screaming at him that it would be. 

"I'm proud of you."

Vernon turned his head sharply toward his brother in shock, once again caught off guard.

"W-what?" He stammered back.

"I said I'm proud of you Vern." Trenton repeated, flashing Vernon a genuine smile.

Vernon could feel the tears rising almost immediately, and he did his best to push them back down inside. The last thing he wanted to do was cry, and especially not in front of family.

"D-damnit Trent." Vernon tried to remain stoic but his voice betrayed him, cracking as he spat out his reply. Vernon gave a hard sniffle as he chocked back the urge to sob. "S-stop it, I know what yer doin'."

"What?" Trenton smiled. "I mean that."

"Yer trying to get me to spill my guts about what's going on." Vernon sniffled again.

"Well, I would like you to talk to me if you want to." Trenton replied. "But I'm proud of you anyway."

Vernon let out a sigh, running a paw through his tuft of hair. Trenton was an expert at worming his way under someone's emotional defenses. The white wolf gave off an aurora of kindness and understanding that made mammals just open up to him. With a skill like that it made him perfect for police work, the perfect example of a good cop. But Vernon wagered it must be somewhat wasted on being a regional trooper, as Vernon assumed he probably ended up letting a lot of mammals off with a simple warning.

"But we can talk about anything, we don't have t-"

"Pa doesn't want Dawn and me going to the fair." Vernon spat, his lips curling around his teeth as if he were letting out a silent growl.

"What?" Trenton asked, his tone tinged with disbelief.

"Pa doesn't want us there." Vernon reiterated. "Says it'll cause trouble."

"Why?" Trenton continued to press, clearly still somewhat lost.

Vernon leaned his head back against the wall, staring at the ceiling. He let out another long sigh.

"Either cause of who Dawn is, or because were dating, or both." Vernon grumbled. "Say's us being there will cause a scene or possibly threaten the Hunter reputation."

The two fell silent, allowing the ambience of the whistling wind and the rumble of the engine to fill the cargo area. Tilting his head back down he could see they had now completely left the drive. The corn field had been replaced with the gentle swaying wheat stalks of another nearby farm.

"I think that's ridi"

"You thought about it." Vernon cut him off.

"What?" Trenton replied.

"You didn't reply right away." Vernon said, still staring at the various farms that were passing them by. "You were considering what Pa said."

The van was quiet again, save for the vehicle shuddering as it plotted along the country lane.

"Vernon, well I, I mean it's-"

"It's fine." Vernon muttered. "I'm already sort of burned through the shock and rage." The wolf gave a dull chuckle. "I'm actually starting to think maybe he's on to something."

"Vernon." The wolf could feel his brother's paw on his knee, and turned to look at him.

"I don't care about what Pa thinks." Trenton gave Vernon a serious stare. "I'm worried about you and Dawn."

"Hmm?" Vernon mumbled.

"What if some mammal does come up and makes a scene about you two?" Trenton winced. "Or worse yet, what if they're looking for a fight? Looking to hurt you two."

Vernon laughed, giving a brisk and dismissive nod.

"Ah shoot, ain't nothin' worse out here than what we already deal with in Zootopia." Vernon gave his own pat to Trenton's knee. "We got harassed on the train ride up here for the gods sakes." Vernon sighed.

"Really?" Trenton replied.

Vernon gave a simple nod before he turned his attention back to the moving scenery.

"Some young prideful red wolf girl and her eager to prove himself boy toy. I tell ya, it really took me back." The wolf chuckled. "It was almost like I was looking at myself in junior high. Back when I was with Ana." Vernon cringed, sticking his tongue out in disgust.

"I remember her." Trenton shuddered as he spoke. "Windpaw right?"

Vernon nodded.

"She was a real nasty piece of work. A real..." Trenton halted for a moment, drawing Vernon's attention back to him. His brother seemed hesitant to continue.

"Bitch?" Vernon smirked.

Trenton shook his head, a quiet chuckle escaping his lips. "Both biologically and behaviorally." 

"No truer words have ever been spoken my brother." Vernon replied. 

"So what happened?" Trenton leaned forward expectantly, a worried look forming across his face.

Vernon let out a sigh. "We dealt with it." Vernon shrugged. "I mean, me and Dawn expected that kind of stuff going into this relationship. We don't care what anyone else thinks." A warm smile crept across Vernon's muzzle. "We love each other, and that's that."

"So then..." Trenton trailed off. "What's the problem?" The wolf asked.

"I didn't give it too much thought before, but what if Dawn and I end up pulled into some big spectacle?" Vernon placed a paw to his forehead. "Then what happens to you guys?" The wolf sighed.

"Well, I don't know about the others, but you know Qali and I would stand up for you if we were there. And based on what I saw in the Dining room I figure most of the family would do the same." Trenton replied.

"That's not what I'm saying." Vernon mumbled.

"Well Pa and Yuri won-"

"I'm talking about Ma, about the Meadowlands." Vernon replied.

"Huh?" Trenton asked.

Vernon pinched the bridge of his snout, squeezing his eyes shut as he mustered the will to continue the line of logic that was tearing at him.

"I'm not worried about Pa, but what about Ma's stand? What about the life she's gotta live in the Meadowlands?" Vernon groaned. " What if mammals who don't like what I've got going on with Dawn take it out on her?"

The back of the van fell deaf under Vernon's words, once again beset by the simple ambience of machines and nature. Vernon went back to staring at the shimmering bronze tall grass as it passed by. Each new gust of wind cut a new swath across the fields. It seemed like forever before Trenton finally spoke again.

"Ma said she'd back you up." Trenton said calmly. " You know when it comes to us she doesn't care what anybody thinks Vernon."

Vernon felt Trenton's paw clasp down hard on his shoulder. The wolf turned to find Trenton staring him down with a deathly serious gaze.

"Ma would give up her life for any one of us in a heartbeat, so I doubt she'd give two shits about something like being snubbed by a bunch of stuck up Meadowlanders." The wolf concluded. "Neither would I."

Vernon forced a smile to his muzzle, but it faltered quickly.

"But still-"

"But still nothing Vernon!" Trenton was firm, although he didn't raise his voice. "If you aren't worried about how you and Dawn handle harassment, then don't worry about us." Trenton grimaced. " We can certainly handle ourselves."

Vernon gave a reluctant affirmative grunt.

"Still I take it Pa's reasoning wasn't taking the well-being of Dawn and you into account when he said it or else you wouldn't have stormed out of the house the way you had?" Trent released his grip, placing both paws on his knees.

Vernon scoffed. "He sent Zach to say it to me."

Vernon watched Trenton visibly cringe, making a loud sharp inhale as he reeled backward.

"Well that clears up my follow-up question." Trenton said with a weak chuckle.

"Zach's such an idiot." Vernon grumbled. "He spends yesterday claiming up and down about he's not Pa's errand boy, and yet today here comes obedient little Zach ready to side with Pa." Vernon hissed. "I swear, they may as well be sewn together."

"Well, you didn't stick around long enough to hear him out did you?" Trenton asked. "Maybe he was worried about the same things you were? About how our family would deal with the backlash of being connected to Dawn?"

Vernon scoffed. "Then why didn't he do what you did!?" The wolf gestured an arm toward the open fields outside the truck. "If he was so keen on supporting us, why didn't he stand up for us to Pa when he suggested those things!? Tell him that he was going to stand by me, that the family was going to stand by me!?" Vernon balled his fist tightly, slamming it into the seat next to him. " Sometimes he can be more of a weasel than Wade, although at least he doesn't lie about his giraffe mate!"

Vernon's anger immediately receded in favor of panic as the realization of what he said hit him. His eyes widening in horror as he turned to face Trenton.

"Wade's dating a giraffe?" Trenton smirked.

Vernon raised his paws defensively. "Trenton, swear to me you won't say anything to anyone!"

"What, why?" Trenton replied, raising an eyebrow.

"I promised Wade I wouldn't tell anyone as long as he told Ma and Pa before the weekend is over." Vernon whined. "I need your word on this."

Trenton mimed pulling a zipper from one side of his muzzle to the other.

"You have my solemn promise big brother." Trenton said, raising the paw as if taking an oath. "I will not tell, as long as you promise me something..."

Vernon eyed the wolf in confusion. With Trent, keeping a promise was as good as gold. Despite being the youngest in the pack he always had been the brother to go to when you needed to discuss something privately, as well as keeping it that way. Trenton was the first one in the family Vernon told about his intentions to got to school for architecture rather than the police academy. But Trent never was one to ask for something in return, he was never one to put a price on his silence.

"What?" Vernon asked.

Trenton put a paw on Vernon's shoulder, flashing the wolf a warm smile.

"Promise me you'll forgive Zach." Trenton replied.

Vernon's muzzle twisted into a grimace. "Oh come o-"

Trenton raised his paws defensively. "I know, I know, what he did was thoughtless." The wolf protested. "You know he can be easily influenced to believe stupid things! Hell he's the only one who willingly listens to Ulric's ramblings from time to time." Trenton placed his paw back on Vernon's shoulder. "But you know his heart is usually in the right place, and he doesn't want to hurt anyone."

Vernon let out a snort, crossing his arms in defiance, earning a dull stare from Zach.

"Okay, fine....be that way..." Trenton cooed. "But now I'm curious, I wonder if Wade wouldn't mind me asking him some technical questions on how a wolf manages to mate with a giraffe."

Vernon let out a prolonged groan.

"UUUhhhhhhhhhggggggg! Fine!" The wolf hissed. "I'll let Zach off for this one."

Trenton smiled at his brother warmly, once again sealing his muzzle with a phantom zipper. "I'll keep the questions to myself until I hear it from Wade then."

Vernon let out long sigh, returning his sights to the road behind them. At some point it had changed from dirt to concrete, and the wolf could now see other cars around them. He wasn't sure exactly how close they were to the festival now, but he remember it was practically directly off the highway they were now on. Looking up toward the sky, the wolf could catch the last bits of morning orange hiding just at the edge of the North Mountains.

"Since you've already got me spilling my guts to you..." Vernon trailed off. "I may as well tell you what I really came out here for this weekend."

To Vernon's surprise, Trenton leaned forward with keen interest, a wry smile forming on his muzzle.

"I have my suspicions." Trenton raised his eyebrow.

Vernon was immediately incredulous. The wolf leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms as he eyed Trenton warily. Trenton had a knack for picking up on little things to piece together the bigger picture. The white wolf had been that way since they were pups, always able to figure out where one of the brothers left a toy on the vaguest of clues, and was the best at sniffing out where someone had been from the tiniest scent he could pick up. It was something he had only gotten better with as he got older, yet it was another wasted skill on the position of regional trooper. Still despite his natural talent, Vernon was quite dubious the wolf could figure out exactly why Vernon chose to come visit now of all times. There was practically nothing to go on, and if Trent hadn't figured out Wade's mate was a giraffe without being told directly, Vernon highly doubted he could figure it out.

Vernon chuckled. "Alright, I'll let you have your fun." The wolf shook his head dismissively. "I know you love a good mystery."

Trenton clapped his paws together excitedly. "Alright, let's see." The white wolf scratched his chin as he leaned closer to Vernon, eyeing him suspiciously. "What would bring Puppy out aside from simple introductions to his new mate?"

Trenton leaned back, rolling his eyes slightly as he seemed to mull over what he knew.

"The last time you came out was for Zach's tithing two years back." The wolf tapped his chin. "And you left early because of Yuri, that was obvious."

Vernon nodded affirmatively, his arms still tightly crossed.

"Before that you only ever came out when Yuri wasn't around. You never made it a priority to meet our mates at the homestead. You always had us visit Zootopia. So in turn I imagine it wouldn't be a huge deal if we hadn't all been here to meet Dawn." The wolf's tongue wriggled out of the corner of his maw as he continued to puzzle over Vernon's intentions. "No, no. But tithing ceremonies we all had to be there for. It's an important family event, that's why you tried to put up with Yuri as best you could for Zach's sake."

Vernon crooked an eyebrow as his brother continued his thought process. He could already feel disbelief swirling in his mind as his brother seemingly edged closer to what Vernon intended to do. 'There is no way'. Vernon thought to himself.

"So you came out here, despite Yuri's presence, introduce Dawn to Ma and Pa knowing we'd all be here." Trenton leaned in again, studying Vernon carefully.

"But even without Yuri you are having an extremely rough time, something's really eating at you. Got ya all twisted up. After all, you haven't shown a lick of violent tendencies since ya swore that stuff off. Yet here you are punching walls." Trenton grimaced. "It's something big, real big. To have you hurtin' this bad."

"Well, how would you feel if Pa didn't think your mate was worthy of..." Vernon bit his tongue, stopping himself from revealing the answer so carelessly.

Trenton clapped his paws together again. "Pup! You fixin' to tithe Dawn!?"

Vernon stared at the white wolf in partial shock.

"Y-you..." Vernon stammared. " I mean, you figured it out from-"

Trenton shook his head briskly, laughing heartily as he did so. "No, no! I had more than enough to go on!" The wolf slapped his knee.

"Pft...sure." Vernon shook his head, crossing his arms again.

"So that's why you wanted everyone to be here!" Trenton continued. "Your fixin to tithe her under the harvest moon on Monday aren't ya! Make it a real wolf ceremony right?"

Vernon looked at his brother in slight confusion.

"E-er...no." Vernon shook his head. " I mean, that's probably too soon to put something like that together." Vernon shrugged. "I'd want Dawn's Ma out for it, and ya know..." Vernon scratched the back of his head. 

Trenton frowned sharply. "Huh, I would think that was why you wanted everyone to be here."

"Vernon shook his head again. "I wanted to get Pa's blessing and then announce it to ya'll." Vernon asserted. "Then we could figure out a time to do it when everyone could come out again. Even Yuri, much as I'd hate to have him."

Trenton placed a paw to his chin, a look of mild disappointment crossing his face.

"Hmm...guess I'm getting rusty." Trenton sighed. "I don't get enough practice monitoring the highway for speeders all day. Still I can see why Pa's got you so flustered. I imagine you would have torn into him by now if it weren't for the fact you were holding out for getting his blessing."

Vernon let out a long sigh, placing a paw to his temple. "I-I want to bring him around. I have to Trent." Vernon shook his head. "If I explode on him there's no way he'll consider allowing Dawn into the pack." Placing his head in his paws, the wolf let out a loud groan. "Not that playing nice seems to be working anyway, I mean he just un-invited us to the fair!" The wolf threw his paws up. "What am I gonna do Trenny? Give me an idea! Please."

The white wolf placed a paw on Vernon's shoulder, flashing the wolf a warm smile.

"Y'know, you ain't the only one thinking about getting tithed Vern." Trent said.

Vernon opened his eyes wide, blinking rapidly as he stared back at Trenton.

"Y-you mean you, and Qails?" Vernon muttered.

Trenton nodded. "I've been thinking about it a lot lately." The wolf let out an amorous sigh. "I mean I haven't really discussed it with her or anything. I really ain't sure if she'll say yes or not." The white wolf frowned. 

"Y'know..." Vernon scratched the back of his head awkwardly as he trailed off. " I always thought Qails was a little too...energetic for you." Vernon gave a meek smile.

Trenton chuckled, giving Vernon a soft punch in the arm. "That's what I like about her dummy." The wolf grinned back.

"In case you haven't noticed, I kinda take the easiest route I can to get through my life." Trenton sighed. " In that way I'm kinda boring. I don't really challenge myself, and I hate taking risks. It's never really been my style Pup."

"Mhh." Vernon nodded for the wolf to continue, still unsure of exactly where he was going with his self depreciating line of reasoning.

"But Qali, she's adventurous, she's got spunk." The wolf let out another pining sigh. "My little snowflake really lights up my life, y'know. She taught me how to have fun and take some risks." Trenton's smile grew wide, and his eyes sheened with a dreamy glare. "She's just...she makes me a better mammal."

Vernon felt a goofy grin of his own crawling across his muzzle. He had always been a bit of a sucker for the lovey dovey stuff, and seeing his brother so in love made his heart swell with warmth.

"She's..." Trenton trailed off. "She's my soulmate Vern."

Vernon's ears perked up, his eyes going wide as his brother's words fully registered. Placing a paw on Trenton's shoulder, Vernon was smiling ear to ear.

"That's Dawn for me Trenny." Vernon sighed. "That's Dawn for me."

"I figured." Trenton smiled back. "You wouldn't go to the mat this hard for any other reason big brother."

Trenton placed his paw on top of Vernon's giving it a slight shake. "And if I was in yer shoes I wouldn't fall back on the easiest route out." Trenton said. "If it was me and Qails in yer shoes we'd be fightin' tooth and nail to bring Pa around. No matter what."

Vernon could feel the tears from before starting to work their way back up to his eyes, and desperately tried to push them down, letting out a gasping choke in response.

"And me and Qails are gonna do all we can to help you and Dawn out! I don't know how we'll help bring Pa around, but we'll damn well try Pup!"

Vernon let out another gasp, but he couldn't stop the tears. The wolf aggressively wiped his eyes, trying to at the very least keep the tears from being visible. Vernon had reached his limit, and wrapped his paws around his brother, pulling him in tightly for a hug.

"T-thanks Trenny." Vernon sniffled as he dug grinded his muzzle into his brother's shoulder. "I-I just...thank you." The wolf choked. "I-I needed to hear that."

He could feel Trenton pat his back a few times before breaking away. The white wolf was now pawing at his own eyes.

"W-well that's what brothers are for Vern." Trent smiled. "Besides what else can we do? Can't just give up now can we?" Trenton placed a paw to his chest, swelling it in faux pride. "'That's not the Hunter way.' As Pa would say."

Vernon wiped the lingering tears from his eyes, letting off a final sniffle as the urge to weep began to die away.

"W-well at least I'd like to try everything before I settle on going to my last resort." Vernon sighed.

Trenton eyed him curiously, arching an eyebrow in obvious confusion.

"What do you mean Pup?" Trenton queried. "You ain't planning anything drastic now are you?"

"Let's just hope it don't come to that." Vernon replied. "I'm sure it won't." Despite the firmness of his statement, Vernon couldn't help but feel a pang of unease travel through him. 

'It won't.' Vernon thought. 'Please don't make me have to do it Pa.'


	17. The Harvest Festival

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Seventeen: The Harvest Festival

"What about 'Fleece'?" Qali mused.

"Aw for cryin' out loud, we already vetod dat one!" Ada yelped. "Can't yas remember anyting?"

By now the family had long since arrived at the Harvest Festival proper. The elaborate decorated stalls and rides stretched on as far as Dawn's eyes could see. It had been much larger than she could have possibly imaged considering how rural the North Meadowlands was compared to it's southern counterpart. Gleaming golds, yellows, oranges and ruby reds shone from every angle, draping every attraction like gift wrap, All tightly packed in but still featuring large, already massively crowded lanes of fairgoers. A mix of scents from the myriad of baked delights hung heavily in the air, and Dawn found herself covering her mouth to keep from drooling. The Harvest Festival was so much more than she had even anticipated, and yet it also made her all the more nervous. It was so crowded, so many more mammals than she anticipated. How would they react to seeing her and Vernon? Would it be simple stares of disapproval, or something worse?

Dawn did her best to shake off the lingering thoughts as Vanna helped her down from the back of the truck. No, she was dead set on trying to be positive. The fair wasn't for anyone but Vernon and herself. She was going to enjoy it, despite the pheromones, despite possible onlookers, despite it all. The ewe was dead set on trying to have the best time possible with her mate.

"Well, I still think Woolly is a good one." Qali stated as she jumped down from Vanna's paw. The petite fox placed her paws on her hips.

"You dummy!" Ada barked. "I said dat one, remember?" 

Qali placed a paw to her head, shaking it as she closed her eyes.

"Ugh, we've been talking about this so long I kind of lost track of who said what." Qali muttered.

"I swear youse are practically a space cadet, youse may as well work at MASA." Ada cackled.

"Hey! You-"

"Let's table it for now." Vanna cut in. " We can pick it up after the fair, right Dawn?"   
"Hmm?" Dawn turned back to face the tigress. The ewe had been lost in her thoughts. 

Dawn blushed sharply, twiddling a hoof in the dirt. 

"I-I'm sorry." Dawn muttered. "I wasn't really paying attention."

Vanna smirked. "Clearly the smartest mammal here."

Dawn suppressed a giggle as Ada and Qali flashed the large tigress the dirtiest looks the ewe had ever seen. It was clear that remark stung quite a bit.

"And how was the ride my Darlin'?" 

Dawn nearly jumped out of her pelt before recognizing exactly who had spoken. Spinning around rapidly Dawn found her mate standing over her, a big grin across his muzzle. The ewe gave the wolf a playful slap.

"Vernon!" Her face reddened as she spoke. "You startled me!"

Vernon laughed as he playfully feigned a need to protect himself. The wolf raised his paws as Dawn's weak and ineffectual slaps landed. 

"Easy Honey lamb! I'm sorry." The wolf said between laughs.

Dawn flashed the wolf a smirk, placing her hoofs on her hips as she struck a more confident stance.

"Hmm, I suppose I'll forgive you." Dawn teased. The ewe casually extended a hoof as she turned her gaze away from the wolf. "If you kiss my hoof."

She heard the wolf let out another soft chuckle.

"I'm afraid I gotta check something first." Vernon replied.

As Dawn turned her head back toward the wolf, she found Vernon had moved his nose in close to her wooly puff. At first the ewe was confused, until she heard the wolf take several big whiffs of the air around her. Before Dawn could ask about the smell, the wolf planted a kiss on the tip of her snout. Dawn quickly clasped her hooves over her nose, blushing intensely.

"VERNOoooOOOOn!" She squealed. The wolf had managed to get her again.

Vernon rose back to his feet, smiling widely.

"Seems the car ride helped kill the smell a bit." Vernon said.

Dawn frowned slightly. "S-should I-"

"Naw, it's still there." Vernon replied, grimacing slightly. "But it's dull enough not to spoil the fun."

Dawn let out a sigh of relief. For a moment the wolf made her worried that the perfume had completely worn off. With no protective barrier formed by Audrey's scent, the risk of making an entirely different kind of scene at the fair would have been something else for Dawn to worry about.

"Heya Snowflake!" Dawn turned to see Trenton approaching. The wolf had only made it a few steps before the tiny fox lunged at him. Within the blink of an eye, she had wraped her arms around his neck, swinging slightly from side to side as she hung from him.

"EiiiiiIIII!" She squealed, as the wolf wrapped his paws around her, pulling her to his chest. "This is going to be so fun!" The fox chirped. Releasing her grip, the fox now hung in Trenton's arms. Stabbing a paw out towards the fair, the fox began to chatter at light speed.

"OH Trenny! What do we ride first!?" She barked excitedly. "Or should we play some of those cheesy carnival games!?" Qali scratched her chin for a moment. "Where do we pay?" Qali was quick to snap out of her reflective thoughts, reaching her paws back up to grasp Trenton's face. The tiny fox playfully mushed the white wolf's cheeks around. "Oh who cares! Let's get going already!" She said gleefully.

Trenton let out a throaty chuckle. "Easy, easy there Flurrie Dust, we got two days."

Qali tilted her head back, planting a kiss on the bottom of Trenton's jaw. "Then we gotta make the most of it!"

Trenton gave a rough tussle of Qali's droopy coif of hair before easing the fox back onto the ground. "We will, we will." The wolf assured. With Qali now out of his arms, the wolf made his way over to Dawn and Vernon. With a gentle smile, the white wolf reached a paw out and placed it on Vernon's shoulder.

"You gonna be good to go?" Trenton asked, patting his brothers shoulder firmly.

Vernon snorted. "Pfft. We're fine. I'm over it. Thanks."

Trenton leaned in a bit closer, staring his brother in the eyes. There was an air of seriousness to it, as if he was searching for some sign that Vernon wasn't being honest.

"I'm fine Trent, we're going to be fine today." Vernon smiled warmly.

Trenton continued his glare for a moment before giving the wolf another firm pat and releasing him from his grip.

"Alright big bro, just-" Trenton paused. "Just remember what we talked about okay?"

Vernon nodded briskly as the white wolf turned his attention back to Qali. The fox hadn't noticed the conversation had effectively ended, she was far too busy standing on her tippy toes to peer at as many local stands as she could. Her nose raised high as she seemed to be taking in the scents as Dawn had been doing earlier. Trenton looked back at Dawn and Vernon for a moment, flashing them a mischievous grin and raising his eyebrows playfully. Turning back to his mate, the wolf gave her rump a playful slap, causing the petite fox to yelp as she jumped in place. Spinning around quickly, she flashed Trenton an irritated glare.

"C'mon Snowflake, we're burning daylight." The wolf seemed to ignore her reaction, instead beginning to walk off into the fair. "You wanted to hurry remember?"

"OOH Trenton!" The fox hissed as she rubbed her hind quarters. "I'm going to get you for that!" Breaking into a light jog, she scurried to catch up with Trenton's stride.

"You know you love it." The white wolf chuckled as he took one of Qali's small paws in his own.

And with that, the couple effectively disappeared into the crowd. 

"Well, I betta get ova to dat truck." Ada muttered as she passed between Dawn and Vernon. "Hopefully I can keep Yuri from gettin' himself inta more trouble."

As the hyeness made her way to the corner of the family stand, and began to ease her way between the narrow alley between it and the neighboring stand, she flashed the ewe a smile.

"And don't faget what we said to ya eader." She said, pointing a claw at Dawn.

With a final cackle, she slipped between the flaps and disappeared.

Dawn turned back to Vernon to find him already looking down at her curiously.

"What happened?" Vernon beat her to the punch. The ewe had been eager to ask the same about Vernon and Trenton, and if he was truly in a better mood. Dawn scratched the back of her head, flashing the wolf a timid smile.

"Oh nothing." Dawn said. "Just sister-in-law stuff." Dawn's grin grew into a wide and cheesy one, which Vernon matched with his own equally satisfied grin.

"Sister-in-law stuff huh?" Vernon chuckled. "So I take it the ride was good?"

Dawn shook her head briskly, but as she went to open her mouth Vanna chimed in.

"She's one of us now." The tigress said, flashing Vernon a toothy grin as she reached down to give Dawn a pat on the shoulder. 

Vernon made a mock fearful look as he placed a paw to his head, leaning back in fake woe.

"Oh no, now who knows what gossip is going to go on about me behind my back!" The wolf groaned.

Dawn giggled. "Please, what do you think I do with Judy?" 

Vernon straightened back up, his mock fear dissipating in real worry as he eyed the lamb. His ears sagged slightly as he frowned.

"Y-you do?" Vernon said, voice quavering slightly. 

Dawn broke into a loud laugh, placing a hoof on her knee to steady herself. 

"D-don't worry Puppy!" She snickered. "It's a-all good stuff! I-I promise." 

The wolf stiffened his stance, running a paw across his scalp as he tried to compose himself. The wolf's expression looked as though he was trying his hardest to appear not to care.

"I'm not worried." He said calmly, but the ewe could hear a tinge of nervousness in his voice. With that, Dawn grabbed his paw, squeezing it tightly as she smiled up at him. 

"I know Puppy Love." She cooed, patting his paw with her other hoof. "I know."

"Now where's that Goofball?" Vanna interrupted thier playful spat. The large tigress had a paw above her eyes as she scanned the area for a trace of her mate. It reminded Dawn that the Zach question was still hanging in the air, something she had yet to ask the wolf about. As Vanna continued her search, Dawn gave Vernon's arm a few light tugs to bring his attention back to her.

"P-Puppy?" She mumbled.

"What is it Darlin'?" Vernon replied.

Dawn looked down at the dirt briefly, not entirely sure how to proceed. Vernon seemed happier, he seemed like whatever had set him off before they left was out of his mind. It made Dawn unsure as to whether she should even broach the subject, and risk bringing Vernon back down. Still, she had some inkling that whatever happened involved her, and was too curious to not at least try to see what had happened.

"W-well...this morning." Dawn stuttered. "I mean before we l-left..." Dawn trailed off, squeezing Vernon's paw tightly as she mustered the courage to push on. "What happened with-"

"ZACH! There you are!" Vanna cut Dawn off. Dawn turned to look in the direction the tiger was shouting, only to briefly catch sight of the russet tipped wolf before he slid behind the corner of the nearest stand.

Vanna placed her paws on her hips.

"Zach come over here!" She yelled.

For a moment the wolf remained hidden. But as Dawn watched, she saw his head poke out from behind the stall. From what Dawn could see the wolf looked very worried. His ears sagged as he looked toward the ground. 

"Zach." Vanna said sternly.

More of the wolf appeared, and soon he was shuffling toward the group. He was still staring at the floor as he made his way over, like a child who knew he had done something terribly wrong. It took the wolf a while to close the gap between himself and the group, but he eventually made it to Vanna's side, and then slinked behind her and out of Dawn's sight. The large tigress glanced behind her back in confusion.

"Zach, what is going on?" Vanna said bluntly.

Dawn could hear quiet mumbling from behind the wall of mammal that was Vanna, but nothing descernable.

"What?" Vanna asked, clearly having just as hard a time hearing him as Dawn had.

After another awkwardly quiet moment, the wolf poked his head out from behind Vanna, and slowly managed to bring his eye-line up to Dawn's.

"U-Uh..." Zach stammered. The wolf glanced back at the floor briefly before making eye contact with Dawn again. "I-I'm sorry Vern." Zach stuttered. "I'm so s-"

"We're over it Zach." Vernon interrupted. His reply was terse and stiff, but it seemed earnest.

Dawn looked at Vernon in surprise.

"V-Vernon are you sure it-"

"Dawn trust me." Vernon added. "I'm over it."

Looking back at Zach, the ewe could see he was equally as confused. His head tilted as the wolf warily crept out from behind his mate.

"R-really?" Zach sputtered. "Y-you forgive me?"

The wolf squeezed the bridge of his muzzle and closed his eyes, letting out a long, exasperated sounding sigh. 

"Y-yeah, we're fine Zach." Vernon muttered. 

"But what happened?" Dawn asked. "Did it have to do wit-"

"It was family stuff." Vernon interrupted. "It's not worth worrying about Dawn. Trust me."

"But Vernon."

"Dawn look." The wolf sighed. Vernon kneeled down to her level, placing a paw on her shoulder as he stared into her eyes. "I want us to have fun today. Just the two of us." The wolf wiped a paw across his face. "So I decided I wasn't going to worry about any of the other stuff."

The wolf flashed her a meek smile. "And I want you to be able to do that to." 

"Vernon."

"It was just about our Pa." Zach interjected, his voice seemingly firmer than before. It appeared that earning Vernon's forgiveness had improved his overall demeanor. "We just had a simple disagreement that got out of paw is all. It's all fine."

Dawn eyed the wolf skeptically.

"You should go have fun, don't waste time worrying about me and Vern." Zach persisted. The ewe continued to scan his face for a tell. Something still didn't sit quite right with her about whatever the argument had been about. She had her doubts she was getting the whole truth, but Zach's face remained unflinching under her scrutiny.

Dawn was ready to further press the reddish wolf, but before she could open her mouth she felt a paw under her chin. Slowly it steered her face back toward her mate's smiling face. The wolf's paw suddenly found it's way to the side of her face, gently caressing her as he continued to stare lovingly into her eyes. Her desire to question the subject was fading rapidly under Vernon's overbearing warmth.

"I just want to enjoy today with the one I love. That's my only goal." The wolf's smile had widened into a warm grin, the kind that easily pierced Dawn's most stalwart defenses. She knew whatever had happened involved her, she was certain. But her own desire to just enjoy the fair with Vernon, coupled with his seeming need to simply push whatever it was aside managed to win Dawn over.

"O-okay." Dawn stuttered, clasping the paw on her face with her hoof affectionately. 

"I'll tell you some other time, if you still want to know by then, okay?" It was as if Vernon had read her mind. Her last grasp at standing somewhat firm had been seemingly predicted by the wolf, leaving her with nothing more to add. She was only left wondering exactly how far off that 'some other time' would be. But she quickly decided to brush it aside for now in favor of doing what her mate had said, and making the most of their time at the festival. 

"Well then, I-Oop!" Dawn suddenly felt the ground drop out from under her. She found herself briefly swirling through the air before coming to a stop high off the ground. It didn't take the ewe long to figure out what happened, especially considering she was now at Vanna's eye-line. Looking down, she could see the top of Vernon's head. Letting out a huff, she gave it a playful slap.

"Ow!" Vernon laughed.

"I hate when you do that!" Dawn giggled. "Warn me first!"

Vernon glanced back up at the ewe, flashing her a meek smile. "You know you love it."

Dawn groaned. "You Hunter boys say that to all the girls don't you?"

Vernon chuckled. "Only the special ones."

The ewe covered her face with a hoof in an effort to hide the blush from Vanna and Zach.

"Welp, you two have fun." Vernon said, giving the other mammals a wave of his paw. "I know we will." 

Dawn found herself slowly spun around until the pair were out of sight, and soon she was moving into the crowd of mammals toward the rides and games that lie ahead. Looking back, she flashed Vanna a weak smile and waved.

"See you guys later!" Dawn chirped.

"Bye!" Vanna grinned, slapping a paw on the back of her mate. It seemingly surprised the wolf, whose stance was still somewhat slackened by whatever was bothering him. It was clear Vernon's okay wasn't enough to fully assuage whatever guilt the wolf was feeling, but Dawn would have to force herself not to worry about it any longer. Turning her view back to the fairgrounds ahead, Dawn steeled herself for the day ahead. She was going to have fun, they were going to have fun, and nothing was going to ruin that.


	18. Of Old Flames and Funnel Cakes

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Eighteen: Of Old Flames and Funnel Cakes

Stress, fear, anxiety and woe. Since Vernon had arrived at his family home just two days ago those feelings had never strayed too far away from him. It had managed to make the relatively short time spent at the Hunter Ranch feel like an eternity. For every little glimmer of hope, every ounce of promise, for every little bit of joy, there managed to be something that came along and ripped it away from him. His Father's attitude, Yuri's crude and tasteless sense of 'humor', Zach agreeing with Dorian about the couple staying away from the fair. All of it had been twisting the wolf's insides further and further. Each act adding to the growing sense of dread and misery in the wolf faster than the rest of his more accepting family members could ease it. But finally, for the first time since he had arrived in the North Meadowlands, Vernon was actually having great time.

It had been hours now since he and Dawn had first set out with the goal of making their date at the fair the best it could possible be. The sun had shifted from the edge of the horizon to far overhead, their shadows tapering to little more than a concentrated blot beneath their feet. Despite the intensity of the noon day rays against Vernon's fur, the wolf could feel a wavering in its strength. The warmth of the summer sun finally beginning to wither away before the growing chill of the autumn air. It struggled against the cool breeze, at least keeping it warm enough not to need a jacket, but thankfully beaten down enough by the cool air to keep the fair grounds from being stifling.

From her perch atop the wolf's shoulders, Dawn had lead the charge in the couple's desperate need for fun and relief from the family reunion. The ewe was unusually exuberant, excitement lacing her every statement as the couple began to meander through the crowds of mammals. Her rising excitement had the wolf grinning stupidly in mere seconds after she had started. It became clear very quickly to Vernon that the sheep hadn't been to anything like a fair or amusement park in ages. It shone in her childlike wonder and glee as she stared in awe at the variety of attractions. Much like the excitable fox who had left for the rides just before them, the ewe was pointing from ride to ride as she struggled to settle on what to go on first. Each decisive and final choice turning on a dime as she spotted yet another new ride she hadn't seen.

It was Vernon who ultimately became the deciding factor of their first ride together. Dawn had been in the middle of listing off several different choices before she evidently remembered that she was with someone. Vernon stifled a laugh as Dawn suddenly froze mid sentence, glancing down at the wolf she had been clutching on to so tightly.

"V-vernon I'm so sorry." The ewe began to blush. "I was so overwhelmed by all the rides I didn't even think to a-ask you."

Vernon flashed her a warm smirk. After such a hard start to the day, nothing could make the wolf feel better than seeing his mate brimming with excitement and joy.

"W-what do you think we should ride?" Dawn asked, squeezing his shoulders a bit as she leaned further over his head.

"Welp..." Vernon scratched his chin. "Since I was a little pup, every year when the fair came around the first thing I'd ride was the merry go round." The wolf shrugged slightly, causing the ewe seated on his shoulders to rise and fall with his motion. "I guess it sort of became a tradition of mine."

"Well then, no sense in breaking tradition." Dawn smiled widely. 

Turning her attention back to the fair around her, the ewe stabbed a finger in the direction of the ride. 

"Onward, my valiant Puppy!" Dawn giggled as she spoke, squeezing his shoulder tightly with her one hoof still holding on.

The line for the ride was short, which Vernon had expected. It was never the most popular ride in the fair, but it still was one of his favorites. As they entered the ride the Vernon found himself overwhelmed with the sudden feeling of nostalgia as he spied over the various seats. The finely polished and colorful exotic birds looked as though they hadn't aged since his childhood. Cockatoos, parrots, parakeets and even a massive toucan pulling a chariot made for an amazing display of bright and tantalizing colors, which only became more entrancing as the ride was in motion. Vernon stopped briefly as he passed a familiar old macaw with a chip in it's beak, gently rubbing a paw across its smooth surface as memories came flooding back.

The wolf had neglected to tell Dawn how such a gentle, slow paced ride became the favorite of a young, excitable wolf pup. But the last thing Vernon wanted to do was ruin the mood they had just struggled to get back into by bringing up painful memories. Yet as he glanced into the shining eye of the old macaw he couldn't help but recall his countless rides on its back. How many times he held his paws tightly around it's neck, staring up at the sky and wishing the old bird would take off into it. Flying the young wolf away from his troubles. Away from losing Dawn, away from his anger at the world, away from all of it. The wolf shook his head as he drew his paw back from the bird, worried that lingering any longer would prompt his mate to question why. Those memories were long gone, and now his ewe was back. It wasn't worth ruining the date to mourn what could have been. 

Naturally Vernon opted for the chariot, the only double-seater on the ride, and the perfect place to enjoy the experience with Dawn. The wolf made a dash for the seat, fearful that another fairgoer would nab it despite the lack of riders. Once he had staked his claim, he eased the ewe off of his shoulders and onto the seat before taking a spot next to her.

He watched the ewe put her hooves on her knees, leaning forward as she waited excitedly for the ride to begin. Vernon in turn simply leaned back against the hard wood of the seat back, leaning one of his arms on the side edge of the chariot as he watched her. The wolf couldn't help but admire her sheer joy. She was clearly putting in the effort of forgetting everything in favor of just having a good time, and if she had any lingering thoughts or doubts, it certainly wasn’t showing.

As the ride jolted to a start, he watched the sheep jump slightly in surprise and couldn't help but chuckle. Dawn flashed the wolf a dour frown.

"What?" She asked.

Vernon shook his head dismissively. "Nothin' Darlin'."

The ewe leaned back as the ride began to pick up speed, but her eyes remained on the wolf.

"C'mon Vernon, what?" This time a giggle escaped at the end of her sentence.

"Yer just so darn adorable. I can barely stand it." The wolf said, a goofy grin crawling across his face.

"VeeEERNoooOOON!" Dawn whined, giving the wolf a playful slap.

"Yer only making it worse." The wolf chuckled.

"So are you!" Dawn blushed, placing her hooves over her muzzle. The ewe slid slightly away from Vernon as she eyed the wolf warily. "Y-you don't smell it do you?"

Vernon crooked an eyebrow. "The pheromones or the-?"

"Yes, my pheromones." Dawn replied.

Vernon leaned near the sheep, taking a good hard whiff of the air around her. It was there, sure. But it was barely noticeable over the fading scent of his Mother's perfume.

"Perfume's doing its job." Vernon stated.

"G-good." Dawn gave a shaky reply as she placed her hooves back on the seating. She was quiet for a moment as Vernon kept watching her. Clearly there was more on her mind.

"A-and the perfume isn't too b-bad now?" Dawn asked timidly, twiddling her hooves nervously as she spoke.

Vernon chuckled, but instead of giving her a reply the wolf simply pulled her close to his side. The ewe resisted for a moment, but in the end she gave in, allowing herself to lean against his chest as the ride continued to whirl around them. Once Vernon heard her let out a contented sigh, the wolf slacked his grip, allowing his arm to hang loosely against her.

"This answer yer question Honey Lamb?" Vernon asked.

He felt the sheep nod affirmatively against his side, placing a hoof on his chest as she continued to lean against him.

"Good." Vernon rubbed Dawn's shoulder gently. "Now let's just enjoy ourselves."

The rest of the morning would go more or less the same, the ewe only seeming to worry about her scent more than anything else. Her pheromones had spiked a few times as they moved from ride to ride, but it had managed to be nothing the wolf couldn't endure. And as the day progressed the wolf could feel himself growing more and more at ease. His stress, his doubts, all of them were rapidly falling away as he enjoyed being with the one he loved, the two just having mindless fun as they experienced the excitement of the fair together. The teacups, the spinning swings, the funhouse, the bumper cars, with each attraction the wolf’s troubles felt more and more distant. The misery the weekend had been causing him become more and more obscured as his date reinforced and strengthened the whole reason he had come to the reunion in the first place, to simply show Dawn a good time. And with every smile, giggle, and hug from the petite ewe, the wolf’s heart swelled with love.

Now that lunch had rolled around the wolf was practically back to his old self, strolling lazily across the fair grounds with Dawn holding his paw tightly as they walked together. The only thing left nagging him was the lingering embarrassment of accidentally taking a bite out of Dawn’s hair instead of the cotton candy they had bought to split. He made the mistake of not looking down when she had held the staff of spun sugar up for him, instead staring off at the next attraction he had his heart set on riding with his date. 

Vernon let out another quiet whine as the memory replayed in his head.

“Vernon stop.” The wolf turned his attention to the small sheep at his side.

“What?” Vernon asked.

“You’re still thinking about the cotton candy.” Dawn eyelids drooped as she stared at him.

The wolf scratched the back of his head, flashing an uneasy smile.

“You could tell huh?” Vernon muttered.

“Vernon. It’s fine.” Dawn laughed, running a hoof through the fluffy mane that Vernon had coined her nickname from before placing it against her hip. “You barely bit into it before you realized what was wrong. You didn’t even pull any wool out.” Dawn let out a sigh. “Trust me, it’s not the first time someone tried to eat my wool.” Dawn let out a sigh. 

Vernon eyed the ewe curiously. “Oh really?”

The ewe blushed slightly, letting out an awkward cough. 

“W-well you know, college.” Dawn murmured. “A lot of mammals experimented with hallucinogens and stuff. Yellow lichen gum was a big hit on campus.” Dawn place her hoof over her face. “So when you have a mare for a roommate who’s very into hallucinogens, you find yourself waking up to a horse slobbering on your head a fairly often.” Dawn sighed.

Vernon let out a barking laugh.

“You can’t be serious!” The wolf choked through his laughter.

The ewe let out an exasperated sigh. “At least cotton candy was actually involved this time around.”

The wolf smirked. “And in my defense, they did go out of their way to make it look like you.”

“Oh yeah.” Dawn laughed. “There’s something very comforting about a cotton candy stand run by coyotes who craft the cotton candy to look like cartoon sheep heads.” The ewe shook her head. “I don’t know what’s worse, the fact that I was eating a crude replica of my own head, or you were.”

Vernon flashed the ewe a half lidded stare, a mischievous grin crossing his muzzle.

“Well, I do love to eat you Honey Lamb.” Vernon chuckled. “Granted it ain’t exactly the same thing, but it certainly is tasty.”

Vernon had barely finished his statement before Dawn abruptly released her tight grip on his paw. Blushing intensely, the ewe took a few steps away from the wolf, clasping her hooves over her muzzle.

“VERNON!” She hissed, her tone was stern but it wavered, the lamb clearly attempting to keep from laughing. “You are KILLING me! I can’t take this today!”

Vernon let out a soft chuckle. “Sorry Mutton Chop, I keep forgetting.”

The ewe wiped a hoof across her brow, letting out a frustrated sigh.

“At least that means the perfume is doing its job.” Dawn sighed. “But that doesn’t make it any easier for me! You have to cut down on the flirting.”

Vernon placed his paws in his pockets, looking down at the worn dirt path beneath his feet. The wolf idly kicked a small stone, glancing back at Dawn occasionally with a pair of wide, sorrowful eyes. It was all an act of course; the wolf wasn’t quite done teasing his mate. But he knew his weaponized ‘Puppy Eyes’ were the best in his arsenal when it came to flustering Dawn.

“Oh Puppy no!” Dawn immediately scolded. "Don't you give me that look!"

“I-I’m sorry Floofs, I-“ Vernon suppressed the urge to smirk, holding steadfast in his mock frown.” I just love ya so much, I can’t help myself sometimes.”

“You already have me!” Dawn chuckled. “You don’t have to flirt anymore!”

Vernon broke his sad façade for a moment, flashing the ewe a brief smirk.

“Where’s the fun in that?” The wolf replied.

“OHH!” Dawn huffed. “ Mean, MEAN wolf!"

Vernon slipped back into his dejected stance, making his eyes as wide a he could and feigning a sniffle.

"A-aw, now ya gone and hurt me Dawn." Vernon whimpered. "Cut me deep."

Out of the corner of his eye he could see the ewe's frustrated face, but he could also see a hint of worry, part of her clearly wasn't sure if she had really hurt him, and Vernon was ready to continue to play on it to get one up on her.

"V-vernon!" She stammered. "S-stop, please!"

"I just wanted to have a good time with ya." Vernon whimpered. "Now I got ya scolding me for showin' ya how much I love ya."

"Y-you are still toying with me aren't you?" Dawn sputtered. Vernon could tell her resolve was weakening.

Vernon slackened his stance further, his ears flattening against his head as he stared back at the ewe. 

Dawn's own protective stance seemed to shrink, and her muzzle twisted into a worried frown.

"Oh...oh Vernon." She murmured. "I-I'm sorry. I am, really." The ewe took a careful step closer, all the while the wolf kept up his sorrowful act, waiting for the chance to strike.

"I love your flirting, r-really." She continued. "I mean I love when w-we flirt together. B-but you have to understand why that's n-not so easy to deal with today."

Of course Vernon knew better, he had some idea what the 'itch' was like. But the opportunity to tease was simply too good to pass up. If they had been back in Zootopia, the little problem with Dawn's pheromones would have been something they would have been able to deal with swiftly, several times in one evening. The wolf would have been eager to make sure his ewe spent the week walking funny rather then frustratingly stewing in her own wool. And, as much of a risk as it was just getting too strong a whiff of her scent, another part of Vernon was compelled to drink deeply of it. The intoxicating aroma of Dawn's natural scent was something the wolf had become addicted to, and he had never smelled it as strongly as it had been that morning. He knew it was wrong, that it would be torture for the both of them, but his need of that familiar flowery and fruity scent he had grown to love was getting the best of him.

The wolf gave a somber nod, keeping his attention mostly to the ground as the ewe took another cautious step toward him. Glancing up at the timid ewe, Vernon turned up the heat by adding a quivering pout to his deadly Puppy eyes. It was nearly time to strike, he just needed her to fully let her guard down.

"Oh Vernon, please." Dawn sighed, opening her arms wide as she gestured the wolf toward her. "I'm sorry."

The wolf dropped his false pout in favor of a devious smile as he sprung his trap. Lurching forward, the wolf snapped the ewe up into his arms and pulled her tightly against his chest. He had taken her by surprise so well she hadn't even fully registered what was going on until she was firmly pressed against his plaid shirt.

"V-Vernon! WHA-NO!" The ewe sputtered, squirming wildly as the wolf held her tightly. With his prey properly restrained, he was free to torture her just a little bit more, even though in a way it was torture for the both of them. Vernon placed his muzzle firmly against the poof of her wool, burying it all the way through to Dawn's scalp.

"Y'know that wool was surprisingly tasty. I may need a few more nips!" Vernon laughed.

"NOOoooOOO!" Dawn whined, still frantically wriggling as Vernon began to plant kisses all over the top of her head. With each quick, tiny peck the wolf could hear a giggle force it's way through Dawn's protests. Eventually the ewe gave up on fighting to get free, and Vernon could feel her hooves pushing against his neck as the wolf continued his assault. She was desperately trying to push him back, but she didn't stand a chance. The wolf had no plans of letting her go until he was good and ready. Another few playful kisses and the wolf got a slight whiff of what he was searching for, that familiar aroma just barely rising over the withering scent of his Mother's perfume. Vernon took a deep breath as he moved in for another kiss, closing his eyes as he relished in the smell for a moment.

However, his trajectory had been slightly off, and in the haze of the ewe's delicious odor, the wolf had sort of forgotten exactly what he was doing. It was only when his teeth found a soft, playful purchase on the rim of one of the ewe's ears did Dawn manage to drag him out of his growing cloudy, dream-like state.

"V-Vernon." The wolf felt one of Dawn's hooves paw at his chest feebly. Her voice had shifted from playfully irritance, to worrying, to an almost pleaful tone. And simultaneously, as her wilted plea reached the wolf's ears, he was hit was a powerful blast of pheromones. It was enough to make the wolf reel back slightly, shocked by just how potent he had managed to make it with such little effort. Either the perfume was rapidly losing strength, or he just hadn't managed to get her that riled up all morning.

Vernon quickly placed the ewe down, and Dawn quickly darted a few steps away from him. Dawn was blushing furiously, but Vernon knew he was looking just as bad.

The wolf scratched the back of his head, letting out an awkward cough as he tried to distract himself by staring at the nearest ride or stand he could find.

"S-sorry Darlin'." Vern muttered. "I-uh..."

He suddenly felt the ewe's hooves push at his waist, causing him to stumble back slightly. Dawn was glaring at him, cheeks flushed with red and puffed out in annoyance.

"I'm going to remember this!" She hissed. " I'm going to get you back later, I swear!" Dawn pouted. 

Vernon couldn't help but laugh, it was clear he had embarrassed her. But her stern scolding carried with it a hint of vague playfulness, as if whatever evil scheme she was cooking up she was anticipating with glee.

"D-don't worry about that too much Honey Lamb." Vernon sighed. "Trust me, that was more painful for me t-than I thought it would be." The wolf let out a weak, faltering chuckle.

Dawn stabbed finger into the wolf's chest poking him several times.

"Oh no, that's not enough!" She huffed. "We're in public!" The sheep said, glancing over her shoulders warily. Placing a paw to her muzzle, she lowered her tone to a whisper. "I don't need all the rams here knowing I'm in season!" Dawn whined quietly. "I-It's...personal."

Vernon nodded meekly.

"I-I'm real sorry Floofs." Vernon said, leaning down to Dawn's level. The wolf had to stop himself from placing his paws on her shoulders. The last thing he wanted to do was possibly make it worse.

"I-it's okay." Dawn mumbled, twisting a hoof awkwardly into the dirt. "I-I'm not mad, I'm just embarrassed."

The wolf nodded solemnly.

" I didn't really think about the other mammals pickin' up on that smell before. I promise I'll try to hold back on the flirting and the huggin' and stuff." Vernon said, offering a weak smile.

"W-well." Dawn twiddled her hooves nervously. "D-don't hold back too much okay?"

Vernon chuckled. "Alright Honey Lamb, you got it."

As the wolf rose to his feet, he felt the ewe give him another light shove.

"I'm still going to get you back though!" Dawn whined.

Vernon let out a loud barking laugh. "Alright, alright, you'll get your shot. I've still got a lot planned out today."

"On top of all this?" Dawn asked. "We've already covered half the fair!"

"And I intend to cover the other half." Vernon replied, flashing Dawn a wide grin. "I'm going to make sure we at least get around to the tunnel of love today."

"ARE YOU CRAZY!?" Dawn yelped before clasping a hoof over her muzzle in surprise of herself. "T-there's no way I can do that right now. I'm feeling so-"

Vernon placed his paws out protectively. "Easy, easy there Floofs. Not right now of course." The wolf chuckled. " Gotta let ya cool down a bit first."

"But Vernon, are you sure it's really a good id-?"

"Dawn we ain't bunnies." Vernon replied. "We ain't gonna come out of that tunnel with twenty kids. The perfume is working well enough, and I'd like to think you feel I got some sense of self control."

The ewe gave a slow, wary nod. 

"O-okay..." Dawn relented. "B-but way later. Like at the end of the day."

"You got it." Vernon affirmed.

As the wolf started to make his way back into the crowd, he felt Dawn's hoof find his paw again.

"S-so is that everything?" Dawn asked.

"Heck no." Vernon said, his voice practically singing with excitement. "When were finished at the fair, you and me are gonna have a nice, quiet picnic in the fields back home. Just the two of us."

"R-really? You planned that too?" Dawn pressed.

"Yeah, I already set aside a little care package of pies and other stuff at the house. I bet you were wondering why we hadn't had any of Ma's free food yet?" Vernon grinned down at the ewe.

"Actually I did find it odd you insisted we split cotton candy and funnel cakes for lunch. I mean that's barely food." Dawn tutted.

"Yep, all part of my master plan." Vernon beamed. "I'll make the hot corn right out there, and we'll have pie and all sorts of other goodies. Then we can watch the stars come out, just like I used to when I was a Pup."

"Oh Vernon." Dawn cooed. "T-that sounds wonderful. You planned all this out ahead of time?"

Vernon's grin just grew wider. "About a week before we had the trip pinned down Floofs. I'm going to make this the best weekend of our lives, family or not."

The wolf's eyelids drooped slightly as a mischievous smile returned to his muzzle.

"And you can get me back all you want when we're out there." The wolf cooed. "And if you get a little frisky, well we can take care of that too my little Honey Lamb."

"VEEERNOOON!" Dawn whined, the blush returning to her muzzle as she playfully slapped at him. Vernon couldn't help but chuckle to himself, it was far to easy to fluster the lamb. And it was something he was sure he'd never get tired of.

"Wait Vernon!?" A voice rang out, a familiar voice that reflexively caused Vernon's ears to sag and his muzzle to twist into a sharp grimace. 

"Vernon Hunter!? OH EM GOODNESS! I can't BELIEVE THIS!" No, it couldn't be. She couldn't be here. Vernon felt a hard lump form in his throat.

'She moved away.' Vernon thought to himself. 'Zach told me she moved far away!' The wolf was frozen stock still, his body fighting to turn in the direction the call had come from, but his mind too fearful to confirm his suspicions.

"Yoo-hoo? You go deaf Scrappy?" There it was, the last painful bit of confirmation the wolf needed to know exactly who was calling out to him. That nickname had been exclusively used by only one wolf in his entire life, tied up neatly with a chunk of his past that the wolf had tried so desperately to forget. Vernon cursed silently to himself as he turned to face the music.

The wolf kept his gaze low, first eyeing the now very confused looking ewe by his side. But as he dragged his sight-line up he eventually met the gaze of the one other wolf aside from Yuri he could have happily gone the rest of his life without ever seeing again. His ex-mate from High School, Anabelle Windpaw.

It was almost surprising how little the red wolf had changed since he had seen her last. While the couple had long since broken up by the end of high school, she continued to make herself a presence in Vernon's life right up until graduation. Each tedious and irritating encounter went more or less the same. The she-wolf would 'randomly' run into Vernon when she happened to be with her newest boy toy. She would flaunt his prowess and superiority while simultaneously belittling Vernon's weakness and overall failure to keep her. At least that how she liked to tell it, whether you wanted to hear it or not. 

Despite getting slightly taller, the fiery red and creamy tan fur was still just as he remembered it. The same went for the several garish 'traditional' Canidean feather earrings the she-wolf had strewn about her ears. She even still wore the same faded red vinyl jacket, with the same patches and runes related to 'native wolf' culture that Vernon was certain she didn't know the actual meaning of. Of course her outfit wasn't complete without her professionally 'worn' clothing. Her faded blue jeans with precision tears made by mechanized hands, and a tee-shirt that simply said 'wolf pack' made to look as though it had been through several hundred washes, although the wolfess had probably bought it yesterday. She had always called the style 'distressed', which to Vernon translated to 'clothing that looks like it would be in a thrift shop, but sold for three times the price.'

But the thing that really made the wolf feel as though he was staring directly into his own past, that made his stomach lurch, was that same smug and self-righteous grin she always wore. Her green eyes gleaming with mischief despite conveying a half lidded disinterest. In that moment, Vernon felt like he was in High School all over again.

"Ana." Vernon grumbled through clenched teeth.

The she-wolf let out a laugh.

"What are the odds I'd run into you of all mammals out here!" She grinned. "Last I heard you ran off to Zootopia with your tail between your legs because you couldn't cut it as a cop."

The second sentence out of her mouth, that had to be a new record for the she-wolf. Usually she at least tried to keep up the pretense of a casual conversation for a few minutes before starting to tear into him. It was clear she had been honing her skills with time. Vernon let out a harsh sigh before turning on the sarcastic pleasantries.

"Ana, and here I thought you had become a professional drifter, moving from town to town to find the biggest, toughest wolf you could to suck dry before dumping him for the next hapless sap." The wolf retorted, flashing a fake smile.

Ana simply chuckled in response.

"Those of us who are proud of our heritage call that being nomadic. It's in a wolf's blood. Not that I'd expect you to know anything about that." The she-wolf returned the false smile in kind. "Of course there's always something that draws us back home I suppose."

Before Vernon could fire off another biting comment, Ana cut him off.

"Oh, oh! I have to introduce you to my mate!" Ana said, turning to the crowd behind her.

"Ken, Ken Darling, come here! There is someone you have to meet!" She cooed.

There were roughly three or four wolves in the crowd behind her, but naturally the largest wolf was the one who stepped forward. His fur was pitch black, obscuring most of the features of his form while causing his green eyes and gleaming white fangs to stand out like stars against the night sky. Unlike Ana, this wolf was dressed to the nines, wearing a sleek grey suit and deep green tie. It appeared immaculately maintained and tailor fit, so much so that even Xavier's classiest attire would make him look like a pauper by comparison. 

As the wolf casually approached the group, it became apparent that the wolf was even slightly taller than him, perhaps by one or two inches, and his shoulders just as wide as Vernon's. Everything about Ken's appearance made it perfectly clear why Ana chose him. He was an 'Alpha', and the aura around him practically screamed it from the heavens themselves.

"Vernon, this is Kendrick Loupon." Ana beamed, patting the wolf's broad chest gently as she leaned against it. "He's the Assistant Representative of the entirety of the Meadowlands. He works directly under Representative Damon Ruddy!" Looking up at the dark black wolf, Ana's smile was practically childlike. "He's a big mammal in the Meadowlands Community. Probably bigger than your old 'Mam."

Vernon sneered. The wolf had always been fine with Ana's usual superiority shtick, but when she brought his folks into the conversation it always got his hackles up.

Ana turned her attention back to Vernon, her smile twisting into a more venomous sneer.

"And Ken Darling, this is Vernon Hunter. It's probably quite hard to believe, but he was my mate back in High School. You know, before I discovered what true 'Alpha' wolves were like." Ana tutted. "He was lucky to have me for as long as he did."

"Ha, ha, ha." Vernon stated sarcastically. "Lucky is one interpretation, but I personally think 'cursed' is more appropriate wouldn't you say?"

Ken let out a deep throaty chuckle, extending a paw out to Vernon, but Ana caught his arm mid-way, pulling it back toward him.

"Oh Ken don't!" Ana laughed. " I'm pretty sure failure is contagious Darling. We don't need Vernon's weakness tainting someone of your stature."

Vernon let out a quiet growl as the large wolf eyed his mouthy mate with slight confusion.

"S-She's the ex you were talking about on the train?" Vernon heard Dawn whisper as she tugged at his paw.

"Unfortunately." Vernon muttered, briefly frowning down at the ewe.

"O-oh Mutton chops." Came her nearly inaudible reply.

Ana seemingly hadn't noticed their little exchanged, she was too focused on the story she was preparing to tell. Vernon had of course heard it all before, he imagined that the wolfess had it boiled down to bullet points by now, ready to prattle it off to her newest mate as her cautionary tale of choice.

"Oh wow, it's all coming right back." Ana cooed. " I can't tell you how many times old Scrappy over there failed to stick up for his mate and be a proper wolf."

"Scrappy?" Ken asked.

"That's was one of the nicknames I gave him." Ana flashed a smug grin Vernon's way. "Well, that's the most polite one anyway." 

Vernon balled his free fist tightly as Ana let out another laugh.

"But I called him Scrappy because he lost most of the fights he got into. I swear, he was absolutely terrible in a brawl." Ana mused.

"That's because you got me into those fights." Vernon grumbled. "Very unnecessary fights. With mammals way larger than I was."

Ana dismissed his objections with a wave of her paw. "Oh please Vernon, it's not my fault you were such a coward you didn't want to stand up for me when other mammals had wronged me."

"Yeah, let's share some examples shall we?" Vernon growled. "How many times did you insult someone because they 'looked at you wrong', or how you 'heard they might of said something about you' when they never even met you." The wolf shook his head. "You never let anything go, and would goad mammals into a frenzy just to sic me on them. Yeah, but they wronged you."

"AHH!" Ana squealed with delight. "I just remembered that time with that brown bear. The look on your face when he had his jaw wrapped around you neck was absolutely priceless!"

Vernon uneasily groped at his throat as the memory came back to him. The wolf had never forgotten the feel of the angry bears incisors on his throat, the pressure of the teeth against his jugular.

"And surprise, surprise, you lost that one too." Ana teased.

"I also cut a scar across the poor fella's eye." Vernon grimaced. "He's still got that because of me, and I hate myself for it."

"Pft...so you gave him a scar. Big deal." Ana mocked.

"Nah, 'course it's no big deal." Vernon grumbled. " Would have been better if I killed him right? More 'Alpha'? More like a real wolf would have done?"

"Well, nothing says Alpha quite like a wolf whose spent some time in prison." Ana let out another long laugh before trailing of into a contented sigh.   
"Just seeing you reminds me of how foolish I was when I was younger." Ana shook her head dismissively. " I was so naive when it came to picking wolves that were 'pack leader' material. So many disappointments, so many failures." The she-wolf glared at Vernon briefly before turning her attention back to Ken. "It took a wolf like Ken to show me what it means to be a true 'Alpha'." Ana cooed, gently pawing at Ken's chest appreciatively. The large wolf squirmed slightly, seemingly uncomfortable with the attention. Perhaps it came off a little too lurid for a public display.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Vernon spat, eager to push the conversation by as fast as possible. 

Ana scoffed, rolling her eyes as she clutched back up against the towering wolf next to her.

"Oh, well if you must know. Ken has to be here because of his position in the community. He and Damon are going to be presiding over several very important Harvest Festival ceremonies and so he decided to take me along and turn it into a little date!" Ana cooed, patting Ken's chest gently.

"Yeah, I'd love to be wearing casuals right now." Ken said, scratching the back of his neck. "But technically I'm on official government business, at least part time, so I need to look the part." The wolf gently tugged at the collar of his suit. "To be honest it's a little stif-"

"He's also going to be presiding over several traditional Canidean wolf pack rites for the local native community." Ana cut the large wolf off, continuing her pitch.

"Did you know Ken is half native grey wolf? It's true, his Mother was part of a tribe on the West Coast before she moved to Zootopia." She smiled broadly. "He is very in touch with his cultural roots, and Ms. Loupon instilled a deep respect in him for our ancestors cultural practices."

"W-well I mean not all of them ar-"

"Yes, my mate truly is a perfect balance of a modern wolf, and a proud native warrior. A real Alpha male. A true Canidean wolf." Ana sighed dreamily before turning her attention back to Vernon. Her eyelids drooped as the smug grin returned to her muzzle. "Which is more than I could say for some of us here."

Vernon chuckled, surprised at just how thick the she-wolf was laying out her endless praises of the large, dark wolf. The wolf imagined it had been a long time since she had a good outlet to dump her insecurities on, and his presence gave her the perfect opportunity.

"Oh yeah." The wolf shook his head. "That's right, if I remember correctly the last native wolf in your family line was your great-great grandmother. So that would make you the least native mammal here by default."

That was the first time Vernon saw Ana's smug facade drop slightly. The wolfess grimaced briefly before turning her nose up at the wolf.

Satisfied he had hit his mark, Vernon continued. "Even so, not like that kind of thing was ever a big deal to me. Native, non-native, we're all wolves." It was an olive branch, one Vernon was sure that would ultimately be wasted. But at least he was attempting to turn the tone of the conversation to something less bitter and spiteful.

"Spoken like a true omega wolf." As expected, Ana was quick to toss that branch aside. "I swear if your family respected anything about their roots you would have been kicked out of your pack a long time ago." 

Ana's eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. "Oh, is that why you're here? To plead with your Father to let you back into the family? To give you your name back? Are you just Vernon 'No last name given' now? Oh that wou-"

"W-what is your problem!?"

The sudden statement startled the wolf, but not because what was said, but rather who had said it. Looking down, the wolf found that Dawn had stepped forward slightly while still clasping his paw. Her other hoof was balled into a tight fist that matched his own. Ana seemed confused before discovering the voice had come from below her line of sight.

"E-excuse me?" Ana sputtered.

"Y-you heard me!" Dawn's voice waivered slightly, but ultimately remained stern.

"Why did you even bother us? It's clear you don't like Vernon so what was the point?" Dawn released her grip on Vernon's paw, taking another step toward the she-wolf. The ewe stood firm, her fists clenched as Vernon watched.

"Do you honestly have nothing better to do?" Dawn continued, her voice rising slightly. "Are y-you so childish that you need to validate yourself by seeking out a mammal you dated in High School just to put him down?" 

The ewe pointed a finger at the bewildered she-wolf. "What was that, more than ten years ago? And your dwelling on it like it was yesterday? Is there nothing more going on in your life?"

The she-wolf was silent, merely blinking at the ewe in shock. It was clear Dawn had caught her off guard. But the lamb also managed to catch Vernon off guard as well. Dawn had made great strides in finding her own voice since the 'Zootopia's Last Night' affair. It was a change the wolf could see growing in her with each passing day. The way she carried herself, holding her head a bit higher than she used to. Standing up for herself more often. Vernon assumed that the close call she had suffered that week in the hospital had fundamentally changed her, like many others who have had close brushes with death. 

However it was still surprising to the wolf to see the timid little ewe so boldly stand up to Ana, and it caused Vernon's heart to swell with pride and love. The wolf soon found himself returning the smug smile the same she-wolf had been previously wearing.

Ana tried to laugh, but a few coughs choked through it. It was clear the wolfess had lost some of her stride with Dawn's unexpected interjection.

"A-and what's this supposed to be?" Ana stuttered slightly as she gestured to the petite ewe. " Did I judge you too soon Scrappy? Is that a snack for later?"

Vernon crossed his arms, letting off a derisive huff.

"Heck no, that's vile." Vernon sneered.

Vernon watched as the she-wolf crouched down to Dawn's level, leaning close to the little sheep.

"You know another great thing Canidean wolves had right you little grazer?" Ana sneered, her eyes flicking between Dawn and Vernon as she spoke. " That the only use for a sheep was for clothing and food."

"Hey now-" Ken tried to interject, but Ana was on a roll.

"You know, I've been all over North Mammalia, and met all sorts of REAL native wolves." Ana hissed at Dawn. " I've even been to a few communes, waaaAAAaaay up north where they still see sheep as a hearty meal." Ana grinned broadly, leaning practically muzzle to muzzle with Dawn. Vernon couldn't see Dawn's reaction, but her legs were beginning to tremble. Whatever resolve the ewe had was being pushed to it's limit. "Once or twice, I've even had the pleasure of partaking in one of their traditional hunts, and the thrill of biting into a real rack of MUTTON!" 

As she spat out the word mutton, she lunged forward causing Dawn to stagger backward slightly. Dawn looked back at Vernon fearfully for a moment, but rather than run back to his side she returned to her defiant stance.

"Ana please!" Ken raised his voice slightly, his eyes shifting across the various fair-goers. Vernon had nearly forgot about them in the heat of rising altercation, but it seemed they had yet to draw any attention from the passers by. "This is the Meadowlands Darling, please don't uses words like that around my constituants."

Ana let out a derisive snort as she eyed Ken briefly. Still Ana seemed pleased enough with the reaction she drew out of the sheep, the smug grin returning to her face. The she-wolf returned to her feet, taking her place back at Ken's side.

"Honestly it was a beautiful ritual, it's a shame more wolves don't honor their roots like that. Such a proud and visceral tradition ." Ana chuckled. 

"Well native wolves had a lot of stupid traditions." Vernon chuckled. "That's why all those tribes have practically died out. In another fifty years or so those die hard packs will be nothing more then a black mark in the history books."

"Not with wolves like me keeping the culture alive." Ana sneered. "I'll make sure it lives on in my pups."

Vernon scoffed, shaking his head in dismissal.

"So I take it he's your body guard then?" Ana ignored him, turning her attention back to Dawn. "Otherwise I can't imagine you'd have the gall to talk to me like-"

"She's my mate." Vernon said firmly, stepping to the ewe's side and grasping her hoof again. The wolf squeezed it tightly, flashing Dawn a soft smile. Dawn had done enough fighting on her own for his sake. The wolf felt it was time to step up. 

The ewe looked back at him in shock, at least at first. It only took seconds for tears to start flowing from the corners of her eyes.

"V-vernon." She murmured.

"W-wh-what?" Ana's eyes flew open, blinking rapidly. "I-I'm sorry, w-what was that?" The she-wolf stumbled over her words.

Vernon took a deep breath, puffing his chest out proudly. Dawn was his, and he wasn't ashamed to make it clear.

"This is Dawn Bellwether, and she's my mate." The wolf stated confidently.

Ana simply seemed to freeze, eyes wide in disbelief as to what she had heard. But behind her eyes Vernon could see a hint of glee. A shine like the one a pup gets on the early Yule morning, looking over the mound of presents that had been left the night before. It was as if the information had simply over stimulated her, shut down her ability to process it, and the reaction was waiting for her to come back online. 

Suddenly the she-wolf reeled back, letting out the most uproarious and boisterous laugh Vernon had ever heard from her. She placed a paw over her eyes as she continued to laugh like maniac, reeling back and forth as she continued to cackle. As her laugh grew louder and louder, Vernon could see a crowd beginning to draw around them The fairgoers had all stopped dead in their tracks, now looking intently at the scene before them.

With another hard reel back, Ana's laugh turned into a howl. And it didn't take long for some of the other wolves in the fair to join in. Vernon could hear them piping up from all over the carnival. Surprisingly, Kendrick kept silent. It was clear that like Vernon, the wolf had trained himself to suppress the urge to howl. Instead he seemed to become increasingly flustered.

With that last howl, the she-wolf fell into a crouch, clawing desperately at her chest as tried to catch her breath.

"Wait, Dawn Bellwether?" Kendrick asked. Seemingly trying to change the subject away from the scene Ana was trying to create.

"Y-yes?" Dawn muttered weakly.

"Ah, I was a big fan of your political career!" Ken said, clapping his paws together. "I followed it really closely up until...um...well you know."

"O-oh..." Dawn murmured, twisting a hoof awkwardly into the dirt.

"But I have to say, the laws you helped get passed for the city wer-"

The wolf was unable to finish his sentence before Ana slammed into his side, a laugh escaping through her labored breath as she struggled to keep from collapsing.

"OH THIS IS TOO PERFECT!" Ana practically sang. "VERNON HUNTER! THE WEAK OMEGA WHO COULD'T KEEP A REAL SHE-WOLF SATISFIED IS A DIRTY PREY CHASER!" Ana let out another howl of laughter. "AND NOT JUST ANY PREY, BUT A SHEEP!"

"Ana, calm down, you're stirring up the other wo-"

The wolfess gave her mate a playful elbow to the rib.

"AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, SHE'S AN EX-CON!" Ana wheezed. "SHE WAS GOING TO WIPE OUT ALL THE PREDATORS IN THE CITY REMEMBER!? WHAT, DID YOU FORGET THAT SCRAPPY!?" The wolfess pawed at her increasingly uncomfortable looking mate.

The she wolf began to wipe tears from her eyes as she continued to choke out laughter. "OR DO YOU LIKE THAT? BEING SUBORDINATE TO SOME GRAZER WHO LOOKS AT YOU LIKE YOU'RE THE LESSER MAMMAL?"

"ANA! These are my constit-" Ken reached out a paw, but the she-wolf pushed him away. Ana strolled up to Vernon, putting her face right up to his as she tried to suppress her laughing fit.

"Does she hit you? Huh?" She continued. "Do you tell your co-workers you got a black eye from 'falling down the stairs'?" Ana grinned evilly. "Or do you like letting her own you because you're so weak? So lowly? Such an omega that not even a female of your own species would put up with you?"

The she-wolf turned to the crowd, holding her paws out as if beckoning them to join in her spectacle.

"WHAT A FREAKSHOW! A SHEEP AND A WOLF!" Ana let out another howling laugh. "HOW DISGUSTING! HOW UNNATURAL!" Ana shot a glare at the couple. "It's just plain wrong."

With that Ana turned back to Ken, proudly strolling back toward the now flustered looking black wolf. However, stopped mid-way, turning her head back to glance at the pair.

"But I suppose it makes sense." Ana chuckled darkly. "Two broken, twisted, sick freaks with no one else to turn to. A weak willed, soft, miserable excuse for a wolf. An omega in every sense of the word. And a fragile, tiny little sheep who spent her life playing second fiddle to everyone and couldn't even get her petty little revenge plan right. Who's praying that everyone will forget what she did the first time around because of what she did a few months ago." Ana scoffed. "And they won't, by the way."

"You know what you problem is Ana?" Vernon said coolly. The wolf gingerly released Dawn's hoof from his grip, marching back toward the now smugly smiling she wolf. Vernon had enough. In the past he had been more than willing to simply let Ana tire herself. To continue to lob insults until she grew bored and left. It was pointless to stoop to her level. But with all those times Vernon had been alone, and wasn't compelled to argue pointlessly with the nasty she-wolf. He knew she was wrong, and nothing he could say was going to change that, so it had never been worth his time to protest. Seeing her again after all this time had thrown him right back into his High School mindset, and he had been ready to let it play out the same way.

But then Dawn spoke up, stood up for him in the face of Ana's insults and put-downs. Dawn reminded him that he wasn't in high school anymore, that things were no longer the same, and that someone was looking out for him. And it was his time to defend his mate just as she had for him, to say all the things he had always wanted to tell the nasty she-wolf that he never thought he'd get the chance to say. That was, until now.

"You're scared of anyone knowing who you really are." Vernon spat.

Ana raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Pft...what?"

"Look at you." Vernon continued. " All this native wolf pride bullcrap. The last name 'Windpaw'?" Vernon scoffed. "Any mammal with a lick of knowledge about native wolves knows that no actual tribe would recognize you, right? Because wolves that get kicked out, or choose to leave their packs don't get to keep their pack name."

Ana's grin faltered slightly, eyes widening in shock.

"W-what?"

"We both know the only reason yer great-great-grandma came to Zootopia was because she was an omega, just like my great-great-grandma." Vernon spat. " They left because they hated native wolf tradition, they hated what it represented. Just like every other native wolf that moved out here. They were happy to take their husbands name because they didn't want anything to do with where they came from, but they also had no last names to replace!" Vernon sneered.

"You may have found out what your great-great-grandma's old pack name was, but to any actual native wolf tribe, they'd never accept you, especially the actual Windpaws if they are still even around. As soon as anyone found out you were from Zootopia, they'd know why." Vernon gestured to the she wolf.

Ana was frowning now, her ears completely flattened against her head.

"Hell, you don't even know any actual native wolf howl-speak do you? Aside from the curse words." Vernon spat. "Or has that changed since I saw you last? The gods know you weren't a big reader."

"I-I-I-" Ana stammered, clearly unable to think of a good snide reply. Rather than give her the opening, Vernon pressed on.

"But you needed to be unique, to have an edge right?" Vernon turned his back the the she-wolf as he started pacing. "Otherwise you had nothing else that made you different from the other wolfess' in our school. " Vernon pinched the bridge of his muzzle. "So you embraced the Native Wolf in your blood line for better or for worse. It was something, anything you could grasp at to help you stand out."

By now Ana appeared to be shrinking slightly, slinking deeper into her boyfriends side.

"So you gleaned all the most basic knowledge about Native Wolf cultural and crafted this tough, wild persona around that tiny element in your families history, because you had absolutely nothing else to offer anyone." Vernon stomped back towards Ana, stabbing a finger at her. The she wolf recoiled slightly, as if she had expected Vernon swing at her.

"And it made you insecure. So desperate to be liked and validated that you put down everyone around you to build yourself up, to stroke you ego. And when you had a mate, you constantly put them to the test to prove they cared about you. Because you needed to be sure, you needed constant reinforcement that you were loved. And it was never enough." Vernon was beginning to smile as he watched Ana cowering. The weight of the days earlier pressures were suddenly all rising to the surface. Flowing out of him like a waterfall as he unloaded the days baggage in one rant focused at the cruel red wolf.

"And that's why your back right? Why you came back to Zootopia?" Vernon mused, scratching his chin. "You never went to any communes, or at least you were never allowed to stay at them. Because of who you really were."

"Th-that's not true!" Ana hissed. Her voice waivered, the wolf's words were obviously hitting her sore spot.

"So YOU came back to Zootopia with YOUR tail between your legs. And kept up your old persona because at this point it was really all you had. Because you are empty." Vernon spat. "You are an empty, hollow shell of a wolfess who clings to the faded image of old wolf traditions because without them you have nothing else." 

Vernon turned to engage the crowd, spreading his arms out in a similar fashion that Ana had before.

"And me? Well I get the heat because I'm the first one. The one you were the most open with. The one who knows all of your secrets. The ones you hoped I'd never repeat if you kept putting me down. If you brow beat me into shamed silence."

With that Vernon strolled over to Dawn. Taking hold of her hoof with a firm grasp the wolf pulled her forward slightly. With a nod, Dawn and Vernon stood their ground at each other's side. Her touch emboldening Vernon's resolve, the look of determination in her eyes pressing the wolf onward.

"Look at us Ana!" Vernon snarled, gesturing at himself and the ewe.

"Think whatever you want, but she's my soul mate!" Vernon barked.

"And he's mine!" Dawn added, seemingly trying to be as loud as she could.

"We have each other." Vernon smiled. "And one day your going to run out of mates to use up and find yourself all alone. An embittered old she-wolf without a family or friends, without pups of her own, because you drove them all away."

Vernon let out a hard sigh as the scene fell silent. Ana looked like she was nearly going to faint, but Vernon still had one last thing to say. The grin on his muzzle widened as he prepared his final statement, knowing it would leave the she-wolf devastated.

"Because you're an Omega on the inside Ana Millfang." Vernon said coldly. "And you always have been."

Ana's eyes went wide in what Vernon could only describe as sheer terror.

"Y-you-You." Ana choked. "R-remembered my-"

"Your real last name." Vernon said, a smug grin creeping across his face.

At that moment Ana began to shudder, and Vernon watched as the flesh beneath her fur went through several shades of red as the shock turned to pure rage. She hadn't seen that coming, she had never expected the wolf to stand against her, much less actually tell the truth about her. The bits he had learned before she had made her full transformation into the self described alpha female she now was. Her cheeks swelled as she began to sputter a rebuttal.

"WHY Y-Y-I, I-" She snarled, glaring daggers at the couple. "I'M GO-"

Ana shook her head briskly before switching her stare to the towering wolf next to her. Her eyes were so focused on Ken it looked as though her vision alone could cut through the wolf's flesh.

"WELL!" Ana hissed.

"W-well what?" Ken stuttered.

Ana slapped a paw hard enough against his chest for the whole crowd to hear. It echoed over the silent fairground as Ken winced.

"STAND UP FOR YOUR MATE! BURY HIM!" Ana frantically gestured toward Vernon.

Ken pulled at his collar.

"Ana, I'm a politician.' the wolf coughed, adjusting his tie as he seemed to compose himself. "I'm not the type of mammal who gets into fist fights. It's bad for my public image."

Ana gave the wolf another hard slap, causing him to wince.

"THEN WHY AM I EVEN WITH YOU!?" The she wolf hissed.

Ken looked down at the wolfess in annoyance. It was slight, but Vernon could see it in his eyes. The large wolf let out a sigh.

Ken pulled away from the she-wolf and walked toward the couple. As he approached he seemed to swell his chest, an obvious attempt at intimidation. Ken loomed over them, an imposing aura flowing off him despite keeping a calm and pleasant look to his face.

"Vernon Hunter, right?" Ken spoke quietly.

"Yes." Vernon said with a growl.

"Good, good." Ken muttered. "I'm sorry to say this isn't the end of this my friend."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The wolf hissed.

Ken looked over his shoulder briefly, letting out another sigh before turning back to the couple. "You'll see soon enough Mr. Hunter. You'll see." 

With that, Ken turned to the crowd of fair goers, raising and lowering his arms as if signaling the crowd to simmer down.

"I'm sorry for that little ahem...." The large wolf glanced over at his mate, who simply turned her head away from him, letting out an annoyed huff. "Disruption. But please, go back to enjoying the fair. I apologize if my mate said anything out of turn, it's been a stressful day for the two of us."

With that, Ken glanced back at Vernon. For a brief moment the wolf felt another lump form in his throat, the sudden fear of Ken trying to sic the crowd on the two of them rising in his mind. But instead the official turned back to the crowd and calmly continued.

"Her remarks toward sheep folk were completely off base, and I do not support them. And I assure you we will be discussing this later." Ken glared at his mate, earning yet another huff.

"Anyway, please enjoy the fair." Ken concluded, before making his way back toward Ana, extending an arm to her as he passed. Ana however, pushed it away, keeping a few feet from the wolf official. Clearly his little public apology had pleased everyone but her. Letting out a sigh of defeat, the wolf strode forward. Ana gave on last glare back at Dawn and Vernon, turning her nose up before following behind Ken as the pair walked into the crowd and disappeared. 

Vernon stood tall, still clutching Dawn's hoof tightly in his paw as he let out a relieved sigh. He had done it, he had finally told Ana off and mam' had it felt good. It certainly had taken the edge off the anxiety and misery that Vernon had built up from earlier in the day. But his brief elation was short lived as he looked down at the worried looking ewe next to him. She seemed to quiver as she latched on to Vernon's arm completely, looking up at him with tear filled eyes.

"O-Oh Vernon." Dawn sobbed. "W-what are we going to do now?"

"W-what? What's wrong Honey Lamb? We told her off. We-"

Dawn shook her head briskly, wiping her eyes against his arm.

"D-Didn't you hear what Loupon said?" Dawn stammered.

"Oh that?" Vernon chuckled. "It's fine Darling. He's got nothing."

"B-but Vernon!" Dawn pleaded. "He's a politician! I k-know politicians! H-he might have connections Vernon!" The ewe wept.

"Aw please." Vernon smirked. "What's the worst he could do to us?"


	19. Watchful Eyes

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Nineteen: Watchful Eyes

Dawn wasn't sure exactly how much time had gone by since the horrible scene Vernon's ex-mate had pulled the pair into. It could have been an hour, maybe and hour and a half or even longer judging by the way the sun was now settled in the sky. But to Dawn it had felt considerably longer. The whole affair had left the ewe twisted up inside, souring her stomach and sending her mind into overdrive with all sorts of terrible thoughts. Despite Vernon's assurance to the contrary, Dawn knew better when it came to politicians and what they were capable of. She had been inside the political scene long enough to see the way 'distinguished' mammals exerted power over the small. Hell she had experienced it first hoof, although she hadn't realized at the time that it had nothing to do with size or species, merely the nature of power itself. With the right 'say-so' to the proper connection, a mammal could find his or herself without a job, homeless or worse depending on just how petty and corrupt a politician was. She knew it because she had been in the same position, and she had nearly lost herself over nothing more than petty, misguided revenge.

But Vernon seemed to believe that they were more than safe. After all what could Kendrick really do? They knew the Mayor of Zootopia, and he was nothing more than a glorified secretary to the Meadowlands representative. By virtue of hierarchy, anything the wolf could try to do could see him and Damon Ruddy absolutely destroyed by Mayor Snow. Still, the last thing Dawn wanted was to have to call in a favor, to have anything to do with political affairs ever again if she could help it. But, despite Vernon's every attempt to ease her fears, she couldn't get the knots out of her stomachs. 

Dawn had remained largely quiet since the terrible scene the she-wolf had caused, her responses minimal and brief. The ewe had tried to press on like nothing had happened, but the mood had ultimately soured. On top of worrying about Loupon's connections, the fight and subsequent silence had caused the ewe to become hyper aware of her surroundings. Suddenly she seemed to notice a great number of mammals staring at the pair as they walked about the fair, boarded various rides and attempted to pick up where they left off on their romantic day out.

Glowering disapproving faces, disgusted sneers, Mother's with children giving the two a suspiciously wide berth as they passed. Dawn wasn't sure if she had been oblivious to it before the fight because of the fun the couple had been having, or if it had only started to pick up after the debacle that was confronting Windpaw. A part of Dawn felt that the number of judgmental stares was on the rise, but she couldn't be sure if it was just paranoia or fact. In the state she was in every face was starting to seem cruel to the timid ewe.

"Alright, I've had enough of this." Vernon suddenly interrupted, pulling Dawn away from thoughts as he stopped the couple in their tracks.

"W-what?" Dawn asked.

Vernon let out a tired sigh, wiping a paw over his eyes.

"Dawn, I can tell that Loupon fella is still buggin' you." Vernon said. "It's been two hours and we've barely been talking."

"O-oh no Vernon, I-"

"Dawn." Vernon shook his head. "C'mon, between the two of us we're constantly talking. You can't tell me you ain't had anything on yer mind for two hours other than which rides to go on, and games to play."

"You didn't say anything either." Dawn muttered, looking down at the ground. The ewe lamely kicked away a small rock.

"That's because I was giving you time." Vernon replied. "I wanted you to talk about it when you were ready. But I think two hours is a bit much Darlin'."

Dawn let out a sigh, adjusting her glasses before looking back up at the wolf. Vernon's ears were sagging as he eyed her in concern.

"T-there's no point." Dawn said. " I mean, it's just the same thing as before, and I already know what you are going to say about Loupon's threat."

"Alright, if that's the case then think of something else to talk about." Vernon rubbed his temple. "I mean, you ain't going to get it out of your head if you don't change the subject Honey Lamb."

Vernon was right, with nothing else to think about the ewe had little to distract her from what Loupon had said, and the implications it could carry for them. At the rate she had been going she was set to sulk the rest of the day for something that probably wouldn't even come right away, or possibly had simply been bluster. It was another two days before they'd be back in Zootopia, and any problems at that point would be far out of reach of the Meadowlands seat of power. If she didn't try to at least push it out of her mind for a little while, it was set to spoil the rest of their date. But Dawn could barely think of much else to talk about.

"W-well what should I talk about?" Dawn asked timidly.

"Whatever ya want Darlin'." Vernon replied. "Just talk to me." The wolf offered a meek smile, and despite Dawn's mood, she couldn't help but feel a smile creeping up on her own muzzle.

"O-okay, okay." Dawn replied. "But can we get back to walking? I think it will help get my mind working again."

"Just as long as it ain't about Loupon, sure." Vernon chuckled. 

In truth the reason Dawn wanted to get moving again had nothing to do with jogging her mind. It was a response to the creeping paranoia, the feeling of being stared at and watched. The longer they stood still, the more eyes would certainly be fixed on them, and it was a feeling the ewe was eager to push away. But as they made their way back into the crowds, something did come back to Dawn. It was something Vernon had said to Ana that struck her as odd, something she wasn't sure she had heard correctly.

"Vernon?" Dawn asked.

"Mhh?" The wolf replied.

"When you and Ana were fighti-" 

"Oh Dawn, come on, I just want to forg-"

"No-no!" Dawn released her grip on Vernon's paw, placing her hooves up defensively. "It's not about the fight itself. I was just curious about something the both of you said."

"Ugh..." The wolf grumbled, running a paw through the tuft of hair on his head. "Alright shoot."

"W-well." Dawn awkwardly twisted a hoof in the dirt. "You and Ana both said something about omega wolves not having last names?"

"Oh." Vernon seemed somewhat relieved, his brow un-furrowing in response to her question. "That."

"Y-yes." Dawn replied. "I don't remember us covering that in the notes, and it seems rather important."

Vernon let out a long sigh, scratching the back of his neck as he seemingly worked out his reply in his head.

"Welp...it's pretty simple I guess." Vernon shrugged. "Omega wolves weren't considered part of the pack anymore, and since a last name in native circles refers to what pack you are in, it's essentially revoked when they kick you out."

Dawn scratched her chin as she considered what Vernon said.

"Ah, so when Ana called you 'Vernon no last name given?'"

"She was hoping my family disowned me. Even though we don't practice most native wolf things." Vernon grumbled.

"But how did you know Ana's real name then?" Dawn asked. "I mean the non-native one."

Vernon scratched the back of his head awkwardly, his muzzle lips curling around his teeth slightly.

"W-well I was her first real 'mate'." Vernon rolled his eyes, seemingly searching through his memories. " And at the start of our relationship she was still figuring out exactly who she wanted to be. So I ended up learning a lot about her 'actual' family that way." 

"I guess that's why she's always made it a point of putting me down whenever she saw me. Trying to pressure me into keeping my muzzle shut about her past, since I was one of the few who knew." Vernon shrugged.

"Not the best way to force someone to keep a secret I should think." Dawn replied.

"Well it's not like it did much persuading." Vernon chuckled. "I usually just kept my trap shut because I didn't want to stoop to her level. It's not like I hadn't heard it all already, it was just quicker to let her tire herself out and move on." The wolf sighed.

"So you never brought it up before?" Dawn asked. "Then why now?"

Vernon glanced back at the ewe, flashing her a meek smile.

"Because making fun of me is one thing, I won't stand fer her tearin' apart my mate." Vernon shook his head tersely.

Dawn blushed fiercely, placing a hoof over her muzzle in a poor effort to cover it up.

"Now I know yer gonna tell me how you don't 'need' me defendin' you, but I-"

"N-no Vernon." Dawn stuttered, squeezing his paw affectionately. "I-I understand Puppy. I know you care about me..."

Vernon blushed slightly. "T-that's puttin' it lightly." The wolf chuckled.

"And I'm sure just seeing Ana had you on edge." Dawn added.

Vernon let out a snort. "Among other things..." The wolf replied.

"Y-you mean like the re-union?" Dawn replied.

The wolf let out a sigh, turning his head away from the ewe and back toward the crowd.

"Let's talk about somethin' else Honey Lamb." Vernon said. "Preferably not about Ana or the re-union. Remember, we're trying to have fun here! To get our mind off the messier things fer now!" The wolf emphasized, evidently eager to change the subject. 

"Oh." Dawn said disappointedly. It was clear she had touched another sore spot. She could tell there was more going on to Vernon's feelings about the whole affair regarding his brothers and Father, but for now he had elected to keep silent about it. Dawn had only really known Vernon for six months, but in that time she had learned it was best to let him open up to her on his own terms. The wolf wasn't the type to want to burden others with his problems, especially not those he was closest to. And Dawn being his mate usually meant he was most reluctantly to talk about that sort of thing unless it was dire. If it did come to that, she would have to put her hoof down, much as he had earlier with her feelings about Loupon's threat.

Dawn went back to examining Ana and Vernon's exchange in her head, looking to glean more useful from her chattering about native traditions. Dawn shuddered as she recalled Ana's 'mutton' comment, praying in that moment that Vernon had been right about the she-wolf not being allowed on any tribal hunts. The ewe preferred to believe she was trying to put the scare into her, and that there weren't actually packs that still partook of such terrible practice despite the rumors. At the very least Dawn would be able to sleep at night if she saw it that way.

"Vernon?" Dawn asked, suddenly remembering another tidbit from his rant.

"Hmm?" He replied.

"You said your great-great-grandmother gave up her pack name? Right? I thought you told me she was an omega because the pack expelled her due to being bad at hunting?" Dawn asked curiously.

"Naw, she was just sick of pack life. At least that's what Ma said Pa's Grandma told her." Vernon replied.

"S-so what? She just left forever?" Dawn continued her volley of questions.

Vernon let out another sigh. "Well, yes. Ya' see you can choose to expel yourself from a pack when it comes to native bloods."

"What?" Dawn was slightly surprised. "I don't think I fully understand."

The wolf came to a stop. Turning to face Dawn, Vernon Crouched down to her level, placing a paw to his chin.

"Well, if you don't see eye to eye with your pack for whatever the reason, you can choose to be an omega more or less." The wolf mused. "O'course doing something like that means you can never go back. Yer essentially walking away from your family, from everyone related to you."

"Oh that's awful!" Dawn said, clasping her hooves to her muzzle. "Your poor grandmother!"

Vernon chuckled. "Ah, she was all right. If she hadn't done that she would have never been with my grandpa." Vernon slowly rose to his feet, but not before giving the ewe a playful pat on the head. "Even if he had lived near her on the west coast, she'd never get permission to tithe a civilized mammal. So she made her own family to replace the one she lost."

"Still though..." Dawn muttered. "I don't know if I could make such a life changing decision like that." The ewe smiled up at Vernon. "She sounds like she was really brave."

In that moment the wolf seemed to look troubled, his eyebrows pursing as he stared off and away from Dawn. "Yeah..." The wolf trailed off. " She was."

Vernon was silent for a moment before his attention snapped back to Dawn. "T-then again, you almost killed yerself to save me." Vernon flashed the ewe an awkward smile. "I'd say that's pretty brave."

Dawn felt the heat rush to her cheeks and desperately tried to hide the growing blush with her hooves.

"Vernon! Stop!" she whined playfully as the wolf laughed.

"I'm going to kill you now though." Dawn said between her own giggling.

"Oh?" Vernon crooked and eyebrow. "Why's that?'

Dawn gave the wolf a playful slap. "Because now I have to redo that whole native wolf chapter! I can't leave the name thing out!" She laughed.

Vernon's ears drooped slightly.

"Aw my bad Honey Lamb, I just forgot is all!" Vernon whined. Dawn watched as the wolf got down on his knees and clasped his paws together. Vernon shook his paws as his face twisted into mock terror.

"P-please spare me Floofs!" Vernon said dramatically, wringing his paws.

Dawn tried to play along, but she couldn't keep the laughter from breaking through her fake stern tone.

"W-well maybe you can make it up to me." Dawn grinned. "But how?"

With that, Dawn found herself pulled into the wolf's arms, and soon enough she was back atop his shoulders. Dawn was still giggling madly, but swatted at the wolf's head a few times as she scolded him.

"VERNON! I told you to warn me!" Dawn laughed.

"I'd say now is the perfect time to hit the Tunnel of Love, wouldn't you say?" Vernon grinned up at the ewe.

Dawn blushed slightly as her laughter waned and a long involuntary 'Awwwww' escaped her lips. The blush grew redder as the ewe managed to give a meek affirmative nod, which only served to widen Vernon's grin.

"O-okay, I'm ready." Dawn stammered.

"Great!" Vernon barked.

Placing a paw above his eyes, the wolf began to scout the fair grounds. It only took him a few seconds before he found what he was looking for.

"And there it is! Looks like the lines pretty short too!" The wolf chirped.

"Are we that close?" Dawn asked, placing a hoof above her face in an effort to spot the ride herself. "That's lucky."

"Actually I started heading for it minutes ago." Vernon chuckled. "I was waiting for the right time to spring it on you."

Dawn gave the wolf another playful slap.

"Bad Puppy!" Dawn said with a laugh.

"Mean sheep!" The wolf fired back with a laugh.

It had only been a short walk before the ride came into Dawn's line of sight. It was dressed up much in the same way as the others, carved polished wood statuettes drenched in harvest hues. The main hardwood banner was emblazoned with the words "Lazy Lover's Lagoon.", surrounded by a swath of embossed hearts as it hung over the entrance to the tunnel itself. Flanked on either side of the banner were cute cartoon sheep, one with a bow and the other a top hat, nuzzling each other affectionately. In the waters below, a gaggle of boats styled after various different mammals lie in wait for passengers, bobbing gently with the ripples on the mammal made canal's surface. As they arrived she could see a pair of bunnies leaving port, snuggling up to one another as their boat drifted into the dark interior of the tunnel, as well as the three couples waiting before themselves. A pair of foxes, another set of rabbits, and a sheep and goat stood waiting to board as Vernon took his place in line with Dawn still riding atop him.

The attention was almost immediate to Dawn. As soon as the wolf took his place in line, the ewe watched all three couples turn to look back at them. The foxes did a double take, before keeping their backs sharply turned away. The pair of rabbits looked shocked before quickly hiding their faces, although Dawn could tell they were whispering in secret. And while the goat had only briefly glanced at them with vague disinterest, the ewe he was with stared at them curiously.

And worse yet, she continued to ogle Dawn, instead of following the proper social etiquette of looking away before you've been seen. Dawn could feel her stomach begin to burn as the sheep stared at her. She was certain the mammal was going to say something.

"Edna..." The goat muttered, giving the sheep a terse pull by the arm. It broke the stare, and shortly after the ewe turned away from them. An involuntary sigh of relief escaped Dawn's muzzle as the crisis seemed averted.

"You're up!" The ride operator instructed the foxes, ushering them aboard the nearest vessel. Within a few moments, the pair were ushered into the dark tunnel. Dawn watched as the tod and vixen intertwined their tails, leaning against one another as they dissipated into the darkness. Despite their previous stare, Dawn couldn't help but smile at the intimate expression of love.

"Excuse me?"

Dawn felt a lump form in her throat as she turned her attention toward the voice only to find the same ewe was staring at them.

"Are you two going to ride together?" The ewe asked, brushing aside the drape of wool that hung partially over one of her azure eyes. The ewe was a bit larger than Dawn, dressed in an orange and deep red skirt and blouse that more or less matched the fall scenery around them. The sheep seemed to bounce slightly in her step, evidently excited, although for what reason Dawn was unsure. She could only hope it was just for the ride itself.

Dawn could feel the wolf below her muscles starting to tense up.

"We are." Vernon replied calmly.

Now the goat was looking over his shoulder, a clear look of nervousness crossing his face. Dawn could see him run a hoof up one of his horns as he muttered something to himself. The strange ewe looked at her feet briefly before looking back up at the pair and cocking her head.

"Like as friends or..." She trailed off, playing with her hooves idly as she seemingly tried to skirt what she was getting at.

"She's my mate!" Vernon said firmly. Despite not being able to hear it, Dawn could feel a growl rumbling inside the wolf's frame. It was deep and low, something only detectable due to the fact that she was touching him.

"C'mon Edna, leave 'em alone!" The billy chided, pulling the ewe back around. "Gods know we got our own problems." Dawn could hear him mumble.

"Rabbits up!" The operator said, loading the small rabbits onto the next available ferry. An awkward silence now hung in the air as Dawn watched the couple follow after the foxes before them.

"Y'know I think that's really brave." The ewe had spun back around, offering a meek smile up at Dawn.

"I-" Vernon's voice was loud for just a moment before he seemed to realize just what the sheep had said. Dawn could feel his stance soften dramatically, as if the simple comment had sent shockwaves through him. Dawn was also equally surprised, nearly falling off the wolf as she registered what the sheep had said. The last thing she had expected was unsolicited praise from a stranger.

"I-I, uh...thanks?" Vernon sputtered.

"You were so firm, you didn't even hesitate." the ewe continued. " You weren't ashamed, you were proud of it, I mean of being mates. That's beautiful." Edna smiled widely.

"O-oh." Dawn murmured. "I-I honestly wasn't expecting that." Dawn said, trying her best to smile back at the ewe below.

"You we're expecting us to make fun of you?" The goat let out an annoyed sigh, turning to face the towering pair. The blue eyed billy was clad in more muted attire than his date, wearing a simple green sweater and brown pants with darker stitched patches over the knees. His horns were tightly spiraled on either side of his head, and as well maintained as his long goat beard. He briefly stroked it as he eyed the couple. "Like we're in a position to judge what's natural?" He shrugged.

"Well, usually when people feel the need to speak up it's generally-" Vernon trailed off.

"Disgust, yeah I understand. Trust me, Edna and I get nothing but that kind of stuff from our parents." The goat rolled his eyes. "I can't even imagine what kind of fresh hell the two of you go through on a daily basis with the stigma that's follows a pred/prey couple around." The goat chuckled.

"Heh, well I..." Vernon ran a paw through his hair tuft, briefly touching Dawn in the process. The wolf paused for a moment, allowing Dawn to place her hoof on his paw and squeeze it. Vernon glanced up at her, flashing a brief smile before turning his attention back to the couple below. "Thank you." 

Vernon extended his paw to the goat, which the goat took in kind.

"Vernon Hunter" The wolf stated, voice rising pleasantly as he shook the goat's hoof.

"Alex Frisa." The goat replied with a laugh before wrapping a hoof around the ewe next to him. Pulling the sheep into a side hug, the goat continued. "And this nosy little ewe is Edna McCalli. My mate."

"S-sorry." The ewe gave the pair a meek grin as the goat squeezed her face up against his own.

"I-it's fine." Vernon replied. "You folks are more pleasant than most strangers we talk to."

The ewe let out a giggle before turning her attention to Dawn's lofty seat. "And you are?"

Dawn froze for a moment, shrinking back low against Vernon's head as the pair looked up at her expectantly. The ewe wasn't sure how to proceed. While the couple was nice enough to have been receptive to their unconventional relationship, Dawn's identity was something else, and she was somewhat afraid her name alone would dispel the good will the strangers had bestowed upon them. While she was never ashamed in the slightest when it came to her relationship with the massive wolf she sat atop, the name that followed her still carried with it some feeling of disgrace and humiliation.

"This is Dawn Bellwether." Vernon said proudly, stealing the ewe's chance at lying away from her. Dawn continued to slink against the back of the wolf, so much so she could barely see the couple over Vernon's hairline.

"Oh, you are that Vernon and Dawn! From the 'Zootopia's Last Night' plot!" Edna chirped. "So you are an item!" The lamb cooed.

Dawn let out another sigh of relief as she clambered back to her previous position.

"Ah, so the rumors were true." The goat laughed. "Well good for you. It must help your relationship to have most of the city rooting for you, right?"

"You'd think so." Dawn let out a weak, albeit relieved chuckle.

"Next!" Called the ride operator.

"Well looks like we're up, it's been nice chatting with you." Alex gave a polite bow of the head before turning towards the ride ramp. 

"Same." replied Vernon.

As Edna followed, she glanced back at the couple, offering a bright smile.

"I hope you have fun on the ride!" She chirped.

Dawn offered a polite wave as the two were loaded onto the next boat, and with the couple out of the way Vernon made his way up to the gate.

As the ride operator started Alex and Edna's boat off toward the tunnel, he turned back toward the entrance and for the first time Dawn could clearly see him. It was an old billy goat, horns long and worn. His facial fur was a bit on the disheveled side, and his pinstriped red and orange ride operator vest had seen better days. But was the most striking feature about the old billy was that he was clearly blind in his right eye. It's blue iris faded and covered in a milky film as it wandered up and to the left of his sightline. The other piercing icy blue eye was now levied at the couple, and Dawn watched as the goats lip curled into a sneer. 

Dawn felt her heart slip into her throat as Vernon continued his march toward the gate. But as soon as he was mere inches from it, the old goat snapped a hoof between them and the marked entrance.

"Now hold on second there." The goat grumbled. "What is this supposed to be?"

Dawn gulped, glancing at the boat now making it's way into the darkened tunnel. The ewe could see one last glimpse of Edna, now looking back toward Dawn with a concerned look on her face before they were enveloped by darkness.

"What is THAT supposed to mean?" Vernon huffed. His muscles immediately tensed again.

"This rides a couples ride." The goat said dully as he chewed on some unknown substance. 

"And...?" The wolf gestured between himself and the ewe on his shoulders.

The goat spat in a nearby bucket, before continuing to chew. "REAL couples."

Dawn could feel a rising growl return to Vernon's throat. "WE. ARE. A. REAL. COUPLE." Vernon stated, each word more emphatically than the last.

Dawn could feel herself slipping down his back again.

The old goat cocked his head, seemingly trying to stare them down with his bad eye despite the fact that it was clearly useless. It was only now that Dawn noticed the scar that ran on the outer lid, denoting the injury could have only been inflicted by another mammal. Perhaps it was his way of intimidating them, and in Dawn's case it was definitely working.

His silent stare lingered for what seemed like forever, leaving the ambience of the crowds of fair-goers to fill the void. Of course it didn't last forever, and the sudden uproarious laugh that cut through the previously low sound of the Harvest Festival made the ewe nearly jump out of her wool. 

The old goat was practically choking with laughter. At one point bending to place a hoof on his knee as he tried to catch his breath.

"Woah nelly!" The goat wheezed, wiping a tear from his eye. "It's been a good long while since I had a laugh so good." The old goat grasped the nearby gate and braced himself, and for a moment Dawn hoped the goat had simply been teasing them, and was going to let them in.

But as his laugh subsided, he's face slipped back into a cold, stern seriousness as he stared back up at Dawn. The goat grimaced as he eyed her suspiciously.

"Darlin' you need me to get an officer?" The goat asked, stroking his beard. "This wolf holding you against your will?" 

"Excuse me!?" Vernon huffed. Dawn could feel the wolf take in a large breath of air, causing her to rise slightly. She could tell Vernon was readying to slip into intimidation mode.

"Well I figure that's the only reason a little ewe like that would go along with you calling her yer mate. She's prob'ly scared." The goat grinned before spitting into the bucket. "Ya'll can't expect me to believe-"

"We're together." Dawn stated firmly, doing her best to diffuse the situation. While the whole confrontation made her nervous, she knew she had to sound firm. Any wavering in her reply would only lead the goat to believe his suspicions to be true. "Vernon is my mate!"

The goat looked back at her first in slight shock, but then his muzzle twisted in disgust.

"So can we get on already or what!? Vernon glowered.

The goat moved his hoof down to the latch of the gate. But instead of lifting it and allowing the couple to pass, the old billy pressed the locking mechanism back into place.

"Not on my ride, not while I'm here." He grinned smugly at the couple.

"You can't be SERIOUS!" Vernon snarled.

The old goat crossed his arms, spitting another black gob of tobacco into the bucket near the ride controls.

"You can't be serious!" He retorted. "Walking around the way ya all are, proud of yer crimes against nature." The goat shook his head. "Well I ain't keeping my maw shut and looking the other way. I'm callin' it like I see it." Stabbing a hoof up at the sign over the tunnel, the goat continued. "This ride is fer celebrating mates, not filthy perverted prey-chasin' fetishists like yerself!"

Vernon took a steep forward as he began to loom over the disabled goat.

"How DARE YOU!" Vernon growled. "WHY I-"

"Oh I'm sorry." The goat placed a hoof to his muzzle, shaking his head dismissively. "What do they call ya'll-" He gestured up to Dawn, scratching his beard for a moment. "Ah yeah, pred-baiters!" He sneered.

Dawn grimaced sharply, a feeling of nausea starting to overtake her. Worse yet, the conversation was getting louder, and with it returned the feeling of eyes boring into the ewe. Dawn glanced around briefly, noting the few fairgoers who had stopped to watch the spectacle. If someone didn't step in to stop this soon, it would just be another debacle like the Windpaw fight just hours before, and that was the last thing she wanted at this point.

"We AIN'T NO FETISHISTS!" Vernon barked, taking another step. The ewe could feel herself rising as the wolf raised his shoulders in an attempt to intimidate the bigoted old goat. "WE LOVE EACHOTHER, NOW DO YER JOB, SHUT YER YAP, AND LET US ON!"

The old goat took a step forward, squaring his own shoulders as he stared up at the couple. It was clear he was staring Vernon in the eyes as best he could.

"Pft, that ain't love. Yer just another pred preying on the small and meek fer yer own sick pleasures." The goat spat at the floor, leaving a tarry dab at his feet. "Or maybe yer gal gets her rocks off to the fear of being with a pred? Maybe she thinks she's making up for pred discrimination somehow by bein' with you? A bit of sheep guilt?"

"Why you son of a-"

"Vernon don't." dawn tugged at the wolf's fur, trying to grab his attention as the number of mammals looking their way increased. The wolf glanced back at her briefly, ears drooping for a moment before turning back to the goat. Vernon seemed to slacken his stance slightly, seemingly trying to calm himself.

"You let that last couple go!" Vernon lowered his voice somewhat, the wolf evidently trying to restrain himself. "You can't tell me a goat and a sheep is normal either!"

The goat hacked another slick, black loogey in the nearby bucket.

"More normal than the two of ya'll!" The goat hissed. "At least it's prey stickin' with prey. Not some some affront to the very natural order on every darn level!"

"Are you kidding me!?" Vernon sputtered.

The goat gestured toward the dark tunnel angrily. "It's my fault society has come to accept even that kind of thing! Mammals like me stood by for far too long thinkin' common sense would prevail! But nowadays nearly no one bats an eye! But with ya'll two, I'm puttin' my hoof down!"

"This is discrimination!" Dawn said firmly. "We'll go to your bo-"

The goat let out a barking laugh.

"Unlike those two before ya'll the public is still mostly on my side when it comes to couples like 'you.' The ram gestured toward them as he emphasized the word. "I ain't puttin my job at risk for tellin' you two to scat." A mischievous grin crossed his muzzle as his tone grew more jovial. "If anything, I'm keepin' ya'll from disturbing the other decent mammal's good times."

Vernon let out a loud snarl, his posture returning to it's previous looming position. The wolf had snapped to it so quickly that Dawn had nearly lost her grip and fell off of him.

"IF YOU DON'T LET US ON YOU'LL BE SWIMMING IN THAT CANAL YOU OLD GREYWOOL!" The wolf yelled.

More eyes, more glares. Another terrible scene taking place. It wasn't worth it to Dawn, not for something as silly as a ride. It was time to stop. Dawn began to gently tug at the fur on Vernon's neck.

"Vernon, stop."

"Pft, you try and I'll get the sheriff. The recruitment stand ain't far from here." The goat let out a quiet chuckle.

Despite the gentle tugging, Vernon seemed to ignore her. Instead the wolf let out a loud laugh.

"Try it buddy! My Pa is the sheriff!" Vernon sneered. ""Who's he gonna believe!?"

"Vernon, that's enough." Dawn pleaded.

The goat shook his head dismissively. "That may have worked if it was just me big fella." The goat grinned. "But how may witnesses are gonna see you strike first? They'll see the big bad wolf harassing an innocent old prey mammal who can't defend himself!" He laughed. "No amount of friends in high places is gonna get you outta that."

"I DON'T CARE! I"M FIXIN' TO-"

"VERNON!" Dawn yelled in the wolf's ear, tugging harshly at his neck.

The wolf winced, turning to the ewe in shock.

"Dawn!? What!?" The wolf asked in confusion.

"I want to leave." Dawn muttered.

The wolf looked at her in disbelief. "H-Honey Lamb." Vernon sputtered. "You can't be-"

Dawn stared at the wolf as seriously as she could. "I am."

Vernon let out a whine, looking briefly back at the smug old goat before turning back to Dawn.

"B-but-."

"Vernon please, we should just go." The ewe sighed. "We aren't getting anywhere with this grizzled old tup." The ewe grumbled, an edge on her voice as she eyed the goat. "This ones just not worth you getting in trouble over."

Vernon looked practically hurt, his ears flattening tightly against his head as he let out another whine.

"I c-can't just let him get away with this Dawn!" Vernon whimpered. "I-I wanted to...we deserve...I just-"

"Maybe tomorrow Vernon." The ewe said softly, gently petting the wolf's head. "We did a lot today, and I'm getting pretty tired as it is. I think maybe we should just go back to the stand for a while."

Vernon let out a few agitated huffs, staring daggers at the smug goat standing in front of the gate. The old billy took another spit in his bucket. Dawn could feel the wolf's muscles continue to pulse beneath her, adrenalin straining Vernon's whole body as it struggled to remain in fight mode.

Dawn laid her head on top of Vernon's placing a kiss on his scalp as she continued to stroke his fur. 

"You don't need to fight every battle Puppy. Sometimes it's better to walk away." Dawn cooed.

With that, she finally felt the wolf relax. His posture returning to normal as he let out an exhausted sigh. He was quiet for a few moments, his breathing getting slower as he seemingly tried to compose himself.

Slowly the wolf turned away from the gate, and began to walk back down the entry ramp. Vernon made it about two steps before glancing back at the old goat. The nasty old mammal seemed pretty pleased with himself as he unlatched the gate again.

"We'll be back tomorrow." Vernon hissed. "And we're getting on then."

The goat chuckled. "Good luck, I'm running it tomorrow too."

Vernon snarled and began to turn around, but Dawn was quick to yank his fur hard enough to stop him in his tracks. The wolf let out a painful yelp before eyeing Dawn sadly. The ewe remained stalwart, despite wanting to cry at the sight of her defeated Puppy.

"It's not worth it." She repeated.

The wolf let out another almost pleading whine, but the ewe remained stone faced, and eventually the wolf began to reluctantly continue down the ramp. Now clear of the ride, Dawn could see the smaller crowd dispersing. It hadn't been nearly as big as the one surrounding them during Ana's tirade, and for that the ewe was thankful. It was bad enough that they had already caused such a terrible scene once before, something she was certain would get back to Dorian. And she was sure the older wolf would be anything but impressed. She could only pray that this skirmish had been small enough to evade his radar, and so she could have one less negative point against her in the wolf's eyes. 

"I don't understand." Vernon muttered finally. The wolf had remained silent a good minute or two after they left the ride behind. "Why did yo-?"

"We aren't going to get your Father to give me a chance if all we do is get into fights all day." Dawn was more than ready with her response. She had expected Vernon to ask why she had told him to back down, although she was surprised he hadn't asked sooner. "You think that mess with Ana isn't going to get back to him?" Dawn shook her head. "At least with her we have an excuse. The both of you have a terrible history together, but with that goa-"

"He was being a bigot!" Vernon whined.

"Is Dorian going to see it that way Puppy?" Dawn sighed. "Or is he going to see it as antagonizing the townsfolk?" 

"He can't possibly side with that goat!" Vernon huffed. "We are in the right!"

"Vernon, your Father already doesn't like me. I don't want to make it any worse by forcing him to keep the peace around us. I just want...I just want to lay low for the rest of the day." Dawn said.

"But Mutton C-chop." Vernon whimpered.

The ewe began to gently pet his head again.

"We still have our picnic right?" Dawn cooed. "Just you and me, and no one else to spoil it."

Vernon's ears rose slightly. "Y-yeah we do." His tone became slightly more cheerful as he said it.

"T-then we have that to look forward too." Dawn added.

Vernon flashed the ewe a genuine smile, making her heart flutter in the process. 

"I love you Dawn." Vernon said.

The ewe squeezed her arms around the wolf's neck a little tighter in an effort to hug him.

"I love you too Vernon."

With a sigh, Dawn rested her head atop Vernon's he continued to make his way back to the family stand. In actuality she had grown kind of tired of the bustling crowds and the noise of the fair and was eager to be getting back to the ranch soon enough with or without the chastising the couple had received from the old goat. Just hiding in the back of the stand for an hour or so until the family returned home sounded like the perfect way to recuperate for the romantic picnic still on the horizon. And with all the attention, the ewe was rather eager to just lay low and enjoy the relative quiet that would offer. She could only hope that she was done being a part of public disturbances for the rest of the day.


	20. Un-fair Judgements

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Twenty: Un-fair Judgements

For Dawn's sake, Vernon was trying not to let what happened at the 'tunnel of love' eat away at him. But the wolf couldn't shake the sickening feeling the whole argument had left in the pit of his stomach. Had it been silly to really not expect that kind of treatment back in the Meadowlands? At a family fair no less? Granted the sheep was an old-timer, and with age came a stubborn unwillingness to accept change and a lack of knowing when to keep ones mouth shut. But the nasty old billy managed to get under Vernon's pelt much worse than anyone back in Zootopia seemed to be capable of. 

Dawn was right, everything she had said was on point. The old goat's judgment and attitude was something small and petty in the grand scheme of things. But denying them access to the ride was a severe over-reach, and it left Vernon completely livid. The wolf hated to let something like that slide regardless of how sound the reasoning was. He wanted desperately to bring his Father around when it came to his attitude toward Dawn, and he knew trying to keep a low profile would most likely help that. But standing there, being dressed down by that old culler, allowing him to speak to Dawn so rudely. It made the desire to belt the mammal right in his smug muzzle the more appealing option. And to be honest, if Dawn hadn't managed to pull him back from the brink, the wolf would have most likely done so.

That sobering moment had made Vernon realize exactly just how deeply his emotions were starting to get the better of him. Had that goat been any other mammal in Zootopia, on just an average day, he surely would have handled the situation differently. The wolf would have found a way to diffuse the situation without violence. Maybe he would have outsmarted him, beaten him down with words, something to the effect of how he had handled the wolf couple on the train ride out to the Meadowlands in the first place. But everything that had happened so far, his Father, Yuri, Ana, each encounter had been winding him up further and further. The stress, rage and anxiety building with each dispute while he tried desperately to bury it. To keep a stiff upper lip, to be optimistic, all to try to keep up the facade that he was alright in Dawn's eyes. Or at least, less miserable than he had really been. He had even managed to try to put aside the woes of family acceptance in an effort for just a pure day of fun with his Honey Lamb, but even without the other Hunters present he had been unable to escape confrontation.

The fact that Ana had even been at the fair was as if the gods themselves were mocking him, chiding him for even thinking he could have one nice day with his mate in the town he grew up in. That he could share something close and intimate with Dawn without the weight of his Father's judgment overshadowing it. But Ana and the old goat had pulled it right back to the forefront of the wolf's mind, and the beautiful day at the fair he had planned turned into nothing short of a catastrophe.

It had been so long since the wolf had felt such violent impulses, a trait of his he had believed to be not just dormant, but long dead. But with everything that was layering itself on his mind, he could feel the grasp on his emotions slipping. The old mindset of the troubled young pup he once had been was clawing it's way to the surface. It wanted to fight, his stubborn father, his stupid brother, and that bigoted old goat. And the more he tried to suppress how he really felt about the reunion so far, the more restless it became. Vernon would have to let off some steam one way or another eventually, something to ease the pressure building within. But short of suddenly gaining his Father's approval or simply turning to Dawn in a collapsed heap, weeping and admitting his various fears and doubts about the whole scenario, the wolf wasn't going to get enough of the emotion out.

Still Vernon tried to take solace in the idea that at least hiding in the dark back room of the family corn and pie stall might be enough to at least ease some of his suffering. Especially if Dawn kept up the rather soothing head petting she had been doing since they left the 'tunnel of love' behind. Just the prospect of some, mostly quiet and alone time with his Honey Lamb felt like heaven at the moment. A much needed reprieve from the prying eyes and barbed tongues of other judgmental fair-goers, or possibly even Ana again. Granted, the wolf reasoned the stand would probably be swarming with noisy patrons, but at least they'd be well out of sight. 

Yet as the food stand finally came into view, it quickly became apparent that the couple wouldn't have to worry about any noise at all coming from the crowds. The Hunter Family's usually bustling food stall was practically a ghost town. There wasn't a crowd, a line, or even a single customer. All Vernon could see was his Mother and Malcolm, both of whom we're looking bored out of their skulls. His Mother in particular had taken to leaning on the counter, a paw against her face as she let out a tired sigh. It was only as she noticed Vernon's approach did she seem to wake up, snapping to attention and wiping the counter where she had been leaning previously. The wolf's Mother never liked to seem as though she wasn't doing some degree of work, and catching her like that had always been a rare sight. A sight Vernon would have laughed at if not for the alien strangeness that the empty stall created. Audrey offered a jovial wave as the pair walked over to the counter.

"Howdy you two!" Audrey chirped. "I hope ya'll been having a good time at the fair!" 

Vernon let out a derisive sigh.

"Trying to." Vernon grumbled. "But we hit a few snags along the way."

"Aww Darlin', I'm sorry to hear that." The she wolf gestured to the pair to sit on the stools near the counter. "Wanna talk about it?"

Vernon sat in the stool in front of him before easing Dawn off his shoulders and into the seat next to him. He hated to put an end to the soothing head petting, but he figured the ewe would have a harder time joining the conversation if he hadn't placed her closer to eye level. Dawn seemed like she was almost in a dreamlike state as the wolf eased her into the chair, only snapping out of it as she was plopped onto the seat. Now alert, she eyed Vernon with concern, but the wolf turned away, eager to shut down the possible conversation at hand.

"I'd rather not Ma." Vernon muttered. "I just want to unwind and not think about anything." Vernon flashed the ewe a meek smile, trying to keep up the facade of being relatively okay. "I think we both do." 

That managed to earn him a genuine smile from Dawn, and assured the wolf that the illusion was still in place.

"What about you Ma?" Vernon asked. "I ain't never seen the stand this dead. You just get back from break or something?"

"W-well I-" Audrey sighed. "I just don't know Puppy." She shook her head.

"Stands been doing this bad for hours Vern." Malcolm chimed in, sliding another boxed pie onto a nearby shelf. "Started tapering off after lunch. It's the strangest dog-gone thing." The red wolf muttered.

"Your serious?" Vernon asked.

"Deadly." Audrey replied, giving the wolf a solemn stare.

"We've had one or two stragglers, but otherwise it's been practically as dull as a desert here." Malcolm added.

"If things keep up like this we're going to end up with more pies than we know what to do with." Audrey leaned back on the counter, scratching her head. "I just can't figure out what is going on. It's like everyone's avoidin' us."

There was a brief, uneasy silence as the phrase 'avoidin' us' seemed to hang in the air. Vernon found himself thinking back to the 'tunnel of love' once again. The stares from the couples waiting to ride, the glances he was sure they had gotten on the walk back to 'Hunter's Bounty'. For a moment the wolf feared that perhaps, his relationship with Dawn may have been the source of the drop in customers at the family food stall. 'But it couldn't be.' The wolf was quick to reassure himself. It seemed unlikely that most of the fairgoers could connect the couple to the family by look alone.

"Anywho, don't worry about this mess Vern." Audrey's tone was suddenly less dismal as she stood back up. "How'd you two like some roasted corn?" 

"We're holding out for a picnic later today." Vernon chuckled. "I'm going to be doing the roasting myself while we're out there."

"Aww..." Audrey cooed. "Ain't that sweet." The wolfess gave Vernon's head fur a playful tussle, causing him to pull back and swat playfully at her.

"Ma! C'mon now!" Vernon gestured his head to Dawn.

"Oh hush, you'll always be my Puppy, I don't care who's watchin'!" Audrey teased, earning a giggle from Dawn.

"Well if food ain't the reason you're back so soon, then what is it? You can't be callin' the fair quits already?" Malcolm interjected, licking a spoon covered in pie mix. "We ain't closin' for another hour."

"Maybe not if this keeps up." Audrey lamented.

Vernon let out another sigh. "W-we're just tuckered out." He said glumly. "We decided to call it early and relax until we all head back home." Vernon tried to make his voice firm. It wasn't entirely a lie, after all they we're looking to relax. But the why was still something Vernon wasn't keen on sharing with either of them.

The red wolf nodded, turning back to the oven nearest to him.

"Well your welcome to hide in the back until-" Audrey's ears suddenly perked up, and she pivoted her head to the side of Vernon. The she wolf squinted for a moment. "What in the Fenrir's fur is that commotion?"

Vernon glanced over his shoulder to see a crowd building a few stalls down from the stand, but unlike the previous ones that had gathered to gawk at him and Dawn in the midst of fighting, this one was on the move. As Vernon spun around on his stool to get a better look it quickly became apparent exactly where the crowd was heading.

"You've got to be kidding me." Vernon muttered, slapping a paw over his face. While most in the mob remained unfamiliar, at the front Vernon easily recognized a very exasperated looking Kendrick Loupon. Thankfully, there was no sign of Ana, but more worryingly a particularly well dressed sheep was walking next to him. The ram was dressed in a fine green suit and matching top hat, with finely maintained wool and expertly polished spiral horns tightly spun near his ears. Vernon could only describe the look on his face as something close to constipation. His eyes were focused on the stand sitting directly in the path of the mob, his Mother's stand.

"Mr. Ruddy?" Audrey piped up as the crowd arrived. They gave the short representative and his towering wolf assistant a wide berth around the stand as the sheep made his way near Vernon and his Mother. The stout little sheep seemed to be sweating up a storm.

"M-Mrs. Hunter." Damon stuttered. The ram pulled a handkerchief from his suit pocket, dabbing his forehead lightly as he evidently tried to compose himself.

"Somethin' wrong?" Audrey leaned over the counter, eyeing the ram in confusion.

"W-well...um..." Damon glanced over his shoulder briefly at the mob that had swelled behind him. Vernon watched Kendrick as he paced the perimeter, watching the crowd as he mopped his forehead with a napkin of his own. "I-er...well Ma'am. I..." The sheep looked down at his hooves, wringing them nervously as he seemed to fumble with his words. "I-It's just-

"We've received a number of complaints." Kendrick said, making his way closer to the stand. " A great number of the citizens attending the fair are rather troubled. You see they-"

Audrey waived her paws defensively. "Hey now if this is about the food, I assure ya'll everything is fresh and kept refrigerated." The she-wolf crossed her arms. "I've been telling the fair's board of directors for years them food poisoning cases been coming from that sushi stand. I told 'em a fair ground ain't no place to be servin' raw fish."

Ruddy coughed awkwardly, pulling at his collar. It was clear the sheep was uncomfortable with whatever he was leading up to. Vernon had his suspicions of course, but part of him was praying that for once during the whole trip he would be wrong.

"No, no." The sheep chuckled weakly. "W-we've already handled that."

"Yes, we've made sure their refrigeration units were up to code this year." Kendrick added, biting his lip.

"Well then what's the issue boys?" Audrey asked, placing a paw on her hip.

At this, both the finely dressed mammals glanced at each other nervously. Their eyes seemed to be searching for an out, for one of them to get whatever it was off their chests and take the brunt of whatever fallout was going to come from it. Ultimately, it was Ruddy who lost the stare down, snapping his attention back to Audrey as he let out an irritated sigh.

"M-Mrs. Hunter, first I want you to know t-that you and your family have b-been a valued member of our community for years."

"Mhh Hmm..." Audrey hummed.

"I-I mean your husband is the best Sheriff we've had in our community, a-and well, your stand here is a fair favorite!" The sheep added, tapping his hooves together idly.

"Mhh Hmm..." The she wolf repeated, , her tone becoming increasingly impatient.

"But w-well, But..."

"But what?" Vernon finally asked, drawing the sheep's attention on him. He could see fear in the rams eyes as Ruddy glanced at him, and as the little sheep's glance shifted to Dawn and back to again it all but confirmed what he was getting at.

"We-uh..." Ruddy stuttered. "because of the commotion I m-mean, we're u-uh-"

"We're going to have to ask you to leave the fair." Kendrick cut it, his eyes falling on Vernon and Dawn. Vernon could feel his stomach drop. Once again he had to have the misfortune of being right on the money. But what surprised him was Loupon's demeanor. Vernon had expected the wolf to be wearing a smug grin, after all he was clearly making good on his threat. Yet the wolf still seemed very uncomfortable, as if he really didn't want to be there in the first place. That managed to throw Vernon off, and prevented him from being the first to respond.

"W-what?!" Audrey barked, looking over at the couple seated on the stools in front of her. "What for!? What did they do?!"

Vernon sighed sharply. "We've done nothing Ma." Vernon grumbled, glowering at the officials. "Nothin' they got a law for anyway."

Ruddy pulled at his collar again. "W-well you see...I um-It's just." The ram tried to continue, dabbing his brow again.

"A lot of the fair goers are getting antsy." Loupon interjected. " Getting vocal and causing a stir, threatening to leave the fair and so forth. Many of them have threatened to not spend a cent on the fair, and never coming back you see."

"Because?" Audrey leaned on the counter. Vernon could see his Mother's was scowling at the gentlemam almost as badly as he was. A clear sign she was catching on.

"Well-Ah..." Ruddy continued.

"BECAUSE OF THE FREAKSHOW!" A familiar voice barked out from the crowd. Vernon could feel bile rising in his throat as he watched the angry wolfess make her way out of the mob, pushing several members of the crowd aside on her way to the front. Of course Ana couldn't have been far behind her mate, otherwise how would she show him off to anyone? Ana squeezed her way between the two officials before striking a rather confident stance. She flashed Vernon a mischievous grin as she glanced down at the couple.

"IT'S AN AFFRONT TO ALL THE MAMMALS HERE!" Ana continued loudly. "A DISGUSTING DISPLAY THAT SHOULDN'T BE SEEN AT A 'FAMILY-FRIENDLY' FAIR!"

"Ana!" Kendrick tried to place a paw on the wolfess, but she shoved him away slightly.

"WHY CAN'T WEIRDOS LIKE YOU LEAVE THAT SORT OF THING AT HOME!? HUH!?" The wolfess hissed. Unlike before, a few members of the mob could be heard yelling in agreement.

Vernon was off his stool in Ana's face in the blink of an eye. He was growling down at her, gnashing his teeth. But despite his attempts at intimidation Ana hadn't even flinched. Instead she continued to smugly smile back up at him.

"Is yer whole life devoted to making other mammals miserable?" Vernon hissed.

"Just you." Ana's smug grin seemed to widen as she whispered. "But I also can't let that little grazer talking back to me slide. You both need to learn your place."

"Now hold on one second!" Audrey barked, her attention remaining on Ruddy and Loupon. "You folks ain't never seemed to have a problem with the kind of relationships any of my other pups had! So why them!?" She motioned over to Vernon and Dawn. 

Ruddy seemed to be coming apart at the seams. The ram was practically swabbing his receding wool line with his handkerchief as he tried to speak. At first it was nothing but barely audible squeaks.

"W-well, we've had complaints b-before." Ruddy said. "Z-zach and Vanna a-alone tend to d-draw attention b-but..." The sheep stammered.

"BUT WHAT!?" Audrey had lurched over her counter slightly, causing the ram to practically recoil into his suit.

"Because the c-complaints were so few, and with your families service to the Meadowlands w-we t-tended to ignore them." Loupon added.

"Well ain't that a fine how do you do!?" Audrey stood back up, placing her paws on her hips as she glowered at the crowd. "This is the first I've heard of this from any of ya'll!" She stabbed a finger at the mob. Some seemed to shrink slightly. "And I thought I knew you people!"

Audrey head swiveled as she pointed at various members of the crowd. "Mrs. Stag? Mr. Hornsby? Even you Mr. and Mrs. Molina? Fer crying out loud I've known you both since grade school!" With each name listed off, various members of the crowd seemed to shrink in shame.

"And Damon, yer one of Dori's best friends!" The she wolf returned her attention to Ruddy. The sheep sunk further into his pressed suit. He raised his hooves in self defense. "What makes this different then those other times!?"

"The number of complaints Mrs. Hunter." Loupon added, nervously straightening his tie. "I-I'm afraid there were far too many to sweep under the rug. I m-mean two preds or two prey mammals of different species are one issue, but a prey and a pred-"

"IT'S UNNATURAL!" Ana pushed away from Vernon, turning her attention to the crowd. "IT GOES AGAINST THE NATURAL ORDER!"

"ANA PLEASE!" Kendrick protested.

The she wolf let out a snort, crossing her arms as she turned her back to the wolf. Wiping his brow, Loupon continued.

"It just makes too many mammals uncomfortable. And we don't want any scenes breaking out today." Loupon said in a lowered tone.

"Well ya'll certainly done a good job on that!" Audrey snapped, gesturing a paw to the crowd. " You stirred up a damn lynch mob and brought 'em here. All that's missing is the torches and pitchforks!"

As his Mother spoke, Vernon noticed Ana's ears perk up at the mention of a 'lynch mob', letting out a low chuckle. Vernon stormed over to Ana, grasping the she-wolf by a shoulder and forcing her to face him.

"You did this didn't you?" Vernon hissed. "This crowd is on you!? Ain't it!?"

Ana flashed a smug smile. "What, me!?" She cooed. "I would never!" The she-wolf feigned innocence as she pulled Vernon's paw off her. "But if some of these good mammals overheard me talking to Ken and were just as disgusted as I was....well..." Ana's grin became practically Cheshire as she eyed Vernon evilly. "I can't help that."

"WHY YOU LOUSY LITTLE B-" Vernon stopped as he felt a hoof grasp his paw tightly, pulling him back. Looking down he found Dawn had stepped off her stool and was now by his side. She looked up at him sadly.

"Floof's, what-?"

"We'll go." Dawn replied.

"WHAT!?" Vernon barked.

Dawn released her grip on the wolf, making her way between Audrey, Ruddy, and Loupon. Turning her attention to Ruddy, she cleared her throat.

"As someone who used to work in politics I understand the awkward position Vernon and I have placed you in." Dawn said.

Ruddy's eyes went wide. "Wait, D-Dawn Bellwether?"

Dawn gave a simple nod.

Ruddy turned to Loupon, gesturing his hooves at the ewe in front of him. "You didn't tell me she was Dawn Bellwether!" He hissed quietly. Loupon scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Ms. Bellwether, I am terrible sorry, I truly am." Ruddy said, turning his attention back to Dawn. "I hate to put you in this position considering the circumstances. After what you did for Zootopia I-"

Dawn raised a hoof to stop the ram.

"Vernon and I didn't mean to cause any trouble. But we understand we aren't in a very..." The ewe fiddled her hooves nervously. "'conventional' relationship." The ewe sighed.

"So, for the sake of everyone else here..." Dawn looked up at Audrey sadly. "Vernon and I will leave."

"Honey Lamb!" Vernon barked in disbelief. But Dawn simply shook her head. Walking back over to Vernon's side, Dawn wrapped a hoof around his paw, squeezing it tightly. She looked up at him with sad, glistening eyes. But he could see a look of resignation in them as well. It was a battle they weren't equipped to fight, a stand they weren't in position to hold. For the sake of the rest of the Hunters, they had to back down.

"It's not worth it Vernon." Dawn glanced at the proud she-wolf still smugly smiling at them. Vernon could see Dawn's tearful eyes were burning with disgust. "She's not worth it."

"OH!" Ana laughed, placing a paw to her chest. "Looking down on Preds again are we? I guess you haven't changed as much as you think?" Ana let out a howling laugh.

Dawn turned away from Ana, pulling Vernon with her as they now faced the stand.

"Mrs. Hunter, could Malcolm drive us back to the ranch?" Dawn asked.

"Nothin' doin' Darlin', you two ain't leavin!" Audrey's tone was decisive as she slammed a paw on the table.

"Please Mrs. Hunter, we've caused enough trouble. I don't want to make things worse for you or the others." Dawn said somberly.

"Oh you poor thing!" Ana cooed. "You think you haven't already!?" The she-wolf barked.

Vernon snapped his attention back to Ana, letting out a rolling growl.

"Would you shut up already! You got what ya wanted!" Vernon snarled.

"Not yet." Ana sneered. The wolfess gave her mate a shove, causing Kendrick to stumble slightly.

"Tell him!" She gestured to Vernon. "Tell him Ken!" She grinned.

"What's she gettin' at Damon?" Audrey asked the diminutive ram. The sheep shifted uncomfortably as he returned to twiddling his hooves. The silence seemed to linger as the ram failed to make any sort of noise. He seemed unable to even look Audrey in the eyes.

"A-all of you have to leave." Loupon said. 

"What?" Audrey asked coldly, staring daggers at the large wolf.

"W-well...um..." Loupon gulped, going as dry mouthed as Ruddy seemed to have gone.

"YOU'RE ALL LEAVIN'!" Ana cackled. "ALL YOU HUNTERS ARE GOING BYE BYE!" Pushing Loupon aside, Ana pranced up to the counter.

"Maybe now your son will learn his place Auddy my dear." Ana cooed.

"DON'T you call me Auddy!" Audrey hissed.

On the outside, Vernon was frozen. His facial expression was stuck in neutral as the emotions below the surface fought to process all that was happening and respond accordingly. This was it, the worst possible outcome the date at the fair could possibly yield. In the grand scheme of things, Ana and the old goat had gotten under Vernon's pelt and effectively soured the date. But that was something Vernon could stand. It would have taken time for the ire to fully settle, but he would have gotten through it, that he was sure of. But those confrontations were on him, and only affected the two of them. But now the events that had been set in motion were going to cause the one thing that he had been certain was impossible. The one thing that would eat at him worse than anything else. Ana was set to prove his Father's prediction right. He and Dawn would be responsible for ruining the families reputation, for getting the whole lot of them ejected from the fair. The thought alone caused his lips to curl in disgust. His ignorant Father would end up feeling justified, and worse yet, would think even less of Dawn.

Ana it seemed had wasted no time spreading as much awful gossip that she could to any mammal that would listen. It certainly explained why the customers started ignoring the family stand, after all the time frame certainly lined up. Whether she had started dragging the families name through the mud at first, or merely expanded to the other Hunters while ragging on Vernon as the day wore on, the damage had already been done. She had got it in her head to hurt all of them for Vernon's transgression, and she was set to make good on it.

"You are a MONSTER!" That had come from Dawn. Vernon looked down at his empty paw in surprise. The ewe must have pulled away from him while he was lost in thought, and was now standing toe to toe with Ana.

"Well ain't that the pot calling the kettle'!" Anna let out another howling laugh, causing a few wolves in the crowd to let out howls of their own.

"You are so PETTY! So VINDICTIVE!" Dawn snarled. "Are you really so much of a child that you have to punish innocent mammals because you don't like us?!"

Ana let out another laugh. "Look who's talking about PETTYNESS! About PUNISHING INNOCENT MAMMALS!" Ana gestured to the gaggle of onlookers.

"DAWN BELLWETHER! THE CRIMINAL MASTERMIND WHO MANIPULATED THE CITY!" Ana held out her arms.

"ANA!" Kedrick yelled, but by now the she-wolf seemed to be on a roll.

"OH SURE, SHE SAVED THE CITY AFTER THE FACT! BUT WHO REALLY KNOWS HOW THINGS PLAYED OUT IN THAT FACTORY!?" Ana grinned widely at her audience. "WHO'S TO SAY SHE WASN'T LOOKING TO SAVE HER OWN PELT! OR TO MAKE US FORGET WHAT SHE DID!"

"LOUPON, TELL YOUR MATE TO-" 

"TO WHAT!?" Ana cut Ruddy off, looming over the small sheep and scaring him into silence. "TO STOP TELLING EVERYONE THE TRUTH!?"

Dawn's firm stance seemed to falter slightly as Vernon watched. His paws beginning to tighten into fists.

Ana spun back to th diminutive ewe. "AND NOW SHE'S TRYING TO HIDE BEHIND DATING A PRED! TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE SHE'S REALLY CHANGED! THAT' A RIOT!" Ana let out a barking laugh.

Vernon could feel his claws digging into his pads as he clenched his fists tighter. His Mother had always told him never to hit a girl, and it was a rule he had always obeyed. But at that moment he was about three seconds away from slugging Ana and being done with it.

"EVERYONE KNOW'S YOU'RE STILL THE SAME-" Ana was cut off as she suddenly found herself slammed against the Hunter stand, bowling over a stool in the process. It took Vernon a second to realize that he hadn't moved, that the punch hadn't come from him despite his blinding fury. Instead, Ada was standing where he wished he was, the hyeness towering over the crumpled she-wolf.

"Ya got a big mouth doncha? I guess nobody eva took da time to teach ya how ta shut it." Ada muttered, crossing her paws as she glowered down at the wolf. Ana seemed to still be trying to make sense of what just happened. Clutching a paw to her face, she glanced around wildly at everyone. The she-wolf looked terrified, like she wanted to flee. It was the first time Vernon had ever seen Ana make a face like that, and he'd be lying if he said it didn't make him feel good. 

"Y-you...wh!? Who?" Ana sputtered, evidently still reeling from the blow. Vernon could see a small trickle of blood coming from her nose.

"Ada!" Vernon watched as Vanna ran up to the hyena's side. The tigress placed her head in her paw. " Sweet Savannah, not again. I told you not to go in guns a blazing!"

"Tch, that's how you deal with a gal like that." Ada huffed. "I could tell by da way she was talkin' she ain't never had to fight for anyting in her life. She's all blusta!"

Ana staggered to her feet, the terror on her face now replaced with blind fury.

"W-WHY YOU! I'LL! I'LL-! Ana hissed, rubbing her muzzle fiercely.

Ada lunged, causing Ana to recoil as the hyeness loomed over her. "OR YOU'LL WHAT!?" Ada sneered.

"I-I'LL, I-I..." Ana stammered as Ada crept closer.

"I know your type, I grew up around goils like you! Youse all love ta talk and talk about hows great youse are, how strong and tuff youse are, how much better you are den everyone else!" Ada huffed. " But da second someone challenges ya on dat you find da biggest fella you can to hide behind, and have him do your doity woik!"

Ada continued to stalk forward, and soon Ana found herself with her back against the Hunter family stall.

"And if dat guy is can't do da job youse move on ta the next one, all so you don't eva have to fight for yaself!" Ada crossed her arms, defiantly grinning at the wolfess. "We had woids for goils like you back home, pletny of 'em, but I tink 'bitch' is the best fit for ya."

Vernon saw a flash of white scurry up Ada's back, scrambling onto the hyeness' head before coming to a stop. Qali was now leaning her palms on Ada's crown, stabbing a finger at the bewildered she-wolf.

"Yeah! What Ada said!" Qali chirped.

Ada grumbled, glancing up at the arctic fox now leaning on her head.

"Youse are kinda undaminin' my point sis." Ada lamented.

"What, you don't think I can take her one on one?" Qali asked, glancing down at the Hyena below. Qali raised her arm, flexing it to the best of her abilities as she flashed Ada a confident smile.

"Chuckles, I cut trees for a living. And I'm fast and wiry." Qali said, as she made her way back to the ground, taking a stance by Ada's side. The artic fox beamed a smile up at the larger canine. "I can topple her faster than a blue-spruce!"

"Y-YOU!" Ana seemed to find her footing, striking a somewhat shaky offensive stance. The she-wolf wiped the little bit of blood from her nose, a steady growl now thrumming from her throat. "YOU THINK I WOULDN'T...I..." Ana flinched, stumbling over her words as she seemed to second guess herself. " I WOULDN'T THINK TWICE ABOUT HITTING A...A..." Ana struggled.

"Not tinkin' twice huh?" Ada let out a hyena cackle.

"WHY I! I'LL!" Ana reeled back a fist, holding it behind her in as threatening a manner as she could between fits of trembling. It was a strange sight for Vernon, seeing Ana vulnerable for once. All of her confidence, her cocksure attitude, all of it vaporized in an instant. Leaving behind nothing but a scared little welp of a pup whose eyes were now darting around in desperate search for help as she tried to regain her composure. It didn't help that Ada was at least a foot and a half taller than she was, and twice as wide. The large canine took another step forward, bearing a cocky smile of her own.

"Oh I'd love ta see it, in fact..." Ada puffed out her chest, drawing an 'x' across it with her paw. "I'll give ya da foist shot for free!"

"Now, now, this has gone far enough." Vanna said, placing a paw on Ada's shoulder. "There was no need for violence before and there isn't-"

"Aw c'mon Kit Kat, you can't tell me she wasn't axing for it!" Ada turned, offering Vanna a shrug.

Vernon saw a glint of mischief return to the wilted she-wolf's eye. Ana, seeing her opening now that Ada was distracted, let out an enraged snarl as she released her fist. It was coming in fast and hard, right toward the back of Ada's head. Perhaps she was hoping to knock her out with all the force she had in that one punch, to use the cheap shot to her advantage and hopefully end the fight before it began. But Vernon knew better. Ada was a mammal who could take her licks and then some. And when it came to fighting, Ada was a mammal who showed no mercy, especially when her opponent chose to fight dirty.

But the blow never connected with it's intended target. Instead of a loud 'thump', there was a weak, almost inaudible 'thwap' as Ana's paw met with Vanna's upper chest. The tigress had simply stepped in the way of the blow at the last minute, standing stock still as Ana put all her might into her swing. Vanna hadn't even flinched, as if the blow was little more than a light breeze against her hulking frame. The same could not be said for Ana, who let out a painful yelp as she withdrew her paw, cradling it like a puppy.

"I said this has gone far enough!" Vanna said bluntly, crossing her arms as she glowered down at the wounded she-wolf.

"If you think I am going to stand by after what that-that MONGREL did to me I-I'LL-!"

"Ma'am please." Vanna sighed. " I agree that my sister overstepped her boundaries and I can assure you it will be taken care of." Vanna flashed Ada a disapproving glance.

"Oh, and who's taking care of it!? You!?" Ana snapped. "I don't care if she's somehow your sister or not, she's not walking away from this!" Ana growled.

"Ma'am, pl-"

I-I'LL-" Ana sputtered, dragging a shaking paw across her scalp. "IF I HAVE TO GO THROUGH Y-YOU TO GET TO HER I'LL DO IT!" Ana quickly grasped the nearest stool, holding it up defensively toward the towering tigress. Despite her threatening statement, the wolfess seemed to be wielding it more like a shield than a cudgel. 

"Ma'am, you've already hit me once. Please don't make it any worse by willingly attempting to assault an officer of the law." As Vanna spoke, she reached into her jean pocket, pulling out her badge and displaying it for Ana to see.

"O-Officer!?" Ana whined, dropping the stool abruptly. Ana's stance quickly fell back into a cower. "O-oh Officer! I-I'm so sorry!" Ana whimpered. "I-I really didn't mean to hit you!"

Vanna crossed her arms, giving a simple nod.

"I-it's just that she hit me first!" Ana stabbed a claw toward the large hyena now peeking out from behind the larger tigress.

"As I said, she overstepped her boundaries." Vanna sighed. "Preferably I'd like to work this out without having to take anyone to the station. But just because she is my sister doesn't mean I won't follow procedure should you choose to press charges."

Ana seemed to be starting to calm down, her stance easing into something more relaxed as she began to compose herself. Ana ran another paw through her hair, brushing as much of it back up and away from her eyes as she could.

"Ahem, thank you officer." Ana replied, pulling the edges of her jacket in an effort to straighten it out. "Yes, yes I would like to press charges once the first problem is taken care of."

"And that is?" Vanna asked.

"The Hunter's are being difficult. They've been asked to leave by Representative Ruddy and Assistant Representative Kendrick Loupon. My mate." Ana's smug grin returned.

"I see..." Vanna raised an eyebrow. "And exactly on what grounds has my family been asked to leave the fair?"

Ana's smile instantly dropped, a look of wild disbelief taking hold of her.

"Y-your family!?" She sputtered.

Vanna gave another simple, affirmative nod.

"Officer Hunter." Ruddy said, drawing the tigress' attention. " I'm afraid we've received a number of compl-"

"Too many townsfolk seem to have a problem with 'crosser' couples it seems!" Audrey cut the sheep off, causing him to shrink in shame. " So they're fixin' to throw us all out."

Vanna eyed the representative coldly. "Is that a fact?" The feline muttered. "I've never heard anyone complain before."

Ruddy began to wave his hooves defensively at an almost blinding speed. "I-I mean no disrespect Officer Hunter." The ram sputtered, dabbing his brow with his napkin. "It's just that the fair-goers are-"

"Kitten? Vern? What's going on here?" Now Zach had arrived, complete with Wade, and Trenton. The wolf made his way over to Vanna's side.

"Ah! Oh!" Ruddy seemed to shrink even further as the opposition grew. "Officer Hunter, I mean the other officer Hunter, yes well."

"WAIT JUST A MINUTE!" Ana hissed, stabbing a finger at Zach. The she-wolf looked almost crazed as she evidently tried to grasp what was happening. "WHAT IS THIS!? DO ALL OF YOU WORK IN THE MEADOWLANDS POLICE OR SOMETHING!?"

Zach raised an eyebrow at the rapidly unraveling she-wolf. "Uh..."

"Not the Meadowlands specifically, no." Trenton added.

Ana let out a large, aggravated huff. "ALRIGHT LOOK!" She sneered, stabbing a paw at Vanna and Zach. "YOU SAID YOU'D DO YOUR JOB REGARDLESS! SO GET THE REST OF YOUR FAMILY OUT OF HERE!

"Woah, woah, what is going on now?" Wade asked, glancing around at the swarm of confused mammals at the perimeter of the developing scene.

"We'll we haven't establi-"

"KICK THEM OUT BY FORCE! DO YOUR JOB!" Ana snapped, her eyes darting around to the various Hunters.

"I-I don't think we need to go t-that far Miss Windpaw." Ruddy interjected.

"I should hope not." That reply had come from Xavier, who was now making his way though the mob. The distinguished wolf pulled at the edges of his jacket as he approached the Representatives.

"I-I'm sorry, and you are?" Loupon asked.

"Xavier Hunter." The wolf adjusted his spectacles before extending his paw to the stout ram. The vigorous handshake sent visible shockwaves through the already twitchy ram, nearly causing him to stumble back as Xavier released his grip. Then in one smooth motion the wolf reached into the inside of his jacket and produced a business card. As the dazed ram took the slip, Xavier continued. "I represent the law offices of Fienstag, Goldram, and Hunter in San Francisgoat. Perhaps you've heard of us?" He stated.

"F-Fienstag, Gold...?" Ruddy murmured in confusion as he eyed the card

"Law Offices, as in Lawyer?" Loupon asked.

"Correct." Xavier affirmed. "We handle all sorts of cases from criminal to civil, but we happen to specialize in cases of a discriminatory nature." The well dressed wolf gestured to himself. "In fact I handle most of our firms suits specifically pertaining to discrimination against 'unorthodox couplings'." 

Xavier briefly glanced at Malcolm who was now leaning over the stalls counter, flashing the wolf a sad looking smile before continuing "Cases like those tend to strike a rather sympathetic chord in me."

Vernon could see the focus of the crowd was starting to wane, uncertain discussions and uncomfortable mumbling now starting to weave through the mob.

"Of course you realize any attempt to eject my family from this public festival, especially those who have a financial investment in providing services to this fair on the grounds of who members of their family choose to mate with is well..." Xavier chuckled. "...pretty much a textbook case of discrimination."

"W-Well now hold o-on..." Ruddy said weakly, dabbing his forehead once more with his soaked handkerchief. Xavier seemed unfazed by the nervous rams words, pressing onward with his own agenda.

"Legally speaking, I'd say that's pretty much an open and shut case." The wolf clapped his paws together, wiping them free of imaginary dirt. " And with someone as prominent as Miss Bellwether..." Xavier trailed off, gesturing to the small ewe by Vernon's side. 

Vernon could feel the sheep lean into him as the attention suddenly drew their way, and placed a protective paw around her shoulder, pulling her in close to his side.

"Why, I'm sure there isn't a mammal here who hasn't seen her in the news over the last few months?" Xavier turned his address to the crowd around him. "Who isn't aware of her most recent deeds, and the publicity surrounding them?" The wolf turned back toward Dawn and Vernon, flashing the pair a smile. "Why, she's become one of Zootopia's greatest heroes!"

Vernon glanced down at the ewe squeezing tightly against him. He could tell the ewe was still worried with the way she was clutching at his side. But at the same time he could see the hint of a smile forming on her lips, and as she turned to look up at him, the glimmer of tears forming in her eyes. Vernon flashed the ewe a broad grin as he gently rubbed her shoulder before turning his attention to the brother now at center stage. It was true the whole situation was a mess, it had all gone careening off the rails so rapidly. Yet despite everything, seeing so much of his family stand up for him and his mate filled Vernon with pride. It was clear they genuinely cared, for him and Dawn. And now that they were standing with them, toe to toe against Ana and the mob she had brought down on them, Vernon felt as though perhaps they might come out of this one clean after all.

"A real media darling, despite her past transgressions." Xavier continued, adjusting his glasses. "Her name being attached to anything would draw a lot of attention." The wolf smiled, turning his focus back to Ruddy and Loupon.

"And a legal case?" Xavier chuckled. "Why, a case like that would get major coverage in the city, hell probably even all of North Mammalia! It certainly would make for a great career highlight for myself, although I don't think I could say the same for the two of you." The wolf gestured to Loupon and Ruddy. 

"Why I imagine the both of you wouldn't so much as even be able to find employment as a bathroom attendant at a dive bar after the publicity from a case like that." Xavier chuckled.

"N-now just hold on a moment." Ken tried to interject, but Xavier shut the wolf down.

"For what?" Xavier replied, the wolf's grin widening to something akin to a sneer. "Not only could I sue the both of you for your discriminatory actions, but I could file a subpoena to find out the names of every mammal who lodged a complaint against my brother and his mate and add them to the docket as well."

That statement earned a cacophony of fearful utterances and cowing from the assembled mob. Vernon could see the once firm encompassing ring of mammals now beginning to back away from the scene. But it seemed Xavier wasn't done with them as the wolf turned his full attention back to the crowd.

"As a matter of fact, it might be easier if you all lined up right now and gave your information voluntarily. It would make the process so much smoother for everyone!"

At that moment, several members of the crowd began to break away, hastily jogging away from the scene that was unfolding. The rest of the crowd was fairing little better, as their fearful cries grew louder under the prospect of legal action. The ones closest to the front were starting to push against those behind them, all looking for a place to scatter like rats fleeing a sinking ship. Xavier meanwhile, seemed to be a mammal possessed as he stormed toward the throbbing mob.

"Come now? No one willing to stand by their ideas?" Xavier stated, his voice elevated. "Bigotry not a fine enough sword to die on when your money is on the line?"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" A voice boomed from beyond the crowd. A loud, demanding and familiar voice that immediately caused Vernon's ears to droop. Vernon watched the crowd part as his Father marched onto the now hushed scene, taking a stand at the head of the crowd and effectively blocking Xavier. The imposing white wolf adjusted his hat, flashing a dull glare in the direction of the mounting madness before crossing his arms. The older wolf let out a sigh.

"Sh-Sheriff Hunter!" Damon sputtered, scurrying his way to the wolf. "I-I'm so sorry to h-"

"It's fine Damon." The wolf said gruffly, silencing the ram instantly. Ruddy gave a meek and uneasy nod.

The wolf twisted his head around, giving the shrinking mob an appraising sweep with his glare. The older wolf let out a snort before turning back to the family stand. Dorian placed his paws on his hips.

"We'll go."

Vernon wasn't surprised to hear that from his Father, he had expected as much. The rest of the family seemingly hadn't though, as the other assembled Hunters erupted into cries of shock and dismay.

"DORI!" Audrey cried, pain evident in her voice.

"Sir!?" Came a confused reply from Vanna.

Xavier took a step back, eyeing Dorian in disbelief.

"We're leavin'. Pack up." Dorian said, gesturing to Audrey.

"D-Dad, how can you agree to such a-"

"It ain't a matter of agreeing with nobody." Dorian cut Xavier off. "It's a matter of keeping the peace."

With that the white wolf turned to face the crowd. Dorian cleared his throat before raising his hands to gain their attention. A useless gesture thought Vernon, as it was clear he already had it the moment he entered the scene.

"I want everyone here to disperse." Dorian stated. "This matter is handled, and you can all go back to your buisness."

"BACK TO BUISNESS?!" Now Xavier was shouting. "Not without leaving their names and-"

"Son, you ain't suin' these folks." Dorian turned back to Xavier. 

"I most certainly am! I am not going to stand by an-"

"Most of these mammals ain't got much to their name son. Suin' 'em ain't gonna do anything more than take food out of their kids mouths."

"B-But you, I-" Xavier sputtered, clearly infuriated.

"And it ain't exactly going to endear them to what yer defendin' is it?"

Vernon could see the red emanating from under Xavier's fur as he stood with his mouth agape. It was clear the wolf wanted to argue, to say something. But the rather erudite wolf was evidently at a loss. After making several faces the beleaguered wolf finally let out an irritated huff.

"A-alright fine, I won't involve the towns people in the case. But I will still be seeking action against Mr. Ruddy and Mr. Loupon for their part in today's little-"

"Xavier, stand down." Dorian said tersely. "That ain't how we do things in the North Meadowlands."

"AIN'T HOW WE-AIN'T HOW-" The exasperated wolf sputtered before his face suddenly fell. An almost vile and disgusted sneer flashed on to his face as he processed Dorian's actions.

"Y-You're protecting them?" Xavier said weakly, almost surprised by his own words. "You actually agree with-"

"I said I ain't agreeing with nobody." Dorian asserted as he made his way past the wolf. The white wolf coolly strode toward the district representatives, tipping his hat as he came to a stop in front of them.

"My wife and Son-in-law will be back to run the stand tomorrow." Dorian said firmly.

"Just the two of 'em, and no one else." Dorian continued. "That is if those nobodies are smart they won't." With that, Dorian threw a cold glance in Vernon's direction. Vernon met his glance with a sneer, a low growl emanating from his throat. But he stopped as he felt Dawn ball into his side again. Looking down he could see the ewe had buried her face completely into his torso, her ears as flat against her head as they could possibly be. At that moment, he felt pure hatred for his Father. His mind swam with a variety of curses and slurs that were screaming for Vernon to start slinging them at his Father, but the bile in his throat stung so sharply that all he could muster was to start another growl. He glared back at his Father, but by now Dorian had turned his attention back to his associates.

"My family paid for that stall, and for the license to run it. And we ain't lettin' it go to waste." Dorian continued.

"But Sheriff Hunter, I-"

"No buts." Dorian cut the little ram off. "You know you ain't got no legal right to chase my family out of here over gossip." Dorian replied, leaning a paw against his holster.

"But the fair-goers!" Ruddy protested.

"They don't have to shop at our stall if they don't want. They got the freedom to turn their nose up at us. But we have the freedom to sell our wares." 

"I-I." Ruddy stammered, swabbing his forehead with his napkin. "I suppose you're right." The ram gave a nervous glance toward the glowering she-wolf behind the counter of the stall. "Perhaps I was a b-bit hasty with-"

"A BIT HASTY!?" Audrey cried. "A BI-"

"Audrey." Dorian said sternly.

The wolfess stopped speaking, but she turned to staring daggers at her husband.

"WELL SHE ASSAULTED ME! SHE HIT ME RIGHT IN THE FACE!" Ana bolted to the Sheriff's side, stabbing a finger wildly at Ada's direction.

Dorian removed his hat, letting out an annoyed sigh.

"Ada, did you really hit Miss Windpaw?" The Sheriff asked.

Ada grinned widely. "I ain't gonna deny it." Ada said, swelling her chest out proudly as she strutted toward Dorian. As she approached, Ana shifted to a position behind the white wolf, almost using him as a shield from the large canine. "I'm proud of it." Ada cackled.

Dorian let off an irritated groan.

"Alright, well I suppose you wanna press charges then Miss Windpaw?" Dorian glanced over his shoulder at the cowering red wolf.

"YES! YES!" The red wolf pleaded, clutching Dorian's coat as she eyed Ada warily. "I want that BRUTE to pay for touching me!"

Dorian placed a paw to his head, closing his eyes as he rubbed his forehead.

"Ada." Dorian sighed. "I suppose ya'll know the drill?"

Ada placed a paw on her shoulder, spinning her other arm in an effort to stretch out her muscles. "Eh, c'mon Papa Hunta, if youse gotta take me in at least let me get a few more licks in there! At least make it woith da charge!" Ada reeled back her fist, causing Ana to let out another yelp as she slipped further behind Dorian.

"Ada." Dorian said firmly.

"Tch, fine." The Hyeness let out a defeated grunt as she extended her paws toward the white wolf, holding them tightly together. "Slap da cuffs on me Papa Coppa."

Dorian let out another irritated grumble as he reached for his belt. As the wolf brought his cuffs out, another voice rose over the scene.

"ADA, WHAT DID YOU DO NOW!?" Came Yuri's cry as he made his way through the disseminating crowd. A good bulk of the fair goers had already moved on by the time the wolf made his appearance, and the numbers continued to dwindle as the black wolf stopped by the side of his mate. Ada flashed Yuri a wide grin.

"Justa little playful rough-housin'." She chuckled.

"Yer mate slugged this she-wolf here." Dorian bobbed his head toward the red wolf behind him.

"What!? Why!?" Yuri sputtered, glaring at his mate.

"Cause she's got a big mouth!" Ada shrugged. "Why else?"

"No, not-" Yuri paused as he glanced back toward Dorian. "Wait, is that Ana Windpaw?" Yuri asked. "Ain't that-"

Slowly Yuri turned his head in Vernon's direction, his already soured face developing an even deeper sneer as he glared at him.

"Oh, I should have realized that 'Vermin' had something to do with this." The wolf hissed.

Vernon glared back, but he didn't linger long as he felt Dawn still pressing her head deeper into his side. He could feel slight moisture from the ewe's tears beginning to soak through the thread of his shirt. Vernon placed his paw on her back and began to rub it reassuringly.

"YURI! Watch yer mouth!" Dorian snapped. "We got rodent families around, they don't need to be hearin' that kinda talk!"

Yuri crossed his arms. "Why is it you always have to drag the rest of us into your personal problems Runt?"

"Put a muzzle on it Yuri!" Audrey snapped, glaring back at the dark furred wolf.

Yuri opened his mouth again, but Ada cut him off.

"Aw stop whinin'!" Ada snorted as Dorian snapped the cuffs in place. "You ain't the one in cuffs iz ya?"

Yuri let out a derisive snort.

"Alright, well Miss Windpaw, you'll have to accompany us down to the station to file a report." Dorian sighed. The Sheriff gave the cuffs a shake to make sure they were firmly in place before signaling Ada to lower her paws. "And you're probably going to need some bail money Ada."

"Ah, I got enough, and old grumpus over here can help me with da extra." Ada said, elbowing Yuri. Yuri let out an annoyed grumble.

"We're going to be down there for hours!" Yuri hissed.

"Well that all depends on how far Miss Windpaw wants to press the issue." Dorian replied.

"Oh I want to see justice done!" Ana said firmly, strutting over to Loupon. "We'll pursue this to the fullest extent! I want maximum damages for what she did to me! To us!" Ana wrapped her paws around Loupon's arm. "Isn't that right Ken?"

Much to Vernon's surprise, the large wolf responded to Ana's action with a glare so sharp the she-wolf immediately withdrew her paws.

"You can do whatever you want Ana, but I'm considering this matter dealt with."

"What!?" Ana whimpered, the she-wolf stammered, gesturing over to Ada weakly. Ana's eyes were large and pleading, simply begging for Loupon to back her up.

"You've already put me in a terrible position as it is." The wolf's voice dropped as he continued to glower at her. "All you have done is drag me from one scandal to another the entire day. The wolf let out in a whispered hiss. " You're fighting this one alone my Dear."

The crowd had mostly dissipated now, leaving just a few stragglers who had been slow to heed Dorian's orders. Ken turned away from Ana, taking a few steps away only for the she-wolf to chase him.

"B-But Ken!" Ana protested.

"When you are done at the station my limo will pick you up." Kendrick added, his back remaining turned away from the wolfess. "And when you get home we are going to have a long discussion about the nature of our relationship."

With that Loupon joined the rest of the dying mob in their journey away from the scene of the standoff. The wolf didn't look back as Ana dropped to her knees, crumpled and dejected. For a few moments she simply stood motionless, watching the large wolf disappear into the throngs of fair-goers until he was out of sight. It was only when Dorian grabbed her attention again did the wolf move at all.

"Miss Windpaw, we should probably get moving." Dorian said.

Vernon watched the wolfess slowly rise to her feet. She took slow deliberate steps toward the white wolf, her head remaining downturned the entire time. Once at his side, the she-wolf remained silent, still looking at the dirt below her feet.

"W-Well....I.." Ruddy piped up. "I-It seems like y-you have everything under c-control here Sheriff Hunter." 

The stout ram turned his attention back to the family food stall. He looked disappointed, as far as Vernon could tell. Vernon's Mother was already in the midst of packing up various implements in preparations for leaving the stall. The she-wolf gathered a clump of spoons and pie spreaders before slamming them into the nearest box without care. It was clear in her actions that the wolfess was broiling under the surface. Most mammals would have known better than to try to talk to Audrey when she was like that, but apparently Ruddy wasn't one of them. The little Ram cleared his throat in a deliberate attempt to draw her attention. After the first try failed, he tried again only to receive a glare from the wolfess. Still he pressed on.

"M-Mrs. Hunter..." He stuttered. "I a-am terribly s-so-"

The she wolf let out a snarl as she stared the little ram down, causing him to once again shrink into his suit.

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT DAMON!" Audrey growled.

"B-Bu-Bu" Ruddy protested weakly.

Audrey stabbed a claw at the diminutive ram. "Damon, If I don't ever see ya'll again until next years fair it'll be to soon! GET ME!?" 

The look on the ram's face was one of sullen resignation, mixed with deep shame. Vernon watched the ram deflate as he turned to walk away from the stand. He had only made it three or four steps away in his miserable trudge before glancing back and the fuming she-wolf. "I-I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive m-me one day Misses Hunter."

With that, the ram turned his back toward his exit. As he neared Dorian, the larger wolf stopped him with a paw, drawing his attetnion upward.

"Officer?" He asked in a bleak tone.

"Damon, next time a situation like this comes up, let me handle it alright?" Dorian asked. "Last thing we need is you makin' a situation worse by trying to handle it yerself. Ya nearly caused a damn riot!" 

The ram gave a weak nod, shame still lacing his features.

"Yes Dorian, I'm so sorry for this...for everything." The ram sighed.

Dorian removed his paw, and the defeated ram continued his trudge away from the stand. It was a slow, methodical walk of shame that kept the ram lingering in sight. All the while Audrey continued to glare at the pathetic mammal, and when he was finally gone the livid she-wolf only turned the focus of her ire to the other source.

"AND YOU DORI!" Audrey sneered. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!? HUH!?"

The Sheriff let out annoyed grumble.

"I'm doin' my job." He replied.

"If you was doin' yer job you would have NEVER let somethin' like what just went on STAND!" Audrey persisted. "Y-You woulda-!"

"WHAT would I have done AUDDY!?" Dorian snapped back. "Just LET ya'll carry on making a scene like ya'll were!? Let ya make it WORSE!?" Dorian hissed.

"Oh please!" Xavier interjected. "You could have just as easily calmed everyone down and done the right thing Dad!"

"YA'LL ARE ACTING LIKE THIS IS MY FAULT!" Dorian growled. All the other Hunter's eyes were on him now.

"I didn't stir that mob up!" Dorian protested. "I didn't bring 'em over here!" He continued. "And I certainly wasn't the REASON they showed up!" As the wolf huffed, he glared at Vernon again, making it clear to the wolf that his Father's last statement was directed at him. Vernon growled as he continued to comfort his Honey Lamb.

"I'm only tryin' to keep the peace here! To salvage what I can of this mess ya'll made!" Dorian huffed. "Is this the hill ya'll are willin' to die on!? To risk our livelihoods fer!?"

Vernon could see a mix of emotions on the faces of the other members of the Hunter brood. Anger, disgust, disappointment, everyone aside from Yuri wore faces of shame. One by one, Vernon watched his family turn away from Dorian. It started with Audrey, then Malcolm, Qali, and so on, until they had all refused to look at the wolf. Vernon however, kept his eyes fixed on his Father, watching the white wolf grow increasingly incised.

"Ya'll are actin' ridiculous!" Dorian hissed. "I warned ya'll! I TOLD ya'll what was gonna happen! But naw, It's MY fault!" The wolf stamped a paw hard against the earth, letting out a snarl. Vernon watched the wolf huff and puff, trying to calm himself from the frenzy he had whipped himself into. After a few moments of heavy breathing, the wolf let out a disgruntled sigh.

"Alright fine." Dorian muttered, turning his attention to Zach and Vanna who had yet to turn their backs to him. "I'll need ya'll to ride down to the station with me. It'd be faster if-"

"We're off duty Mr. Hunter." Vanna said, crossing her arms.

"You can handle it by yourself Pa." Added Zach with disdain.

Dorian grit his teeth sharply, glaring at the pair.

"Alright..." he muttered, taking off his hat and wiping his forehead before placing it back on. "ALRIGHT FINE!" He yelled.

"DIE on that hill fer all I care!" He hissed. Placing a paw on Ada's shoulder, he began to guide her in the direction of the parking lot, Yuri and Ana close behind. 

"Making mountains o' molehills I swear." Vernon could hear him grumble as he passed.

Reaching the edge of the of the path encircling the stall, Dorian turned once more to the Hunter's standing by the stand.

"I'm stayin' out of this from here on out, ya'll got that!?" Dorian hissed. "It's clear I ain't exactly welcome at the reunion anyway. So I might as well stay out of it. Handle everything the way ya'll want, and don't come crying to me when things go wrong next time!" Dorian turned his back to the rest of the Hunters.

"I'll be spendin' the rest of the reunion in my office. So ya'll won't have to be saddled with my presence. I hope ya'll have a fine time." With that, the white wolf continued to guide Ada forward, with Ana and Yuri tailing until they were out of sight. 

With the scene dispersed and the mob cleared, an uncomfortable silence hung over the Hunter stall. Vernon traded disappointed glances with the rest of his family members as they slowly broke away one by one, making their way to the back of the stall to help his Mother and Malcolm close up. Xavier, Zach, and Vanna however, approached the wolf and his whimpering lamb.

"You two alright?" Zach asked.

Vernon glanced down at the ewe still weeping quietly into his side, giving her a gentle jostle.

"Mutton Chop?" Vernon cooed.

Dawn pulled her face free from his torso, and Vernon could see the redness around her eyes. The ewe aggressively wiped at the stray tears as if she were trying to hide them.

"I-I'm okay." Dawn stuttered between harsh breaths.

"You ain't okay Darl-."

"I am." Dawn protested, taking a hard sniffle, clearly trying to draw back the tears.

"I-I'm sorry Honey L-"

"No I'm sorry." Dawn replied. The ewe turned her attention to the others now hovering over the pair.

"I'm sorry to everyone, for all of th-"

"Nonsense Darlin'." Audrey tutted from behind the stall. The she-wolf was still packing away supplies. " This one is on Dori and Ruddy, no-one else." The wolfess concluded.

"Bu-."

"Dad was completely in the wrong." Xavier added. "I didn't even think Dad would defend such a thing! I mean look at our family!" Xavier gestured to the mammals around them. "Taking such a stance is a slap in the face to all of us, especially Vanna, Ada, and Qali. I can't believe him!"

Vernon shook his head. "I'm just sorry for dragging all of you into our-"

"Oh don't you dare let Yuri's stupid statements get to you Vernon." Xavier interjected.

"Yeah, you know we don't feel that way about you alright?" Zach added. "You're my brother, our brother." Zach placed a paw on Vernon's shoulder. "And we look out for each other."

"And that goes for our sisters too." Vanna added, flashing Dawn a wide grin. Vernon watched as a weak smile formed on Dawn's muzzle as she let out another sniffle.

"T-thank you all." Dawn said with a whimper." Thank you so much."

"No need to thank us." Audrey added. "We're family, and that's what we do."

Vernon could feel a smile of his own start to form. Watching his family stand up for the couple was enough to make his heart swell with pride and warmth. Even Zach, despite his flub earlier in the morning had stood against Dorian for their sake. They had truly meant what they said, and put themselves on the line for the pair. And for that Vernon felt eternally grateful. 

Yet the looming specter of his Father's words hung over his mind. They still had to leave, the entire family, because of himself and his mate. Dorian had ultimately proved to be right, and therefore the wolf could now more firmly believe whatever other assertions he had about Dawn were in the right as well. The possibility of swaying him into favoring Dawn now seemed to be impossible. A goal far beyond Vernon's reach regardless of how much of the family was willing to help. Vernon's smile slowly slunk back into a grimace as the looming hopelessness of the entire situation became more and more apparent.

"Vernon?" Dawn asked. Looking down he could see the concern lacing the ewe's features. "Your ears are all droopy. Are you-?"

"We should probably start packing up." Vernon grumbled, rising to his feet. He wasn't ready to talk, not till they were alone again. 

"B-but Puppy-"

Vernon let out a sigh as he crouched back to Dawn's level, wrapping his arms tightly around the ewe as he brought her in for a hug. The wolf squeezed firmly, placing as much reassurance into the gesture as possible. At this point, he needed to hold on just as much as she did.

"I'll talk about it at the picnic okay Darlin'. I promise, I'll tell ya everything." The wolf replied before reluctantly releasing his grip on the lamb.

Dawn gave a meek nod, although he could still sense her worry. He knew that it wasn't going anywhere until he finally spilled his guts about the whole situation. It was time for the wolf to tell her what was really going on in his head, and the plans he had made for the weekend. The time had come to let it all out, to admit defeat and throw in the towel. The weekend was mostly a failure, and the time had come to accept it. Now the wolf only wanted to get through it as quickly as possible, and hope that by some twist of luck or fate, that it really didn't have to come down to his most drastic option. After so many of his family members were willing to embrace Dawn as one of their own, it would be a shame to have to turn his back on all of it.


	21. The Odd Couple

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Twenty One: The Odd Couple

Aside from the clatter of various implements into drawers, and the occasional droning hum of hand truck wheels, the closing of the Hunter family stall was a largely silent affair. There was little warm and friendly chatter between the family members short of simple directions from Audrey. What to put where, and how to pack what, and so on. Dawn did what she could to assist, but her small stature lent her to very few tasks that could be handled more simply by the larger mammals among the family. At the very least Dawn could take solace in the fact that she wasn't the only one 'short changed' when it came to helping out, as Qali seemed to be more or less in the same boat. Between her and the little fox they were only moving a single case at a time while the others carried three or four. Or in the case of Vanna, a towering seven cases of leftover pies at a time.

Dawn could tell this was supposed to be something that normally was a fun, playful task between the Hunters. But the standoff that had taken place just moments ago seemed to have drained any exuberance the family had right out of them. Dawn could see it on the faces of the various members of the Hunter family as they went about their task. There was a sad resignation behind their eyes, hidden behind terse and irritated grimaces. There wasn't a one among them that didn't have some sort of visual tell alerting to the fact that they were stewing below the surface. Drooped ears, sagging tails, and slumping gaits plagued the Hunters as they silently packed away supplies. Vernon was no exception, his expression seemingly stuck somewhere between angry and wounded. The ewe had never seen his ears bow as sharply as they were now, and she was sure she could hear the occasional soft whine escape his muzzle as he moved about the stall. It was clear there was a lot weighing on the wolf's mind, and unlike the other Hunters, Dawn at least had some idea as to what was going on in the wolf's head. But the ewe had agreed to hold off questioning the wolf until they were alone again. It was clear that whatever he was waiting to say had a great deal of emotion behind it, and it was something he did not want the others to see.

Even so, it wasn't as if Dawn was free from her own miserable woe stricken thoughts. She imagined she must have looked as equally dismal as the rest of the family as she went about her share of the work. It made it easier to understand why no one had spoken. The thoughts that stewed below the ewe's surface were screaming to get out, eager for the ewe to continue to prostrate herself before Audrey and the others in a pathetic heap. To apologize again and again for things she had already been forgiven for, and lament the trouble she had caused. And Dawn was worried if she opened her mouth the words would simply come pouring out and she would be unable to stop.

It was her fault after all, at least that's how Dawn was starting to see it. Every argument, every fight, every single little problem could be easily traced back to her as its source in some form or another. It was as if she were a dark shroud that had descended over the Hunter household and tore the family asunder. And regardless of what Audrey, Vernon, or any of the other Hunters could say to try to convince her of the contrary, it would do little to dissipate the mountain of guilt the ewe felt hanging over her head. The weight of it seeming to grow more and more as her mind swam with the countless ways in which she had managed to hurt the family. The anxiety and pressure building as her perceived sins all flowed into one thought that rang louder than any other, the simple conclusion that her attendance at the family reunion was a terrible idea.

Dawn had been skeptical at the very notion of meeting Vernon's family all at once, let alone at something that was seen as a 'tradition' among the Hunters. To Dawn it seemed to be inappropriate for many reasons. There was the fact that they had only been officially an 'item' for just above three months. As well as surprising Vernon's family by revealing he had taken a prey mammal as a mate. After all, Vernon had never shown an interest in prey before she had come back into his life, and so how was his family supposed to respond to that. The ewe imagined that even the most tolerant of families would still find such a predicament a bit of a tough pill to swallow. The there was of course her criminal past. Regardless of her work to reform and her recent actions in Zootopia, it still made for an unpleasant chapter in her history all the same. And any mammal still willing to hold it against her would have been well within there rights to do so. It had all seemed like far too much to expect or put upon the mammals that she had only heard a very little amount about.

But she couldn't say no to her Puppy. Not with his drooping ears and his pleading eyes. For every negative possibility the wolf was quick to assure her of the contrary, and it wasn't as if the wolf was without his fair share of reasonable points. Vernon had already met her Mother Clover, and aside from accidently hitting his head entering the older ewe's home the whole affair had went exceedingly well. Her mother couldn't say enough nice things about the wolf, even when it came to private texts and emails. Of course Clover was one mammal, and they had only spent an afternoon there. By comparison the Hunter reunion seemed a more daunting task, even if it had been limited to simply Audrey and Dorian. But according to Vernon, Audrey was even softer than Clover was in many respects, and with his brothers almost all dating outside their species the wolf seemed adamant that the fact that she was prey would play no part in his families reception of her. Dawn's criminal past was the only thing that seemed to trip the wolf up slightly when it came to his unwavering confidence going to the family reunion. But the wolf was quick to sweep it aside in favor of sharing his ideas on picturesque experiences the two would get to share away from the family.

The picture he had painted was so dreamy and wonderful. Fairs, barbeques, fall sunsets and picnics in the meadows. The excitement behind the wolf's pitch was instantly infectious as was always the case. Dawn would meet his family, and get a real taste of the life she had missed out on. The one she had been denied for so many years. And her logical fears began to waiver under Vernon's emotional appeal. She loved her mate, her Darling Puppy, but the wolf had a terrible habit of thinking purely in idealistic terms. It was normally something Dawn considered a healthy counterbalance to her own 'glass half empty' perception of life that had been cultivated growing up under her Father's hoof. But when faced with situations like the one they were now in, the wolf's lack of planning for the possibility of things not quite going the way he expected clearly left him struggling for ideas on how to turn the situation around. 

She could see hints of it behind his eyes the moment that Wade had told them Giselle wasn't going to be coming along on the trip. A brief lost and confused look, as he was evidently trying to re-appraise the situation and course correct for the unexpected turn. It was a look that became more and more prolonged and pronounced with each wrench that had been thrown into Puppy's overall plan, and as of now it still hadn't left his face. She knew she should have been more adamant when it came to planning for the worst, to pull her Puppy Love back down to Animalia and place his paws firmly back on the ground. Then perhaps they could have navigated more easily through the seemingly endless rough patches the trip had thrown them.

But she was greedy, at least part of her felt that way. For wanting all that Vernon said he planned out. The hunger to live that fantasy beating her doubts and uncertainties into submission and getting her to agree to it with significantly less protest than she should have put up. If introducing Vernon to her Mother had been so easy, certainly it would have been just as easy to meet the Hunters. And even if she hadn't won over the Hunters on the first trip, she could still have a great time with her mate. To have everything Vernon had talked about, everything they wanted, that she wanted. Memories that would last forever. 

But then reality came crashing down around them, around the little dream bubble Vernon had fought so desperately to protect. There were so many things they had ignored, and worse, things she had failed to even take into account among her own laundry list of presumptions. The most egregious of which being the ewe had failed to consider exactly what their relationship being so public would do for those closest to them. Vernon was proud to be her mate, and she was equally proud to be his. But he often ignored the risks of being so brazen about the two of them being together, always certain he could handle whatever fallout would come. That together they could stand up to anything. And what could have possibly come from meeting his folks that they couldn't handle? How big a deal could it have been?

But that was the point. They had made the choice to stand against the world when it came to their relationship, and accept what came with that. But their parents hadn't made that choice, nor had Vernon's siblings. It was simply something they had to accept, either with joy or disdain. And now the Hunters were forced to face the consequences for Dawn and Vernon's choice to live as they chose. The Hunter and Bellwether names were now to be directly associated with prey-chasing, pred-baiting, crossing, and what ever other slang the mammals of the world could come up with. And Dawn was only set to make it worse when the book she was writing was finally released. Then there would be no more reasonable doubt as to the nature of their relationship. From blurry pictures and speculation from the rumor mill that was the 'Zootopian Query' straight to the top story on ZNN. Her proud stance along side her Puppy Love would throw every member of their families into the public eye, and with it their names and public image. Dawn imagined whatever would come after that would pale in comparison to the scene that had played out today in front of the Hunter stall. And the ewe was becoming more and more skeptical of the idea of risking doing such a thing to a family that had mostly accepted her with open paws.

She could already hear Audrey's reply should she even mention such fears to the she-wolf. 

"Darlin', you have to put that book out! I'll be insulted if ya'll don't." 

Just looking at the She-wolf from across the stall she could practically imagine her current stern countenance turning on a dime if Dawn even approached her. Audrey would never stand for the ewe to be silenced, she had proven as much just moments before. And that's what made it all so much worse for Dawn.

She knew the Hunters now, she cared about them. Aside from Dorian, Yuri and Ulric, the family had simply embraced her, and stood up for her at every opportunity. And what had she managed to do in the two short days she had been visiting? Dawn had managed to drive a wedge between Vernon and his Father, as well as Dorian and the Hunters at large. Not only that, but she had hurt the families livelihood. It made it feel even more so that Dawn had stabbed them in the back somehow, that because they were forced to stand up for her due to circumstances she caused simply just by being there. Regardless of whether the mob was justified or not, the ewe had hurt the Hunter family. Especially Ada, who looked as though she was set to be in lock-up for who knows how long, all because Dawn had failed to stand up for herself.

The ewe bit her tongue as she ruminated on that thought, nearly dropping the case of pies she was carrying as she cringed. It was bad enough she had caused that scene, and had fed into Ana's tirade. But the fact that once again she needed a bigger mammal to step in and save her. Granted she hadn't asked for the help, but still relied on it to salvage the situation. Her resolve had once again proven too weak, even after everything she had been through, she still managed to loose her nerve when it came to the confrontation. And the end of everything saw her once again simpering into Vernon's side like a helpless, timid failure.  
Her therapist, Dr. Gnu had long told her that the path to better self confidence was not one that could be easily traversed overnight. After all, not even mammals with the strongest of wills could rise to the occasion every time. But the ewe had felt so much stronger after coming back from the brink, she was so certain she was no longer the meek little sheep she had been before. But the wildebeest had ultimately proven right once again as the sheep found herself still taking the easiest way out more often than not when the opportunity arose.

She should have spoken up, used her political prowess to take command of the situation and fix it. To keep Ada out of jail and manage to diffuse everything before Dorian was forced to intercept it. But it was too late, the ewe had missed her chance, and the entire Hunter clan was now suffering for her own perceived weakness. The weekend was a complete and utter disaster, and the ewe was certain now more than ever that Dorian would never accept her as part of the hunter family. Perhaps, the ewe mused, the time had come to simply throw in the towel. To give up on the dream that Vernon had, and simply return to the city in shame, never to return to the Ranch after all the trouble she caused. 

"Alright, who's riding with me?" Audrey's voice broke the sullen silence hanging over the stall, snapping Dawn out of her malaised stupor. She nearly dropped the case she was loading into the pie truck as the she-wolf called the family to attention. Setting the crate down, the ewe made her way back toward the she-wolf that was now gesturing the family to group up. She had only gotten a few steps away before she felt a strong paw grip her on the shoulder. 

"We'll ride in the back of your truck Ma, if that's fine." Vernon spoke, giving the ewe a gentle squeeze. The wolf's flashed the ewe a warm smile despite his sad eyes. Dawn lifted a hoof and placed it gingerly on his paw, giving it a soft squeeze in response as she flashed a meek smile of her own. Vernon let out a soft whine as he rubbed the back of his head with his other paw. She could tell her poor little Sheepdog was suffering as much as she was, and it made the ewe even more eager to get to their picnic so he could get his troubles off his chest. 

"We might as well handle the Van." Zach added, gesturing to Vanna and himself. " If ya'll want we can unpack it ourselves too, that way-"

"Nothin' doing." Trenton interjected. "Ain't like we can all fit in Ma's truck anyway, and it's not me and Qails got any big plans for the rest of the night."

"I take it that means yer ridin' with them?' Audrey asked.

"Yeah, me and Qails will ride in the back." Trenton asserted.

"Do you want me in the va-?"

"No!" Trenton and Zach cut Ulric off before he could even finish his question, both seemingly unwilling to even hear the wolf out.

Ulric's ears drooped as the dark grey wolf let out a soft whine. But it was short lived as his Mother wrapped a paw around him, pulling him in and giving the wolf a playful tussle of his fur.

"Aw, that's alright sweetheart, ya'll can ride up front with yer Ma." Audrey smiled as Ulric tried to pull away. It took him a few pulls before he stumbled out of her grasp, playfully swatting at his Mother.

"And ya'll can talk my ear off about whatever ya'll want. As much as you want." Audrey added.

Ulric seemed to beam at this, clapping his paws together excitedly.

"R-really! Oh Ma you're gonna love the stuff I got to tell you! I've got a whole bunch of new UFO stories I th-"

"I guess that means the rest of us are riding in the back Mom?" Xavier asked, taking a step next to Vernon and Dawn. The well dressed wolf gestured to the pair, as well as Malcolm and Wade.

"'Suppose ya'll will have to." Audrey chuckled. "Unless any of ya'll want to squeeze in front with us?"

"Please, Dawn's the only one who could even fit." Xavier replied.

"Well she's more than welcome to!" Audrey cooed as she bent down and gave the ewe a playful nudge. " Although I ain't sure she wants to hear about ghosts."

"Aliens Ma, UFOS?" Ulric enunciated the acronym, clearly distressed that his Mother had seemingly confused the topic.

"Oh sorry Darlin'." Audrey tutted.

"We're fine in the back Ma." Vernon asserted. The wolf leaned forward slightly, squeezing Dawn's shoulder as he spoke. It was clear the wolf was still in protective mode, despite Audrey's non threatening demeanor.

"Alright, alright." The wolfess placed her paws up defensively. "I hear ya."

With that the she wolf turned her back to the group, making her way toward the back of the stall. 

"Ya'll can head to the cars, I just have to lock up before we can go." The she-wolf waved them off as she continued her walk. "I'll catch up to ya'll in a bit."

As the other Hunters began to depart, Dawn could feel the wolf's grasp on her shoulder tighten slightly, drawing her attention. As she looked up at Vernon, the wolf looked away, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Y-ya want a lift Floofs?" Vernon murmured.

Dawn was slightly taken aback. "Y-you're asking me?" Dawn replied.

"W-well you're the one who told me to warn ya next time, weren't ya?' Vernon flashed the ewe a weak grin.

It was true, Dawn had told the wolf hundreds of times to give her a warning before lifting her up on his shoulders. But she would be lying if she said she didn't secretly enjoy it. She knew the reason Vernon rarely asked was out of simple forgetfulness, his excitement and exuberance making him act before even thinking. That said, the fact that he had even thought to ask was a clear indication he was not in a great state of mind.

"I-I'm fine down here for now Puppy." Dawn said reluctantly. She didn't want to further depress the wolf, but she certainly wasn't feeling up to the ride in her current state.

Vernon let out a sad whine, but nodded in agreement. However Dawn was quick to take his paw, gripping it tightly in her hoof.

"I'd prefer to hold your paw for a while, if that's okay." Dawn smiled.

Dawn watched Vernon's ears perk slightly, a genuine smile cutting through the gloom for a moment as he squeezed back.

Unlike the van, which had been parked behind the stall for easy loading and unloading, Audrey had parked the truck on the edge of the parking lot. Granted that was only a short walk from the stand as it was. The Hunter stall was situated relatively close to the entrance of the fair. Prime real estate, Dawn thought, as it allowed 'Hunter's Bounty' to be one of the first names patrons got to see as they entered the fairground. It was also a painful reminder to the ewe of the fact that she had put the stand in jeopardy. Who knows how long the family stand had been a part of the festivals traditions. If Audrey's story about meeting Dorian was anything to go by, that number was at least thirty years if not longer. And now Dawn was left to worry about what would become of it. Would this be the last year the stall was allowed to run at the fair because of her and Vernon?

The hard thunk of the truck bed door opening drew Dawn's attention back to the wolves in front of her. Wade was already half way into the truck bed, sliding his way toward the back of the cab while Malcolm was easing his way up onto the flap. Dawn watched as the pudgy wolf awkwardly flopped onto the bed. He blushed slightly through his fur as he righted himself, scratching the back of his head as he tried to play it off. 

"As elegant as always Darling." Xavier chuckled.

"Don't be fresh, or I won't help ya up." Malcolm retorted as he offered the dapper wolf a paw.

Xavier adjusted his glasses, glaring at the truck apprehensively before taking his mates paw. As the well dressed wolf climbed on to the back of the truck, he seemed to walk with care, his eyes studying the floor briefly before he carefully took a seat. 

"Honestly, if ya'll are so worried about mussin' up yer clothes you should have taken the front seat!" Malcolm chortled.

"And leave all of you at the mercy of Ulric's sparkling conversational skills? Even I'm not that cruel." Xavier replied as his mate leaned into him. The dowdy wolf wrapped an arm around the husky chef, pulling him in close.

Despite her general mood, Dawn couldn't help but giggle slightly at the pairs back and forth. She wasn't sure how long they had been an item, but the way they spoke made it seem like they had been together for years.

As Vernon walked Dawn to the edge of the truck, the wolf kneeled by the side of it, offering his free paw as a stepping stool to boost her into the truck. Still clasping his other paw tightly Dawn carefully eased her way into the truck bed. Once she was safely inside, the ewe slid down the bed to make room for Vernon. Satisfied with the amount of space she had provided, the petite sheep leaned an arm on the lip of the trunk, peeking over the side at the at the entrance of the fair. Yet again she could spy the Hunter stand, barely obscured by a few other food and game stalls in the distance. By now Audrey was making her way back toward them, the business of locking up evidently taken care of. But the she-wolf's face was still stuck in a sharp grimace, causing Dawn to form a deep frown of her own. Audrey had been nothing but welcoming and caring when it came to Dawn, and it hurt the ewe that much more to know that she was the reason the she-wolf was in such a state. It was almost alien to the ewe seeing the normally cheerful wolf so dour.

Dawn let out a surprised yelp as she felt a pair of paws clasp around her, pulling her away from the edge of the truck. Out of sheer force of habit the ewe protested for a split second before her mind reasoned exactly who was grasping her, and summarily relaxed as she soon found herself comfortably seated in Vernon's lap. The ewe glared up at the wolf for a moment.

"You didn't ask that time Puppy." She said, letting out a huff.

"I needed it." Vernon smiled back, wrapping his arms around the ewe and squeezing her tightly into his chest.

Dawn blushed slightly as she caved into the backwards hug. It was impossible to even pretend to be mad when she knew the wolf was in such a funk.

"Alright ya'll, tuck in." Audrey called as she gave a heavy rap on the side of the truck. Ulric had already taken his seat in the cab as Audrey opened the driver's side door. From where the ewe was seated, she couldn't get a good look at Audrey's face as she entered the car. But she imagined it remained much the same.

"I suggest ya'll brace yerselves a bit." Wade said, leaning both his arms on the lip of the truck bed and clasping the sides slightly. "Ma tends to get a bit of the lead foot when she's upset, especially when it involves Pa."

"Lead foot?" Dawn asked, looking up at Vernon worriedly.

"I had more than one reason for buckling you into this 'wolf harness'." Vernon chuckled weakly as he gave the ewe another squeeze.

Dawn let out a quiet gulp, her eyes darting around as the truck rumbled to life. As she heard the tires start to squeal she dug her hooves into Vernon's arms, bracing herself for what was to come. She wasn't sure how fast the she-wolf intended to go, but the ewe prayed it wasn't fast enough to make her motion sick. The diminutive ewe had a poor track record when it came to high speed movement. On top of the many reasons why her last trip on something fast moving was nothing short or nightmarish, as it was associated with being chased by police and nearly driving into a ravine. The ewe also had to contend with keeping her stomach contents from ending up all over Vernon's shirt as they sped down the subway lines. It was why she had shot down every ride Vernon had suggested that appeared vaguely too roller coaster-ey for her liking. 

As the truck lurched forward, Dawn could feel her stomach drop, and she tightened her grip on Vernon as she tightly closed her eyes. All of her previous fears were suddenly wiped from her mind as they became replaced by the more urgent and pressing need to will her stomach chambers into behaving as the truck sped out of the parking lot.

Despite the lack of vision caused by her tightly shut eyes, the ewe could vaguely tell every move the vehicle made through its series of terse starts and stops. It stopped sharply at each turn, letting off a honk at what she assumed was another car in the lot before coming to a hard stop. Dawn forced an eye open long enough to see that Audrey had stopped at the mouth of the lot, and was just about to turn back on to the country road that brought them there. It wouldn't be long before they were back on the highway, and Dawn gulped as she imagined just how fast the she-wolf would be driving once she got to it.  
As the vehicle lurched forward again, Dawn slammed her eyes shut and began to silently pray to herself as the car picked up speed.

"Don't throw up" She muttered quietly to herself. "Don't throw up, don't throw up." again and again she continued the mantra as she felt the cars speed continue to build.

"Honey Lamb?" She could hear Vernon's voice, but she couldn't respond. Breaking her focus now could spell disaster for those within vomiting distance. She could feel the chambers in her stomach doing back flips.

"MA!" Thunk! Thunk! Came a heavy rapping from somewhere in the back. She could tell that was Wade's voice. "Slow down will ya! Yer making us sick back here!"

Dawn wasn't sure if Audrey had heard her son, or simply had gotten the message through the heavy pounding against the truck, but slowly she felt the speed of the vehicle begin to ease. As it drew slower and slower Dawn could feel her stomach start to settle, and soon the ewe was able to release her vice like grip on Vernon's arms as the speed finally arrived at something more reasonable. Dawn let out a sigh as she finally opened her eyes again.

They were now back on the highway, although thankfully obeying the speed limit at this point. The ewe wiped her brow before placing a hoof to her head.

"Ugh..." Dawn murmured.

"Sorry Darlin'." Vernon replied, gently brushing back the ewe's head wool as Dawn steadied herself.

"Mother has always been quite the...emotional mammal." Xavier added.

Dawn tilted her head toward the sky, laying it back against Vernon's chest as she regained her bearings. She could feel the mixture of cotton candy and other fair foods that had risen up into the back of her gullet slowly sliding back down where it belonged.

It took a few moments of cloud gazing before Dawn could finally bring her focus back to the truck beds occupants. Now that the excitement had died down, the rest of the Hunters had returned to the simple silence that had permeated the clan during the closing of the stall. Wade continued to hold the sides of the bed, staring off at nothing in particular, while Malcolm and Xavier seemed to be doing little more than simply enjoying each others embrace. 

Dawn wanted to speak, say something to try to liven up the mood that had returned from the previous altercation with Dorian. But the ewe couldn't bring herself to do it. Her thoughts had returned to her own general glumness about everything she had caused. And thus it seemed that much more inappropriate to act as though the Hunter's needed her to cheer them up. Instead, the ewe decided it was better to take a page from Wade, and simply let her mind wander as she stared out at nothing in particular.

The ewe turned her half hearted attention to the other lane of the highway across from them, watching a few stray cars stream by. By all intents and purposes it was practically rush hour, yet despite it neither side of the highway seemed particularly cluttered. Dawn chalked that up to the pros of rural living. Even with Zootopia as close as it was, the North Meadowlands simply didn't have enough mammals living in it to ever have to worry about congestion. She imagined that if one were to take the entire population of the North Meadowlands and stick them into an emptied Zootopia, they would barely fill up Savanna Square.

The familiar squeal of a police siren broke Dawn from her reverie, and as she continued to watch the lane opposite the Hunter truck the ewe caught sight of a local squad car. The ewe watched as a North meadowlands police cruiser passed on the other side of the highway. Her eyes lingered after it until it was well out of sight as her thoughts drifted back to Ada. Granted the car clearly wasn't Dorian's. She could only assume it was well at the station by now. But she couldn't help but find herself worried for the large, slightly abrasive canid. Here was a mammal that accepted Dawn as her 'sister' without a moments hesitation, and she had jumped to Dawn's defense in much the same way. Dawn barely knew Ada, yet here she rose to the ewe's defense as readily as Vernon would. Now the hyena was in who knew how much trouble. Even if she got out on bail fairly easily, Dawn was certain that nasty she-wolf Ana would do everything she could to make it worse for her. 

Dawn could feel the immense guilt returning as she imagined the poor mammal being dragged through an endless slew of hearings, and the possibility of jail time, all at the expense of a dumb ewe who couldn't stand up for herself. Even if they were to decide to return to Zootopia and call the trip a failure, she was certain she couldn't leave Ada in the lurch after what she had done for her. Dawn knew she had to do something, anything to make things square with the hyeness.

"I can tell you're worried about Ada." Xavier said, causing Dawn to snap her head in the wolf's direction. The ewe twiddled her hooves slightly as she shimmied deeper into Vernon's chest.

"Y-yes." Dawn muttered. "After what she did for me..." Dawn trailed off, glancing up at the wolf above her. "For us...I'm just, I ca-"

Xavier chuckled slightly, shaking his head. "She'll be fine Ms. Bellwether, I can assure you."

"Yeah, it's not exactly her first rodeo Darlin'." Malcolm laughed, nudging his partner playfully.

"But still, we have to do something." Dawn turned her attention back to Vernon, clasping a hoof to his chest. "M-Maybe we can pay her back for the bail. It's the least we can do!" 

"She'd never accept it." Wade interjected.

Dawn's frowned sharply. "W-what, why?"

"That girl is far too proud to take money from any mammal." Wade continued. "Even more so when it's a fight she jumped into, that stuff is fun for ol' Ada."

"B-but she did it for us!" Dawn protested.

"She chose to do it for ya'll." Malcolm said. "That's how she's gonna see it anyhow."

"B-but what about down the road?" Dawn asked. "Surely someone as tenacious and vindictive as Ana seems to be isn't going to let Ada go that easily. If she drags it into court I can't imagine what kind of compensation she's pursue." Dawn shook her head briskly. "Or worse yet, jail time."

"Well I supposed that all depends on the type of lawyer she can get a hold of." Xavier replied.

"Aw heck, that don't matter none!" Malcolm chirped, giving his partner another affectionate nudge. "My Xavi ain't gonna let nuthin' stick to Ada. He can laywer circles around any bumpkin' from the Meadowlands Ana can git her paws on! Ain't that right Darlin'?"

Xavier let out an awkward cough. "Well, if Ana ends up stick with little more than local legal representation, then yes I imagine I could get Ada off with little more than a slap on the wrist." The wolf adjusted his glasses. 

"Y-you'd represent Ada?" Dawn asked.

"I try to step in whenever my family needs legal help. So naturally that last thing I would do was leave Ada to twist in the wind." Xavier replied. "We Hunters look out for one another, as my brother so proudly boasted earlier."

"B-but what if she gets a lawyer outside of the Meadowlands, maybe someone through Loupon?" Dawn said, chewing at her hoof.

"Considering Loupon's attitude toward the end of our little confrontation, I doubt Ana's going to have the connections to pull a decent lawyer."

"Pftt, like that would matter!" Malcolm crossed his paws. "Nobody beats my Xavi when it comes to fightin' in the courtroom! I bet he could run circles around Zootopia's best legal mammals if'n he had to."

Xavier bowed his head slightly, his ears flattening out as he looked toward his lap. Dawn could see the hint of a blush forming below the fur on the wolf's muzzle.

"P-Please Malcolm, you've said enough." Xavier coughed again.

"Ain't no how I did!" Malcolm chortled. "Ya'll just need to learn to accept praise when it's due!"

"Speaking of..." Vernon added. "You made partner? When did that happen?"

Xavier perked up slightly, his blush fading under a creeping prideful grin.

"I-It was last month, give or take a few days." Xavier swelled his chest, flashing a broad smile. "I just hadn't really had a chance to mention it to everyone yet. To be honest I'm still getting used to it myself."

"Fienstag, Goldram, and Hunter..." Malcolm trailed off, letting out an appreciative sigh. "I can't tell you how overjoyed I am to see Xavi's name in big gold letters on the side of their office building. I'm so proud of my little Fluffybuns!"

Vernon and Wade let out sputtering laughs while Dawn did her best to hold in a giggle of her own. She could see Xavier's face flush a deep crimson as his eyes widened. His shock and embarrassment quickly turned into an irritated glare directed toward his mate. Malcolm shrank slightly, trying to suppress a smile of his own as he placed a paw to his mouth.

"S-Sorry Xavi honey..." Malcolm murmured.

"'Fluffybuns', 'huh?" Vernon asked, arching an eyebrow as he grinned mischievously.

"Like you have any room to talk 'Puppy Love'." Xavier retorted, letting out a snort as he crossed his arms.

"Alright fellas, we all have embarrassin' pet names." Wade interjected. " No need to get yer hackles up over it."

"Mine ain't embarrasin'." Vernon added, crossing his paws and drawing Dawn more tightly into his chest. "I like it."

Dawn let out another giggle as she hugged the wolf's arms tightly in response. However she could see that Xavier was still flustered, and rather than continue to allow the Hunter boys to tease each other, the ewe thought it best to change the subject and give the legal wolf an out.

"I must confess, I was surprised when Vernon told me you were a lawyer Xavier." Dawn said, adjusting her own spectacles. "I mean, he told me before he was the only one out of all of you who hadn't went into police work."

Xavier seemed to relax slightly, uncrossing his arms and placing his paws on his lap.

"Well, being a lawyer is still more or less police work." Xavier replied. "Except my beat is in a courtroom and my battles are fought with words. At least that's how I was able to pitch it to my Father to more or less get him to go along with it."

"He wasn't receptive to the idea?' Dawn asked.

"Well, I'll put it to you this way Miss Bellwether." Xavier sighed. " Name me one mammal who has a high opinion of a lawyer." Xavier said with a chuckle.

"I do!" Malcolm raised a paw, again giving his mate a playful nudge to make sure he noticed. Xavier let out a groan, but Dawn could see the hint of a smile on his muzzle despite it.

"But I told him that being a lawyer was to best way possible for me to be able to help other mammals." Xavier ran a paw through the fur on his scalp. "That while my brothers would be out there catching bad mammals, I would be the one making sure they were properly punished for their actions." Xavier nodded. "It was hard for Dad not to see my side of it."

"Well you do have a real way with words Xave." Vernon added. " I imagine a mammal like you could have convinced Pa that being a musician was somehow going to protect innocent mammals."

Xavier chuckled, shaking his head dismissively. "Please, you know I don't use my 'powers' to manipulate Vernon, I don't lie." Xavier rolled his eyes for a moment, scratching his chin. "Even if most mammals consider my job to be a professional 'bullshitter' as Dad would call it." Xavier laughed.

"Well, I'm sure Pa wasn't thinking you'd mostly be taking civil cases rather than criminal ones." Vernon replied with a smirk. "If anything I'd call that a lie of omission."

Xavier stabbed a finger at Vernon. "Hey, it's still an avenue that helps mammals." The wolf said sharply. Slowly he lowered his paw before easing back into a comfortable position against the edge of the truck bed. "Besides, it certainly helped you today did it not?"

Vernon gave a quiet nod.

"Xavier, if you don't mind me asking.." Dawn trailed off, waiting for the wolf to indicate for her to continue. Xavier gave her a simple, affirmative nod. "Were you always keen on taking civil cases, or is it because of your own...well...I mean..." Dawn couldn't manage to say the words. The ewe as fearful of upsetting the couple accidently. All she could manage was gesturing to the pair as she struggled to get the words out, but fortunately Xavier seemed to get the gist rather quickly. 

"Of our relationship? Oh hardly..."

"Well, lah-dee-dah." Malcolm huffed. "I certainly feel important now."

Xavier simply rolled his eyes at Malcolm before continuing. "Like the rest of my family I've always felt a need to stand up for smaller mammals as if it were a sense of personal duty. But not every mammal is small in a literal sense. Many are simply smaller metaphorically when pit against a corporation or a township. Even Mega fauna can find themselves trampled underneath the roar of pubic opinion. So that is the main reason I became deeply invested in the art of legal defense." Xavier said.

"And what's the other 'reason'?" Malcolm added, giving the mammal another nudge to emphasize his statement. Xavier glanced at the red wolf next to him, letting out a defeated sigh before turning back to Dawn.

"Yes well, ahem..." Xavier cleared his throat. "That isn't to say our relationship hasn't made it easier to sympathize with clients who are in unconventional relationships like Malcolm and I." The wolf adjusted his jacket slightly, letting out another rolling cough. "Over time that connection formulated a rather soft spot in me for mammals stuck in those circumstances. And I tended to favor helping them out above general civil cases."

"It's why Fienstag and Goldram were keen to dump 'em strictly on you after a while!" Malcolm chirped, still quite eager to cheerlead his mate's achievements loudly. 

"W-well they said I had a knack for them, that I was capable of getting emotionally invested in such cases more than they could ever hope to." The wolf asserted.

"Because you are more understanding due to being in a relationship like that yourself?" Dawn asked.

Xavier nodded. "I wouldn't say we have it particularly hard personally. San Francisgoat is a very progressive city, and even so same sex couplings aren't exactly the highest type of relationship on the totem pole of public scorn. The most hassle Malcolm and myself have had to endure usually comes from wolves." Xavier shrugged. "I assume it's because they have an easier time of telling the difference between wolves that are just hanging out together and wolves that are a couple. Perhaps through smell or some other innate intuition. Even so it's usually more of a Native Wolf thing with regards to calling us out. "

Dawn raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Totem pole of public scorn?"

Xavier chuckled, extending a paw out. He held it high in the air.

"At the top you have prey and prey couples." Xavier lowered his paw slightly. "Slightly below that you got preds in general. Considering prey are more numerous and preds used to hunt them there's bad blood there, as you already know."

Dawn grimaced slightly, nodding in acknowledgment.

"Below that you have your Omnivores, you'd be surprised to hear they get a lot of flack because of their unique diet. Mammals, both pred and prey seem to share a mutual distrust of those who can't pick a side of the dietary scale to stick to."

"Below that ya'll got mammals like us." Malcolm interrupted, hovering his own paw below Xavier's.

Xavier looked at Malcolm briefly, letting out another sigh. "Same sex couplings mostly get flack from members of their own species, what with the inability to reproduce usually being a main point of contention."

Xavier brought his paw below Malcolms. "Then we have interspecies couplings of prey and prey, and pred and pred, as well as the rare offspring of those unions such a ligers and zhorses." Xavier stated. "A bulk of my discrimination cases come from couples like these, and it's truly distressing what some of them have had to endure just to be allowed to love the mammal they wanted to." Xavier pressed the center band of his glasses, sliding them back up his nose.

"And then?" Dawn asked knowingly. She could already assume what was to come next.

Xavier let out another sigh as he lowered his paw again, it was now getting dangerously close to the floor of the truck bed.

"Then you have pred and prey couples like..." Xavier shook his head before gesturing toward Dawn and Vernon.

"I figured..." Dawn muttered.

"The cases with pred and prey couples are few and far between." The wolf sighed, scratching he head. "I think it has to do with a combination of the fact that there are so few of them, as well as the amount of shame such a coupling carries keeping them in hiding when it comes to being seen in public. I can only imagine some of the horror stories couples like those have to tell." The wolf shook his head. "Especially those living out in the sticks."

"Can't get much lower than us huh?" Vernon said with a chuckle.

"Maybe if ya'll were a liger and a zhorse in a gay interspecies relationship." Malcolm laughed, sliding a paw across the truckbed floor until it was below Xavier's. "Then I imagine ya'll'd be here."

Dawn felt the truck shift, and turning her attention back to the road she could see Audrey's truck was now pulling away from the highway. She watched as the cement drifted out of sight, only to be replaced by long, amber stalks of grain. She imagined it wasn't much longer until they would be back at the ranch. Dawn couldn't help but ruminate on Xavier's talk of about the ladder of societal outcasts, and the suffering of all the mammals who simply wanted nothing more than to live their lives the way they chose in peace. She wanted the same, with Vernon, with her Mother, with the Hunters. But at the moment it all seemed so frustrating, so hard. How could she and Vernon have that simple peace without jeopardizing the rest of their families.

"It must be such a struggle..." Dawn mumbled. It hadn't been directed at anyone, it had simply slipped out before Dawn knew what she was saying.

"It can be." Xavier replied, drawing Dawn's attention to the fact she had spoken out loud. The ewe placed a hoof to her muzzle, blushing slightly in embarrassment.

"I've spoken to numerous clients who've told me so many miserable and horrific stories." Xavier shook his head in disappointment. "Ex-communicated by families, by friends and loved ones. Vandalism, physical abuse, in rare cases a death. Just because of their strong desire to simply be with the mammal they love."

Xavier let out a sad sigh, and for a moment the wolf remained silent, allowing the quiet ambience of the wind to dominate the truck bed. Dawn watched the wolf turn to glance at his partner before a small smile crawled across his muzzle. Xavier leaned over to Malcolm, planting a gentle kiss on his forehead before pulling him in with one arm. Malcolm let out an affection sigh as he leaned into his mate.

"But they fought, and when they needed help they came to me so they could keep fighting." Xavier said confidently. "Being in an unusual relationship like you or I, or the rest of my brothers can be a struggle, but so is anything worth fighting for." The well dressed wolf squeezed his mate into a hug.

Dawn could feel tears start to well as Xavier's words hit home inside her. Glancing up at the wolf above her, she could see his own glistening eyes looking back. And as Vernon's grip around her tightened into a hug of it's own the ewe began to feel something burning inside. A flicker of heat similar to what she had felt in her dreams while comatose in the hospital. Determination.

Xavier was right, his simple but effective statement encapsulated everything Dawn should have been thinking all along. Aside from Dorian, Yuri, and possibly Ulric, most of Vernon's family were stalwart in their support of the two of them being together. Despite Dawn's past, despite the difference in species, and in apparent spite of the risks that were associated with fraternizing with mixed species couples. She and Vernon had the fortune that despite it all they were still lucky enough to be surrounded by so many loving and supportive mammals. Nick, Judy, her Mother, Audrey, Vanna, the list expanded far beyond the capacity for Dawn to count on her own hooves. These were luxuries the mammals that went to seek Xavier's help most likely didn't have. Yet they didn't turn and run away, back into the dark. They stood, and they fought to be able to simply live a relatively normal life. Not only did Dawn owe the completion of her book to herself and Vernon, but she owed it to all the other mammals whose struggles the book would help shed light on. Something they could rally behind and get the attention they deserved.

But the ewe also knew she had to fight for her new family. Despite all that had happened over the first two days of the re-union, every encounter gone awry or misstep, there had always been a Hunter to stand up and defend them. The family had even gone so far to stand against the head of their household all for her and Vernon's sake, and it had been fractured because of it. Dawn couldn't simply give up now, simply turn tail and run back to Zootopia as fast as her hooves could carry her. She owed it to her new family to try to fix the problem, to heal the rift she had created. Even if she couldn't, at the very least she owed it to the Hunter family to try. But the question that now hung in the ewe's mind was simply 'how'?

"Which is why I am still so surprised at my Father for his supposed 'solution'!" Xavier huffed.

"Oh hush now Xavi." Malcolm cooed. "Dori ain't worth getting flustered over."  
Xavier let out a scoff. "It is when he's behaving in such a manner, I swear."

"W-well it is his job to keep the peace." Wade stuttered slightly. "Things were getting a bit out of paw there, you were kind of losing it Xave."

Xavier snorted, throwing his brother a glare.

"Oh do not get all 'peace maker' on me Wade." The wolf made air quoting gestures as he emphasized 'peace maker'.

" His actions were completely untenable!" Xavier hissed, crossing his paws. "I've never seen Father behave in such a manner! Let alone side with mammals who were clearly in the wrong."

"He has been actin' different hasn't he?" Malcolm mused, placing a finger to his chin. "Seems like he's all riled up, like something's got under his fur."

"Yeah, us." Vernon muttered tersely.

"That's preposterous!" Xavier cried, gesturing to the two of them. "If you and Dawn are the reason for his behavior, then as I said early it is a slap in the face to the rest of us." Xavier huffed. "How can he approve of our relationships if he seems to take issue with yours? How can he accept Vanna, Qali, Ada or even Malcolm and spurn your mate?"

"M-maybe..." Dawn murmured. She could feel cud rising in her throat as she once again had to think about her own horrible misdeeds. She was averse to bringing it up again, but it seemed like the most obvious answer.

"Maybe it's because of my involvement in the 'Night Howler' plot." Dawn sighed.

Xavier shook his head decisively in dismissal. "Nonsense." the dowdy wolf replied without hesitation. "Father was a champion of rehabilitation, he believed in the idea even more than anyone else in this family."

"And after what ya'll did in Zootopia months ago, I'd think that'd be enough proof to the ol' wolf you were on the level Darlin'." Malcolm added.

"W-what else can it be then?" Dawn replied firmly, drawing back slightly in surprise of her own statements. But it was true, if it had nothing to do with the species difference, than it had to be Dawn's history as an ex-criminal. But the ewe's certainty began to waiver as she recalled a previous conversation with the Hunter girls earlier that day. 

Ada and Qali had vastly disagreed about Dorian's true personality because they had met him at different times. And Vanna explained that Dorian had become reclusive and colder in the past few months, even before Dawn had been dating his son in an official sense. Perhaps there was something deeper there that Dawn was simply missing, and Vernon and her showing up had simply been an inopportune time to meet the wolf. As if to confirm her suspicions, the next words out of Malcolm's mouth seemed to add to the story Vanna had painted before.

"Last time I was out to visit he wasn't anything like this. Hell, he was the first one to hug me!" Xavier lamented.

"Ada said something very similar to me today." Dawn responded, scratching her chin.

"Oh?" Xavier asked, seemingly intrigued.

"Yes."" Dawn nodded. "When did the two of you last visit?"

Xavier placed a paw to his chin, rolling his eyes as he searched his thoughts.

"Hmm...I'd say..." The wolf trailed off as he tapped a finger against his chin repeatedly. " A little under a year ago, during 'Courtship Day' break I believe."

Dawn nodded in affirmation. "That lines up with what Ada, Vanna and Qali said. That Dorian's only been acting this way for the last few months."

"Well either way." Xavier huffed. "Good luck getting the real reason out of him when he's acting like such a mongrel, he's more stubborn that Vernon!" The well dressed wolf smirked as he gestured to his brother.

"Hey!" Vernon snapped. " I ain't that stubborn!"

Dawn chuckled, patting the wolf on the leg as she eyed him doubtfully. "Vernon, you made us part of a police chase because you weren't willing to let the police take me in for questioning."

"That's different!" The wolf sputtered. "They were trying to frame you!"

"Oh now this is one I absolutely have to hear the details on." Xavier grinned mischievously as he crossed his paws.

Dawn was about to open her mouth, to retell the harrowing story in earnest, but Vernon cut her off.

"Hey look! Were home!" The wolf cried loudly, drawing the ewes attention to her surroundings.

The ewe could see the car was in the process of slowing to a stop as the Hunter Family Ranch pulled into sight. The large sprawling cabin loomed over the old truck as it finally parked, and the rumble of the engine died away. Vernon had popped the trunk door open even before the truck had managed to come to a full stop. The wolf only paused to slide Dawn off his lap and back onto the truck bed before sliding his way off of the vehicle.

"Welp, I better head inside and get the picnic stuff!" The wolf announced abruptly as he adjusted the hem of his jeans.

Xavier simply chuckled as Wade began to make his way toward the trunk flap, shaking his head as the wolf passed. As Malcolm helped the well dressed wolf to his feet, he turned his attention back to Dawn, flashing the ewe a warm smile. 

"Promise me you will tell me later, I really want to hear what kind of trouble my poor little brother got himself into."

Dawn smiled, nodding briskly at Xavier before the couple made their way off the back of the truck and onto the gravel drive. As Xavier passed by Vernon, he gave him a firm pat on the shoulder, letting out another laugh before leaving the couple alone.

Dawn eyed the wolf with a smirk of her own, which cause Vernon to turn his attention to the floor in shame.

"I...I said I was sorry for it." Vernon muttered.

Dawn scooted over to the edge of the trunk, giving the wolf an affection pat on the chest.

"I know." She cooed, extending a hoof to the wolf to help her down. "But that doesn't mean I'm not going to tell it to others." Dawn giggled as Vernon clasped her hoof tightly. The wolf brought his other arm under her legs, effectively making a lower ledge for her to slide off from. "Especially family."

Dawn hopped to the ground with ease, letting out a grunt as her hooves impacted the uncomfortable gravel. She never usually gave much thought to investing in a pair of 'solepads' like the ones Judy wore, but being in the rough terrain of the country rather than the smooth streets of Zootopia was certainly making her think twice about the idea. The ewe dusted her skirt off before turning her attention toward the now towering wolf.

Vernon was still clearly embarrassed. His teeth were clenched into a firm cringe as he let out a soft whine.

"Y-you ain't really gonna tell 'em all are ya?" Vernon muttered.

Dawn smirked, flicking a hoof toward the wolf. "I suppose it depends on how the picnic goes." Dawn said with a grin.

With that, the wolf's ears perked up, and Dawn could see his tail begin to wag.

"O-Oh the picnic!" The wolf yelped. The way he had said it made it seem as though he had temporarily forgotten it. "Yeah! I have to get all the gear."

Vernon turned, taking a step toward the house before turning back toward Dawn. Reaching down, the wolf gave Dawn's wooly poof a playful tousle. Dawn did her best to swat him away, giggling all the while. But it did little to stop the wolf.

"You wait here, and I'll be back in two shakes of..." Vernon shook his head, letting out a chuckle. "In two shakes of yer tail." The wolf flashed a cheesy grin.

Dawn let out a snorting laugh. "That's not funny."

Vernon pointed a finger toward the ewe as he began to walk backward toward the ranch. "But you laughed!"

Dawn shook her head as the wolf turned away from her and began a swift jog toward the front door. The wolf was nearly at the house when the slamming of car doors and excited gibbering drew Dawn's attention back to the truck cab. In all the excitement the ewe had nearly forgotten about Audrey and Ulric.

"Alright Ulric, I love ya. But seriously yer Ma has a headache." Audrey sighed as she marched passed Dawn toward the door. The she-wolf had a paw clasped to her head, her faced twisted up into a painful wince. Ulric was following close behind, practically hopping in place with excitement. Despite his Mother's declaration, it seemed to do little to slow the wolf down.

"Because that's where sheep came from Ma!' The wolf protested. "That's why they got those weird eyes!"

Dawn suppressed a giggle as she watched the pair continue to trudge toward the house, Audrey looking increasingly tired with each woeful step. All the while Ulric's rant growing quieter and quieter with only a few loud phrases popping out like 'UFO's' and something about 'wool transmitters' before they finally disappeared inside. Now Dawn was alone, left with nothing but the soothing hum of the light breeze wafting across the Meadowlands. The ewe took a moment to lean against the car, letting out a sigh as she began to think back to the matter at hoof once more.

Now that Dawn was set on staying and trying to make up for the trouble she had caused. But the ewe remained uncertain of just how to even begin to go about it. She kept coming back to the talk she had with the other members of the family, about how Dorian had changed seemingly overnight with no provocation. Surely there was a reason, surely some catalyst had to have forced the wolf to change. It was in that moment it became clear to Dawn. Like a brilliant flash through her mind, it became instantly apparent as to what she had to do.

She knew she had to talk to Dorian, alone. It was the only way to possibly mend the situation. Should any of the Hunter's go with her, especially Vernon, it would only end in an explosive argument. She had to face the head of the family, and remain calm and rational in the face of anything the wolf might throw at her. She had to prove to Dorian that she could stand up to him, to stand up for the mammal she loved, and prove that love. Maybe then she could earn the wolf's respect, or at the very least learn the exact reason why he seemed to have it out for her. She had failed to hold her ground at the fair, but she was damn well going to hold her ground now. She had to, for the Hunters, for Vernon, and for herself.


	22. The Best Laid Plans

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Twenty Two: The Best Laid Plans

Dawn let out a tired yawn as she leaned against Audrey's beat up old truck. Vernon had been gone for several minutes, leaving Dawn little to keep herself occupied other than her own thoughts. It was something she really didn't mind. Although she was certain the wolf was now driving himself crazy trying to find whatever he could add to the picnic supplies in order to make up for the days events. It was something Dawn would consider wholly unnecessary, the picnic itself was more than enough to make her happy. But she knew there would be no convincing her Puppy Love otherwise. The wolf had a stubborn heart, and when she was concerned, Vernon wouldn't rest until he had her smiling again. Still, the benefit of being alone with her thoughts gave her more time to mull over how best to approach the now pressing meeting she needed to have with Dorian without Vernon asking what she was thinking about. 

Out of all the Hunters, the last one she needed to have any inkling that she intended to speak with Dorian privately would be Vernon. The wolf was too invested in his love for her to even consider letting her face Dorian alone. But the more she thought over the confrontation, the more she realized just how unequipped she was to face him. Dawn barely knew anything about Dorian other than he was a sheriff, that he used to be considerably more easy going, and he apparently hated her. Whether that had to do with her being mated to his son, her criminal history or both she couldn't say. But regardless the older wolf clearly had it out for her. And with that bare minimum of knowledge she was sure to push the wolf's buttons in one way or another simply by accident. If Dawn had to face the older wolf, she wanted their discussion to remain as friendly and amicable as possible for as long as it could. She needed to keep a tight hold on her own emotions and remain stoic in the face of whatever Dorian might say. And it wasn't going to be an easy feat without any sort of insight into the wolf proper.

Dawn heard a cacophony of thuds nearby, causing the ewe to snap to attention. Dawn quickly pushed herself away from the truck, craning her head up to search for what had caused the sudden noise.

"Ha, I told you! I knew you couldn't carry ten cases at once! I win the bet!" Dawn turned to the source of the voice, spying the large supply van parked outside the nearby barn. That familiar chirpy voice could only have come from Qali, and so Dawn wasn't surprised to see the diminutive fox hopping in place near the back end of the truck. Standing right next to her was a very annoyed looking Vanna. The tigress had a paw clasped against her head as she stared down a pile of spilled pie crates which had clearly been the source of the noise.

"Vanna!" Dawn thought to herself as she watched tigress began to scoop some of the fallen boxes back into her large arms. Vanna would be the perfect mammal to ask about how to carry herself when dealing with Dorian. Aside from her willingness to so easily accept Dawn as her sister, the tigress worked with the older wolf. Her and Zach were around the farm more than any of the Hunter siblings, and Vanna knew about how Dorian behaved before whatever changed him. If any mammal could offer the best advice as to confronting Dorian, as well as keep it a secret, it would be the towering tigress. Dawn nodded to herself to affirm her plan before she began a brisk walk toward the pair.

"You owe me twenty Zbucks!" Qali added as Vanna continued to stack cases in her arms.

"Ugh, I'm probably already going to have to pay that much for the pies I just ruined." Vanna lamented.

"Pfft, sure." Qali said, cocking an eyebrow as she crossed her arms. "Like Auddy ever made a single one of us pay for pies before. You're not getting out of this one!"

Vanna chuckled. "To be fair, I almost had them."

"Next time Kitten." Zach said as he clambered out of the back of the van, clutching four cases of his own as he approached the tigress. The wolf gave her a soft pat on the arm as he passed, eliciting a sigh from Vanna. Zach let out a soft chuckle before adjusting his cases slightly and making his way into the barn.

"Vanna!" Dawn signaled the tigress with a wave. Both Qali and Vanna turned their attention toward the ewe as she approached, with Vanna placing the cases she was holding back on the edge of the van before facing Dawn.

"Hey Fluffball! You all right?" Qali chirped, earning a raised eyebrow from Vanna. Qali simply shrugged at the confused tigress.

"What? I'm still running through nickname ideas." Qali replied.

"I-I'm fine, I'm fine." Dawn attempted to reassure the arctic fox as she arrived.

"Good to hear." Vanna replied, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. "I was worried you and Vernon would be feeling pretty bad after...well..." Vanna rolled her eyes, looking away from the lamb as she winced. "With what happened at the fair."

Dawn grimaced, looking down at her feet as she awkwardly kicked at the soft dirt below.

"W-well, I mean..." Dawn stuttered. "I'd be lying if I said it didn't get to either of us." The ewe sighed as she looked back up at the tigress with sorrowful eyes. "Although I'm probably more worried about putting the rest of you in danger be-"

"Aw, you didn't put us out any Dawn." That voice came from inside the moving van, and Dawn turned to find Trenton making his way out of the back with one of the large tubs of corn. The white wolf hopped off the edge of the truck, causing it to bob slightly in time with his jump. Trenton adjusted his grip on the faded blue bucket before approaching the rest of the mammals. The wolf smiled widely at Dawn.

"We stick up for our family, and we're proud to do it." The wolf added.

"B-but what about your Mother's stand?" Dawn replied, biting her hoof.

Trenton shook his head at the very notion. "Ah, it'll all get worked out, always does." Trenton chuckled softly. "Can't keep a Hunter down."

Dawn tried to smile, to pretend as though the wolf's words had eased her fears, but the weak facsimile she produced clearly wasn't convincing enough as the wolf continued.

"And Ada will be fine, trust me." Trenton added. "Throwing a punch ain't the worst crime in the world. And with Xavi's help I doubt she'll see any hard time."

Dawn let out a long sigh as she gave the wolf a meek nod. She had already heard as much from the other Hunter Brothers, and whether she chose to believe their confident claims or not, it was clear that was all she was going to hear from them.

"Is Vernon holding up okay?" Vanna asked.

Dawn glanced back at the Hunter Ranch over her shoulder, checking to see if the wolf was still inside. With no sign of her Sheepdog, and the doubtless large pile of supplies he'd be carrying, the ewe turned back to the conversation.

"H...He's clearly upset." Dawn muttered. "B-but he promised me he would talk about it while we have our picnic."

"Good." Trenton said, re-adjusting the tub he was carrying. "Don't let him try to worm out of it either, Puppy ain't exactly good with handlin' bad emotions. Doesn't like to burden those he loves with 'em. So he ends up keeping them buried inside till he bursts." 

Dawn gave the wolf a sharp and decisive nod. "I won't, I swear."

Trenton smiled, giving the ewe a nod of approval. "I can't see you having too much trouble with that, that Pup would do anything for you."

"Y-you think so?" Dawn replied timidly, twisting a foot in the dirt.

"Vernon told me enough this morning on the ride out. Puppy's got it for ya bad." The wolf held up a paw while balancing the corn bin on his knee. "'Course I can't say anymore, I promised not to embarrass him too much." Trenton said with a chuckle.

Dawn felt a genuine smile creep it's way through the sadness on her surface. She knew her Puppy loved her, but hearing just how much from some other mammals lips, especially close family, made it all the more meaningful. It was just more proof of the wolf's overwhelming pride in being able to call the ewe his mate, and Dawn always found it touching despite the occasional trouble that came with being so open about it. Now it was only strengthening the ewe's resolve when it came to meeting with the head of the Hunter family.

"V-Vanna?" Dawn asked, not fully sure of how to approach the tigress about the plan she had been contemplating. "C-can I talk to you about something for a minute..." The ewe paused, twiddling her hooves nervously. "In private?"

Vanna arched an eyebrow, looking at Trenton and Qali for a moment before turning back to Dawn.

"Um...sure?" Vanna replied, clearly taken back by how oddly Dawn had asked the question.

"Hey! What about me?" Qali interjected, placing a paw on her hip.

"O-oh...well..." Dawn sputtered. "W-well I k-kind of wanted t-to keep it a s-secret."

Qali's ears drooped and she let out a soft whine.

"Oh c'mon! We're sisters! I promise to keep it a secret just as well as Vanna would! Puh-lease!?" The fox continued to whimper as she clasped her paws together pleadingly.

Dawn winced as the tiny fox's eyes seemed to grow as big as saucers. It was clear she knew how to use the weaponized 'puppy eyes' just as well as Vernon did. The ewe looked up to Vanna and Trent for help, flashing unsure eyes of her own at the pair.

"I can vouch for her." Trenton said. "My little Snowflake does a good job of keepin' a lid on private matters, at least as long as I've known her."

The ewe was hesitant to share her problem with more than one member of the family, but Dawn didn't want to snub her new sister despite how important her plan was. Dawn let out a reluctant sigh as she hung her head in defeat.

"O-Okay, you can come too Qali." Dawn muttered.

"YES!" The fox briefly bounced in place in excitement, her tail seeming to lag in the air with each hop before floating back down. "Don't worry, you can trust me! I won't say a thing, I swear!"

Dawn let out another sigh as she shook her head at the diminutive fox. Looking back Trenton's way she caught the wolf chuckling.

"Well I'll leave you to it then." Trent nodded, " Trust you don't need a third considering..." 

"T-thank you Trenton." Dawn said, offering a meek smile to the wolf.

The wolf flashed a smile of his own before readjusting his grip on the heavy bucket of cobs. With a grunt, the wolf began to track toward the open mouth of the barn before making his way inside. 

With Trenton now out of sight, the ewe motioned for the two other mammals to follow her as she made her way back toward Audrey's truck and out of ear shot of the two brothers who were still working. Qali was off like a rocket the moment Dawn had started moving, keeping in almost lockstep with the ewe. Vanna behaved more casually, taking slow and relaxed strides to cover the ground the two smaller mammals had strode before her.

Once Dawn reached the side of the car, she beckoned the girls to come in close around her. She wanted to keep her voice as low as possible while still being heard, just incase Vernon finally showed up before she had a chance to finish discussing the situation with the girls. While Qali simply leaned in, pointing an ear directly at the ewe, Vanna was forced to crouch, nearly kneeling on the ground in order to bring herself level with the ewe.

Now that Dawn had their attention she could feel a lump form in her throat. She was nervous of what they might think of her idea, but even more so of how they thought Dorian would respond. But she knew it was the only chance she had at making things right.

"I'm v-very concerned..." Dawn stammered quietly. "A-about Mr. Hunter.

Vanna let out a tired sigh. "Don't worry about Old 'Mam Hunter." Vanna replied almost reflexively, as if she had been anticipating this. "He's-"

"Wait." Dawn protested, holding her hooves out to stop the tigress. "It's not about me..." Dawn chewed at her hoof slightly. "W-well not completely."

Vanna and Qali eyed each other in confusion before turning their attention back to the ewe.

"Then what do you mean?" Vanna asked.

Dawn took a deep breath. She was ready to lay it all on the table, and she wanted to make sure she wasn't interrupted until she got it all out or else she might lose her nerve. With a heavy sigh, the ewe straightened her glasses and began.

"B-before Vernon and I came to visit Dorian was on edge." Dawn said. "You've told me so yourself Vanna, that he wasn't always like this."

Vanna gave the ewe a simple nod.

"And then Vernon and I show up and make it worse." Dawn continued. " I mean, incidents at home aside, we must have put a great deal of strain on the old wolf with what happened at the fair. If what you've told me is true it's not surprising the wolf acted the way he had."

"So?" Qali cut in. "What's it matter if ol' Dori's got a bug up his butt?"

"What matters is..." Dawn continued. "That me being here has hurt the family. That Vernon and I have driven a wedge between Dorian and the rest of you."

"He did that to himself Dawn." Vanna interjected. "Sure Dorian has been acting differently for months, but agreeing to kick you out of the fair was out of line."

Dawn shook her head briskly.

"It wouldn't have happened if we hadn't come to the fair. If we had chosen a different week, a different time. Something smaller and quieter. I'm sure Vernon and my relationship is a great deal to take in on top of having the entire family home for a busy holiday weekend. Maybe he would have handled it better if Vernon and I had approached this whole thing differently, eased the older wolf into it." Dawn sighed. "I should have challenged Vernon's plans a bit more than I did when it came to setting this up, then maybe we could have met Dorian under better circumstances."

"Dawn-" Vanna tried to speak, but the ewe held her hoof up once more.

"But that's all in the past." Dawn asserted, readjusting her glasses. "The only thing I can try to do now is fix this mess. To try to undo what we caused, and maybe get to the root of what's bothering Dorian, even if it turns out to just be me."

Vanna sighed, shaking her head in dismissal.

"So what are you gonna do?" Qali asked.

Dawn took a deep breath, shaking her upper body in an attempt to cast out her nervousness and steel herself.

"I need to talk to him." Dawn said. "Alone."

Vanna's eyes widened, clearly the tigress was in shock. The large tigress opened her mouth, only to close it again as she seemed at a loss for words. Qali however, certainly wasn't. 

"Are you crazy!?" Qali yelped.

"Qali!" Vanna hissed, glaring at the tiny fox.

"What, it is crazy!" Qali asserted, placing her paws on her hips before throwing her glance at Dawn. " Whatever crawled up Dori's butt and died only got worse when you guys showed up. He's clearly got something against you!" Qali gestured a paw to Dawn. "And you want to go talk to him by yourself!?"

"While I'm not going to jump to extremes like my sister..." Vanna winced. "I will agree that I don't think that is such a good idea."

"I had a feeling you'd say something like that." Dawn said, shaking her head in disappointment. "But how else am I going to begin to get to the root of the problem if I don't try to talk it out?" Dawn spread her hooves as she gestured to the girls. "Even if it's just me that's the source of the problem, I'm never going to change his mind if I don't try to work through it with him."

"But you can't just go in there alone!" Qali pleaded. "You gotta let us back you up!"

Dawn shook her head in a decisive decline.

"I have to do it by myself." The ewe asserted. "If anyone comes with me it's just going to make Dorian more defensive, and more than likely lead to a shouting match. If I go alone I stand the best chance of keeping the conversation calm and collected. And that's the only chance I have at getting through to him."

"Dorian's a stubborn wolf." Vanna said, placing a paw to her head. "Once he's got himself set on something, it's hard to sway him to change his position."

"Yeah, I mean look at Vernon!" Qali piped in. "I mean how long did Papa Hunter keep on him about being a cop? I still don't think the Old Mams let it go! So what chance are you going to have at-"

"I need to try Qali." Dawn said. "For me, for Vernon, for this whole family. I owe it to all of you."

Vanna let out a groan as she placed her head in her paws. An uneasy silence hung over the group for a few moments before Vanna finally croaked out a reply.

"Fine..." Vanna grumbled. "But for the record, I think this is a terrible idea."

"You're going to just let her do it!?" Qali yelped.

"Dawn can do what she wants, she's an adult." Vanna replied. "Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"

Qali looked at the tigress in disbelief, her ears straight and stiff and mouth agape as she stared back at Vanna.

"He could!" Qali sputtered. "I mean he's! I!" The little fox shook her head briskly. "I don't know what! But it's going to suck!" Qali spat.

"He ain't gonna hurt her." Vanna replied bluntly.

"The worst that could happen would be that he chews me out." Dawn added. " It's not like I haven't heard that sort of talk from other mammals that hated me, and I'm prepared to endure it this time." Dawn sighed. "At least then I'll know the exact reason why he's acting the way he is."

"But we have to help somehow!" Qali spat. "We can't just let you do this all by yourself!"

Dawn cleared her throat, adjusting her frames slightly as she turned her attention to Vanna.

"W-well actually. It would help to get an idea of exactly what I'm getting myself into." Dawn scratched the back of her head awkwardly. " I don't know very much about the wolf, but considering his nature and job I can't imagine he's going to take it easy on me." Dawn sighed. "I need some advice on how to hold my own against him. Things I should avoid, and how he tends to act in a conversation or argument. I need to be able to withstand anything he can throw at me."

Vanna let out a sigh of her own before easing herself the rest of the way onto the ground. The tigress crossed her legs, resting one of her paws on her knees before gesturing to Dawn to do the same. The ewe was quick to obey, easing herself into a similar seated position before leaning in attentively toward the tigress. Qali continued to stand in place for a few moments, crooking her head in confusion before seeming to get the idea and sitting herself down. Unlike Vanna and Dawn however, the arctic fox simply kneeled, scooching closer to the others and leaning in intently.

"Well, first off..." Vanna said, clearing her throat. "It is important that you go in there one hundred percent sure of yourself. If you show any kind of weakness, Papa Hunter is going to pounce on it in an instant."

"A-any weakness?" Dawn stuttered.

The tigress nodded. "Dorian didn't get to the top position at the station for no reason. The mammal is an expert in law enforcement, and an extremely shrewd when it comes to interrogation." Vanna said coolly. " He can make any mammal feel guilty, which is part of the reason they ended up taking him off interrogation duty."

Dawn bit at her hoof nervously. "I-I don't know if I can be o-one hundred percent on a-anything." Dawn muttered. "Especially when I'm nervous."

"Yeah, that seems kinda impossible." Qali added.

Vanna raised a finger. "The important thing is that you have to believe you aren't guilty of anything going in there. Or at least appear you feel that way." The tigress crossed her arms. "You have to go into his office as if you are a bystander. A victim, not a suspect."

"B-but what if he brings u-"

"Change the subject, evade him." Vanna cut the ewe off. "Do not admit fault, and believe what you are saying. You need to keep the pressure on him, not let him put it on you." Vanna placed her paws on her knees. "Keep it related to your visit and the fair, don't let him dredge up your past. It's not relevant to the weekends events."

"O-okay." Dawn said, twiddling her hooves nervously.

It was then Vanna reached out, bringing her paw on Dawn's shoulder. The large tigress gave it a firm squeeze as she stared right into Dawn's eyes. Vanna's intense glare made Dawn shudder, it was the coldest look the tigress had given her since they had first met. There was nothing but a deadly serious in her gaze.

"You have to swear to me you can do that." Vanna said sternly. "I won't let you go in alone otherwise unless you swear to me, firmly and without hesitation that you can handle it."

Dawn was quick to swallow the hard lump that had formed in her throat, giving the tigress a brisk and decisive nod.

"Yes." Dawn said. "I can do it! I will do it!" The ewe continued to nod briskly until she felt Vanna release her grip on the ewe's shoulder.

"Papa Hunter says he can smell bullshit a mile away." Vanna said, her cold stare relaxing into something more comfortable.

"V-vernon said that too." Dawn replied. "He said they all had it supposedly."

Vanna nodded. "Good intuition, Papa Hunter is quick to say it runs in the family. But it's not unbeatable." Vanna said, placing her paws back on her knees. "If you believe what you say firmly enough, it should keep him from aggressively pursuing that topic." Vanna raised a paw. "If a shark can't sense blood in the water, they can't find their prey."

Dawn nodded briskly. It was certainly going to be hard, but at least now she had some semblance of a strategy when it came to what to expect from Dorian.

"And like Vanna said, you got to keep Papa Hunter on his toes!" Qali added. "You keep the ball in his court, keep him answering questions rather than asking his own!"

Vanna nodded. "You keep the pressure on him, don't let him latch on to something or he'll never let you get a word in edgewise. Once he's got his teeth in something, he's not going to let up."

"When Trenny first introduced us, I talked the Old Mam' under." Qali giggled. "I sent him running for his office because I just kept asking him all sorts of stuff."

"You do that to everyone." Vanna chuckled, rubbing the fox's hair with one of her massive paws. Qali tried to push back, swatting playfully at Vanna's paw. But the tigress didn't stop until the fox simply gave up.

"Mutton chops." Dawn muttered, placing a hoof over her mouth. "I-I wanted this to be an amicable conversation, b-but you make it sound like I s-should be ready for war."

Vanna let out a tired sigh. "Don't feel to badly Dawn, these days Papa Hunter seems to see most of us as the enemy when it comes to prolonged conversation." The tigress placed a paw to her temple. "Especially when any of us bring up how he's been acting."

"T-that's another thing I w-wanted to ask you about." Dawn said, tapping her hooves together gingerly. "Earlier today you said that D-Dorian wasn't always like this, that he used to be much softer only months ago." Dawn scratched her head. "Do you remember anything that could have...you know..." Dawn tapped her muzzle as she tried to find the right words. "Caused him to change like that?"

Vanna shook her head. "Not that I can think of." The tigress tapped a claw to her chin.

"Not a thing?" Dawn frowned. "Anything at all?" The ewe was looking for something to latch on to, any thread she could snare to glean some reasoning other than her arrival that may be vexing the older wolf.

Vanna continued to scratch her chin, rolling her eyes as she evidently searched her thoughts.

"W-well Yuri got suspended for a week from active duty around that time. He was pretty furious at him for that." Vanna grumbled. "Although to be honest that happens once a year at least."

Dawn considered the idea, but judging by Vanna's uncertainty, it seemed like it was a weak lead.

"Hmm..." Vanna's tone sounded as if she had something, and Dawn leaned forward in anticipation.

"I remember a few of our officers were discharged for some reason..." The tigress murmured. "I never heard why exactly, I think Dori handled it personally."

"So you don't know anything else about it?" Dawn persisted, hoping to jog Vanna's memory.

"It was some sort of corruption thing I think. A couple of the old timers on the force got the boot." Vanna shrugged. "But that's the most I heard about it. It was all handled very quietly. Very hush hush."

Dawn let out a sigh. It wasn't much to go on, but it was something at the least. Perhaps Dorian knew the mammals and was upset to find that they had been involved in corrupt activities. Or perhaps Dorian had been involved in some way. Dawn couldn't imagine a mammal like Dorian, one who seemed to regard the law so highly, and was so respected in the Meadowlands community to be capable of such a thing. Then again, the ewe knew plenty of mammals that looked at her as an upstanding, moral politician before betraying that trust and nearly destroying the city itself. Perhaps it was this reason that repelled Dorian from her so sharply, because they had been more alike than the wolf wanted to admit.

"You don't think he was involved in that stuff do you Vanna?" Qali piped up, stealing the question right off of Dawns muzzle. The tigress arched an eyebrow before shaking the notion off.

"Pfft...'Ol Papa Hunter is as straight as an arrow." Vanna replied. "He'd never do anything illegal, he's a law dog through and through."

"I don't know, you did say he's been acting way different lately." Qali continued. "How can you be so sure?"

Vanna scoffed. "I've known the mammal for four plus years Snowball." The tigress chided. "He's been a grump since I signed on, but he's always followed the law to the letter. He wouldn't even cut corners on me or Zach." Vanna placed a paw to her head. "We've both have more than enough traffic tickets between us to vouch for that."

"You'd be surprised to find what 'good mammals' can be capable of." Dawn muttered sadly. It was something the ewe hated to suggest, but as living proof of it, it was simply a possibility that could not be denied.

"That's not Dorian." Vanna replied. "He just isn't like that."

"You said Auddy had mentioned Dorian was even less irritable before you came on the force right?" Dawn asked. "And that it only got worse recently?"

Vanna nodded, crossing her arms as the lamb asked her questions.

"I don't know...I mean...it could still be..." Dawn trailed off. "Maybe even something petty?"

"He wouldn't do it. I'd stake my badge on it." Vanna replied firmly.

"Well then...I suppose I'm just as much at a loss as when I started." Dawn sighed, placing a hoof to her forehead. For Vanna's sake she was willing to take the tigress' word on it for now, but it was a possibility that would still linger in her mind as something to explore. "But I still have to talk to him regardless. I have to try to get through to him."

"This stinks." Qali sighed. "There's got to be something else we can do to help!"

Dawn looked down at her lap uneasily. "W-well there is another thing I need you to do for me, but..." Dawn raised her head to look at the mammals again, now with a sharp frown. "But you aren't going to like it any better."

"You want us not to tell anyone?" Vanna evidently knew what the ewe was going to say next. Dawn gave a slow, affirmative nod.

"What!?" Qali raised her voice, to which Vanna immediately shushed her. The arctic fox grasped her muzzle, shutting it tightly before speaking again in a lower tone.

"This is the secret you wanted us to keep?" Qali huffed. "What if things go south? What if you need our help after all?"

Dawn sighed. "Then I'll ask for it. But otherwise I can't have any of the other Hunters know I'm going to do this." Dawn placed a hoof to her head. "Especially Audrey or Vernon."

"Because either one of them would probably fight Dorian if he gave you a hard time?" Once again, Vanna had hit the nail on the head. Dawn nodded.

"I'd rather not want to cause such a huge fight that Vernon stops speaking to him, or Audrey kicks him out, or worse." Dawn protested. "The last thing I want to do is break up a family over something so stupid."

"This isn't stupid." Qali muttered, crossing her arms. "It's wrong."

"Regardless of how you feel about this I need you both to swear to me you won't tell." Dawn clasped her hooves together, shaking them pleadingly. "Please, I need you to promise."

Vanna let out a long, exhausted sigh. Slowly the tigress raised a paw, placing the other across her heart.

"I swear, from one sister to another, I'll keep my maw shut." Vanna said.

Qali let out a irritated groan, her arms remaining firmly crossed as she turned her head up to the sky.

"Ffffine!" She huffed. "Sister swear, I won't tell." The diminutive fox brought a paw to her muzzle, drawing a phantom zipper from one side to the other.

With that, Dawn let out an immensely relieved sigh. She felt better being able to tell someone what she had planned to do, despite them more or less refuting the idea. And even though she had little to draw from about exactly what could be irritating Dorian other than herself, she at least had something. It was enough to make the ewe more confident about the difficult task that lay ahead. 

"But if things get rough, kick him in the shin and run away!" Qali added. "that always works on big mammals!"

"Qali!" Vanna hissed. "She's wants to make it better, not worse!"

The arctic fox shrugged. "That's why I said 'if things get rough'."

The loud clack of a screen door drew the girls attention away from their huddle. Near the front door of the Hunter Ranch, Vernon had finally appeared. The large wolf was surprisingly unencumbered, carrying what looked like a traditional style picnic basket with an orange plaid colored sheet sticking out of it. He also appeared to have something slung over his shoulder, but the ewe couldn't make out just what it was. Despite the seemingly small number of items he was carrying, the wolf's face looked beleaguered, as if he had been running himself ragged while inside the ranch. Dawn was quick to scramble to her feet, in an effort to keep the wolf's suspicion down about exactly what she was talking about. The other girls were quick to follow suit as the tired looking wolf lightly jogged over.

"Hey Floofs, sorry that took me so long." The wolf huffed. Vernon dragged the sling over his shoulder free to reveal what he was carrying on his back. It looked to be some sort of crock-pot or melter that he had placed in a carrying case.

"I had to find the portable heater to melt the butter for the corn." The wolf sighed, running a paw over his scalp. "Can you believe it was in the bathroom cabinet of all places?" Vernon chuckled as he slung the cooker back over his shoulder.

"And I still got to roll the grill out of the barn." The wolf said, pointing a thumb toward the worn old barn. "But we should be all set to go."

Dawn flashed a wide smile. "Oh I can't wait to get started Puppy. I've been looking forward to this all day!" The ewe clapped her hooves together excitedly.

Vernon smiled back, but as he glanced around he arched an eyebrow as he seemed to finally notice Vanna and Qali.

"Oh, were ya'll talking?" Vernon asked. "About nothin' bad I hope."

"No, w-we were uh..." Dawn trailed off.

"Just having some 'girl talk'." Qali chirped happily.

Vernon placed a paw to his head, letting out a groan. "Oh no, already?" He chuckled. "Should I be worried about what secrets you've been telling Honey Lamb?"

"Worried?" Vanna cut in. "More like proud from what she told us, 'Puppy Love'." Vanna had tried to make the pet name sound as sultry as possible, but it sounded odd coming from the tigress' muzzle. Even so, it had the desired effect, and Vernon blushed intensely, nearly dropping the basket he was carrying.

"A-Alright, alright, I don't want to know anymore!" The wolf whined, placing a paw over his muzzle.

To add to the distraction, a growing rumble drew the groups attention toward the barn. Zach and Trenton were now making their way over, with Zach rolling a small, metal grill in front of him. As the wolves joined the group, Zach spun the handles of the metal grill Vernon's way.

"Hey Vern, thought I'd save ya the trouble of getting this fer yer little picnic." Zach said.

"I told you about that?" Vernon asked in surprise.

"I heard ya'll mention it at the uh..." Zach paused, clearly uncomfortable. "Well you know...durin' that ugliness at the fair."

Vernon grimaced slightly, looking at Dawn in concern briefly before turning back to the russet wolf.

"Oh...yeah..." Vernon mumbled uneasily. "T-thanks Big Bro." Vernon placed a paw on one of the handles, leaning against the grill slightly. The wolf let out another sigh before giving his head a terse shake. With it the wolf stood back up, a renewed smile crossing his muzzle.

"W-well then if were all done here..." Vernon coughed. "Ready to get movin' Honey Lamb?"

Dawn did her best to smile through her worry. It was best to start practicing now in preparation for facing Dorian. The ewe placed her hooves behind her back, beginning to sway back and forth slightly as she managed to give the wolf a playful grin.

"T-that depends..." Dawn giggled. "You got enough room to carry me Puppy Love?"

Dawn could see Vernon's tail begin to wag wildly as a bright grin crossed his muzzle.

"Sure as shootin' I can!" The wolf said excitedly. 

In seconds the ewe found herself scooped into Vernon's free arm, and he quickly eased her up onto his left shoulder. Once Dawn had properly seated herself, the wolf slowly released his grip and returned his paw to the grill handle. With a kick he tilted the grill back onto its wheels.

"Welp, I'm guessin' we'll see ya'll after dinner." Vernon said. The others seemed to quickly catch his infectious grin Vernon was wearing aside from Vanna, who limited herself to a light smirk.

"You two have fun." Trenton said, raising his paw and flicking his fingers in a small waive. "We'll be inside if ya need anything."

"Heee-eeeey Trenny." Qali whined as she began to grasp at Trenton's paw. Dawn watched the wolf's ears perk up, and the white wolf turned his attention to the diminutive fox pawing at his side.

"Carry me too, Puh-leeze..." The fox continued to whimper as a pitiful frown crossed her muzzle. The arctic fox's sorrowful eyes seemed to glimmer as she pleadingly stared back up at her mate. "I'm tired from lifting all those boxes!"

"All three of them." Vanna remarked.

Qali threw a quick sneer Vanna's way before turning back on the pathetic stare.

Trenton drew a paw over his scalp, letting out a tired sigh.

"Anything fer my Snowflake." The wolf chuckled. Trenton leaned down, extending his arm out to the small fox and allowing her to climb onto it.

"One ski lift coming up!" Trenton announced, bringing the giggling mammal up to his own shoulders before seating the fox behind his head. "Top of slope, everyone off!" Qali buried her muzzle into the hair on the wolf's head, doing her best to stifle the steady laughter erupting from her. Trenton flashed the couple another waive before turning toward the house and walking off.

"Yeah, have a good picnic." Zach added as Vanna placed a paw on his shoulder. The tigress let out a barely audible whine as Zach turned his attention to her. He glanced at her in confusion briefly before a dull look crossed his face.

"Kitten no." The wolf said bluntly. "Do you really even think I could carry you?"

Vanna was silent for a moment, her eyes evading his as she mumbled a reply.

"I-it looks fun..." 

"Kitten you'd put me in the hospital!" Zach said, rolling his eyes as he began to walk toward the house. Vanna kept her paw on his shoulder as she followed after, flashing Dawn a smirk as she passed by.

"You could at least try..." Dawn could hear Vanna mumble.

"Kitten, please." Was the last thing Dawn heard before they were out of earshot. The ewe couldn't help but giggle to herself at the very thought of Vanna trying to ride on Zach's shoulders.

"Welp, we should get moving. I got to get the corn on the grill if were ever gonna eat it." Vernon said with a chuckle. Dawn leaned over, wrapping her hooves tightly around Vernon's neck to stabilize herself.

"Lead the way Puppy, I'm famished." The ewe said, squeezing the wolf in a short hug. "And I could use some 'cuddle time'."

The ewe could feel a slight shudder travel through the wolf's body, and she knew instantly his tail was wagging again.

"Alright Lamb Fry, hold on tight!" Vernon replied.

And with that the wolf was off toward the corn field. It wasn't a very long trip as the wolf took off in a brisk jog toward his desired destination, earning giggles from Dawn the whole way as she held tightly on to her wolfy steed. Vernon slowed down as he came to the edge of the orange and yellow corn stalks, coming to a full stop just short of where the field truly began. Easing Dawn off his shoulders with care, the wolf was quick to pull the large plaid cloth free of the picnic basket he had stored it in. With Dawn's help the wolf gingerly laid it down and spread it out as flat as he could. It took some effort as the light wind that had kicked up seemed to be keen on undoing their work, and eventually the wolf had to use a combination of large, loose stones, as well as the grill and basket of supplies to hold down the loose corners of the blanket.

Once the area was settled, Vernon insisted that Dawn get comfortable while he went to work. Dawn's protests were quick to fall under the wolf's persistence, and soon the ewe found herself simply watching as the large wolf busied himself preparing everything he had planned for the meal. First the wolf prepped the grill, making sure the gas was flowing and lit before pulling a few cobs of corn from the picnic basket. They were already tightly wrapped in foil, and the wolf saw fit to leave them that way as he lowered them onto the hot skillet. Next he set the melting pot down on the blanket, emptying three bars of butter from the basket into the pot and turning it on. As the wolf began to add seasonings to the rapidly melting butter, he started to tell Dawn all about how the family went about making their particular style of roasted corn. And mostly about how his Mom had always been insistent on teaching the boys how to cook from a very young age. As it turns out, Audrey had always been very keen on educating her sons how to survive on their own, especially after she found out Dorian couldn't cook or wash to any degree. Apparently Auddy had went out of her way to make sure she only ever had to deal with one overgrown puppy rather than eight.

When the wolf was seemingly satisfied with how well the corn had cooked, he put the heated cobs on a large plate. Taking his place next to Dawn and the melting pot, the wolf took one of the cobs, skewering it with two small handles on either side, before removing a small brush from the nearby basket. Stirring it into the butter mixture, the wolf peeled away the hot foil before slathering the cob in steaming butter. 

Dawn watched intently as the wolf made multiple passes, making the cob practically dribbling with savory butter. The ewe found herself starting to question just how many calories the cob was gaining with every stroke before she suddenly found it thrust in front of her face. The wolf gestured for her to take it.

"Go on." Vernon said with a smile. "You'll love it."

Dawn warily took the cob by one of the skewers, bringing it near her mouth as the wolf released his grip. Now with both hooves on either end, she gave the wolf another uncertain glance. 

"It's a vacation Honey Lamb, don't worry about the how much weight it's gonna add! Just enjoy it!" Vernon gave the ewe a playful nudge, arching his eyebrow and donning a mischievous grin. "Besides, I like that curve you got going on."

Dawn gave the wolf a playful swat. "Ver-noooon!" Dawn whined.

"C'mon, stop stallin' and take a bite." The wolf jibbed.

Dawn took a deep breath before bringing the cob to her mouth. The moment she dug her teeth into it her mouth was filled with the most heavenly flavor she had ever tasted. The corn was both sweet and savory, with just a hint of spice, and the pleasant crunch of the snapping kernels' made it all the more enticing. The ewe let out a slight moan as she greedily chewed through her first bite.

"Good?" Vernon asked.

"Mhh!" Dawn moaned through her second mouthful, she hadn't been able to wait till her mouth was empty to respond. The food was simply too scrumptious for her to stop.

She could hear Vernon chuckle to himself as he bit into a cob of his own. And for the next few minutes very little words passed between the pair other than simple groans of pleasure as they ate through multiple cobs of buttered corn. By the time Dawn was full, the ewe had managed to annihilate four cobs on her own, a personal record for her. Looking over at Vernon, the wolf seemed to have made it through six himself. She watched the wolf pat his stomach, letting out a satisfied sigh as he placed his plate on the far end of the blanket.

"All done?" The wolf asked.

Dawn gave a brisk nod, wiping her mouth with one of the napkins the wolf had set out for them. "If there's going to be a dessert, I'm going to have to be done." Dawn chuckled.

"O'course there is." Vernon said, leaning over to take her plate.  
"Can't have roasted corn without some of Ma's famous pumpkin pie." Vernon placed her plate next to his own before leaning back on his paws.

"Then yes, as hard as it is to say this, I can't have anymore corn." The ewe said with a giggle. Vernon smiled widely at the ewe before patting his paw on the blanket next to him, gesturing for the ewe move in close. Dawn didn't hesitate, taking the opportunity to sidle up to the wolf, resting her head on his lap. 

The two had turned their attention to the sun, which now lay low over the corn field. The sky was draped in a deep, dull orange, and if Dawn looked hard enough, some of the brightest stars in the sky could be seen just starting to peek out of the daylight haze. It wouldn't be long now before the sky was heavy with sparkling lights, hanging like diamonds in a dark satin sheet.

After the practically bi-polar twists and turns the day had brought, this moment was a beautiful reprieve for the ewe. It was simply her and her Puppy Love. Alone, with no one to judge them, no one to bother them. Just the two of them and the beauty of nature. Dawn let out a contented sigh. This moment, this very instant, was just as Vernon described it would be. It was just what she wanted more than anything out of the trip, and she found herself wishing it would last forever.

But as she felt the wolf gently start to pet her head, she heard a small whine escape his muzzle. That one tiny noise had brought her back from her reverie and reminded her of what she had to do. Despite everything, she knew her Puppy was still hurting, and he needed to let it out. And the time had come to do just that.

"V-vernon?" Dawn uttered.

"Mhh?" The wolf replied.

Dawn let out a sigh, swallowing hard before she managed to build up the courage to continue.

"Are you okay?" Dawn asked timidly. 

The wolf let out and exhausted sigh.


	23. Picnic Pep-Talk

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Twenty Three: Picnic Pep-Talk

"V-vernon?" Dawn uttered.

"Mhh?" The wolf replied.

Dawn let out a sigh followed by a lingering quiet that made the wolf nervous. There was a tone of concern in the ewe's voice when she had said his name, and now the silence added a ominous weight to what she was preparing to say. 

"Are you okay?" Dawn asked timidly. 

The wolf let out an exhausted sigh. He had known this was coming, not that it had ever truly left his mind since the debacle at the fair. Then again neither had the many confrontations and disastrous incidents the trip had seemed to carry with it. The fight with Ana, or the old goat at the Tunnel of Love, or Yuri's teasing at breakfast. All of it had been building up inside the wolf, layering on top of one another to form an unbearable emotional weight. For Dawn's sake, the wolf had been keeping all these emotions bottled up the best he could. Trying to hide all the negativity, sorrow and anger that was broiling below the surface. He was hoping that by now there would have been enough purely enjoyable moments to outstrip all the awful events that had plagued the trip. But each reprieve, every little happy moment he could glean was too few and far between when compared to the staggering amount of awful experiences. They were simply not enough to help the wolf relax, to ease the perpetual knot in his stomach that had dug in when Wade revealed his mate wouldn't be coming with them. 

The wolf glanced down at his mate, her muzzle still scrunched up in a worried frown as she stared back at him. Vernon placed a paw on her cheek, gently caressing the side of her face. The ewe was quick to place a hoof on his paw, holding it in place as she offered the wolf a meek smile. 

Even a quiet picnic alone with his Honey Lamb, as nice as it was, simply wasn't enough to fully ease the wolf of his woes. Of course, it would only make it worse to talk about how he was really feeling. But he could no longer evade the talk that had been a long time coming. He could only keep Dawn's suspicions off him for so long in the face of the constant series of unfortunate events before she would be able to see though his facade. At this point, trying to play it off would be almost as if the wolf was lying to his mate, and the last thing he wanted after everything was to hurt their relationship as well. It was a lovely evening, a lovely dinner, a lovely moment in time. But it was a thin veneer, a band-aid that barely held over the family reunion as a whole. He had made a promise to the ewe, and he was set on keeping it. 

"Floofs...I..." The wolf scratched the back of his head, cringing as he mulled over exactly where to start. It seemed like there was just so much to unpack now that the wolf was staring down the barrel of it all. Vernon could feel a hard lump forming in his throat, and the next few words to come out his mouth turned into little more than quiet whines as his ears began to sag.

"Vernon." Dawn replied in a somewhat stern tone. The ewe clutched his paw tighter before pulling herself back into a sitting position across from him. Dawn then clasped her other hoof over it, effectively holding his paw captive in her grip. Dawn gave the wolf a serious, solemn stare.

"You promised." She added, causing the wolf to gulp inadvertently. Vernon let out another soft whine.

"I know, I know..." The wolf finally managed to mutter. " It's just that..." Vernon trailed off as he looked up at the sky. It was growing a muted violet now, with the number of faint stars increasing by the minute. The wolf shook his head briskly as he turned his attention back to the diminutive ewe.

"I just don't know how to start." Vernon said. "Where to start, y'know?"

Dawn smiled warmly, beginning to stroke the wolf's paw.

"Just start at the beginning Puppy." Dawn replied. " Just let it out."

Vernon sighed. He still wasn't ready for this. Telling Dawn his worries and doubts that he had felt since before they left was the last thing he wanted to do. He had tried so hard to remain optimistic for her sake. But all things considered, what did it matter anymore? To the wolf the trip had ultimately become a wash. And the fact that he was seriously considering packing up and going home made worrying the lamb less of a concern. The wolf had ultimately lost his nerve when it came to playing his most desperate hand, and simply wanted to run back to Zootopia and pretend much of the trip hadn't even happened.

The wolf's eyes darted around as the words continued to die just short of his muzzle, looking for anything to make the whole conversation just a little easier. It was only when his eyes fell back to the neatly packed picnic basket that he recalled a tactic his Mother used to use when he was a growing pup.

"Pie!" Vernon said abruptly.

"What?" Dawn eyed the wolf in confusion.

"Let's have some pie first." Vernon chirped awkwardly. Before the ewe could object, the wolf had pulled his paws free from her grip and began to dig through the baskets contents.  
"Vernon..." Dawn huffed. He could tell by her tone she was irritated to say the least. The wolf held a paw toward her as he continued to rifle through the container.

"Now I ain't gettin' out of tellin' ya." Vernon assured, finally getting a paw around his prize. Carefully the wolf raised the covered dish out of the basket, moving it between the two of them. After Vernon placed the large container down, the wolf returned to digging through the basket. 

"I just figure we can hash it out over dessert." The wolf continued, grabbing two small plates and a pawful of utensils. 

"Vernon, do we really nee-"

The wolf was quick to cut the ewe off as he placed a small dish and fork in front of her. After placing his own dish, the wolf placed a paw over the pie lid.

"My Ma always had a habit of servin' dessert when there was something difficult to air out." Vernon sighed. "It seems silly I know, but..." The wolf trailed off as he raised the lid, revealing the deep orange colored pie to the open air. Placing the lid to the side, the wolf turned his attention back to the ewe. "She did it so often it sort of became a....well a comfortin' thing."

Vernon rubbed his paws together in appreciation as he eyed the freshly revealed pumpkin pie. Now open to the air, the intoxicating aroma of pumpkin spice and sugar danced into his nostrils. The warm orange filling browned slightly toward the edging where it met up against the golden graham cracker crust, which was the crust of choice when it came to Vernon's pies. And in the pies center lie a hefty dollop of whipped cream, which had managed to retain it's shape fairly well considering the packaging. Vernon licked his muzzle as he picked up the pie cutter he had unpacked.

"If you got a tough pill to swallow..." Vernon said as he began to cut a slice. "chasin' it down with some pie helps it go down a lot smoother." The wolf chuckled as he moved the first slice over to Dawn's plate. Setting it down gently, the wolf went back to cutting another slice. "At least that's what Ma used to say."

Despite the somber mood, that managed to get a chuckle out of the ewe.

"Alright, alright." Dawn replied, taking the plate in her hoof as she readied her fork. The ewe stopped just short of the pie, pointing the tines toward Vernon briefly.

"But after your first bite I expect you to start talking." Dawn added.

Vernon's own slice was more of a slab, taking up a least a quarter of the pie itself. The wolf lowered it neatly to his plate before placing the pie spade back in the dish.

Raising his plate and readying his fork, the wolf scooped a large chunk of the edge of his slice. He held it in front of his nose briefly, taking a moment to savor the sweet scent that he so sharply associated with the Autumn season before slowly sliding the food into his muzzle. The wolf closed his eyes as he bit into the filling, the flavors dancing on his tongue as he chewed. Despite the sickening knot that remained firmly set in his stomach, the wolf shivered in delight at the taste. And as it made it's way down, it felt as though it was slightly cooling the nervous burning he had been feeling in his gut. The wolf let out an appreciate and satisfied sigh.

"Lamb Sakes!" Dawn's sudden proclamation drew the wolf out of his momentary trance. The ewe was in the midst of skewering another chunk of pie with her fork. "This pie is amazing!"

Vernon chuckled as she watched the ewe pop a second and third bite quickly into her muzzle. Her eyes were practically shining as she chewed each morsel, letting out pleasant moans and sighs between each bite.

The wolf smiled widely. "Told ya, my Ma makes a mean pie."

Dawn nodded briskly as she took another bite of her rapidly shrinking slice of pie. As she chewed she pointed her empty fork toward the wolf again.

"Bub I drwrn't frgt." Dawn spoke through her food before finally swallowing it. "So spill it Puppy, tell me what's bothering you."

Vernon let out another sigh, dragging a paw across his scalp as his mind once again came to focus on his feelings. Vernon looked down at the pie plate he had placed on his lap, clearing his throat as he prepared to speak. He pondered whether he should simply be blunt, to admit how scared and worried he was about how everything had ended up. Or if he should work up to it carefully as to not send Dawn into a panic with how little hope he now held for the trip. With another heavy and exhausted sigh, the wolf settled on his choice of approach.

"Honey Lamb..." Vernon muttered, wiping his brow. "I...I'm an optimistic fella, at least that's how I try to see myself, y'know?"

Dawn nodded as she ate another bite of pie.

"If I see a glass filled halfway up, I usually see it as half full." Vernon sighed. "And that's how I was lookin' at this whole trip when I came up with the idea."

Dawn placed her plate down, leaving what little remained of her pie out of easy reach as she focused her attention on the wolf. He could see the immediate worry in her eyes.

"I know Puppy." She said sadly. "I know you we-"  
"But that doesn't mean I wasn't givin' thought to what could go wrong." The wolf cut her off. "I knew there were...well risks." The wolf said, scratching the back of his head.

"But I pushed forward anyway, because I felt like...I don't know..." The wolf trailed off, rolling his eyes as he chose his next words. "that if I spent too much time dwelling on them I'd end up spookin' myself off the whole thing." The wolf placed a paw over his face. "Or spookin' you."

Dawn nodded, reaching a hoof out to place on Vernon's paw. The wolf then placed his other paw on top of her hoof, petting it affectionately.

"I wanted to trust that things would just work. That any issues would just sort of iron themselves out on the ride." Vernon's ears sagged sharply. "But I don't think I have to be the one to tell you that they haven't."

"We've definitely suffered a few missteps." Dawn replied.

Vernon chuckled. "A few?" Vernon shook his head. "We didn't just miss a step Darlin', I think we fell down the stairs."

That earned a giggled from the ewe, which itself drew a weak smile from the large wolf.

"Of course I knew Yuri was going to be a pain in my rump, but I'm used to that." Vernon grumbled. "But Pa really shocked me somethin' fierce." Vernon released his grip on the ewe's hoof, taking his pie plate back into his paws. 

The wolf stabbed at his dessert aggressively. " I never would have thought in a million years I'd get that type of reception from the old 'Mam!" Vernon hissed, shoveling the bite of food into his maw. "Worst I thought we'd get was a little coldness towards us for a while, but this!?" The wolf snarled as he felt his anger starting to well up again. "I mean, this is the mammal that used to go on and on about justice, and judging mammals by who they are on the inside!" 

Vernon put his plate down again, practically throwing the fork onto it with a loud clatter. The wolf crossed his arms as he sneered. 

"And look at him lead by example! What a hero!" Vernon spat.

"Puppy..." Dawn cooed, placing a hoof on his leg.

"And then Ana, of course she had to show her ugly mug!" Vernon hissed. "And then that old billy goat! And...and..." Vernon let out a sharp sigh before falling backward onto the blanket. 

Vernon placed his arms on his chest as he looked up into the darkening sky. There were even more stars now, twinkling and shining in the dusk. The moon now hung low on the horizon, replacing the sun as it slipped below the edge of the world. It was a deep orange, looking as though someone had taken one of his Mother's pies and hung it up in the space above them. To the naked eye it seemed as if it was full, but closer inspection showed that there remained a hairs breadth of shadow on its edge.

It wasn't long before the wolf felt someone sideling up next to him. The small, familiar woolly form of his mate squeezing up against his side and placing a hoof over the wolf's heart. Vernon slid an arm beneath her, pulling her in close as he continued to stare up at the sky above. The wolf let out another, tired sigh. 

"I...I just." The wolf whimpered, doing his damndest to keep the tears from leaking out. " All I wanted to do was show you a good time Honey Lamb."

"Oh Puppy..." Dawn cooed, gingerly rubbing her hoof on the spot it had come to rest upon. "I know you did, really I do."

"I just kept burying it all deep down. Trying to just ignore all the bad and just believing it would turn back around." Vernon raised his free paw before allowing it to flop back to his side. "But all it's done is just wound me up to the point where I'm ready to sock someone."

"You should have just talked to me about it Puppy." Dawn tutted, giving his chest a few gentle pats. "Dr. Gnu told me that letting emotions like that just fester inside of you can only lead to catastrophe. It just builds and builds until you break under the pressure." Vernon could feel the sheep shake her head against his side. "The Gods know I learned that lesson the hard way." Dawn gave a weak chuckle. 

"I just didn't want to put that all on you." Vernon sighed. "I wanted this to just be fun for you." The wolf placed a paw over his face. "You'd meet my family, and get a taste of some of the nicest stuff Meadowlands living had to offer. Last thing I wanted to was make you more nervous about the trip, or saddle you with my own worries."

Vernon felt the lamb wriggle out of his grip, and soon she was clambering onto his chest. Once she was settled, the ewe grabbed at the wolf's muzzle with a hoof, bringing his eyes to meet her own. There was a seriousness behind her gaze, a stern and solemn look that made it clear that whatever she was about to say was to be taken with the upmost importance.

"Vernon." Dawn spoke, her gaze still firmly fixed on the wolf. "I am your mate." Dawn paused. "We are mates."

Vernon gave a slight nod in affirmation, although it wasn't enough to elude Dawn's grip.

"That means that we are in this together." Dawn continued. "Every fight or struggle is not just yours or mine, it's ours. That's what being mated is about."

The ewe finally released her grip, bringing her hoof under the wolf's jaw line and giving it a soft scratching. Vernon bit his tongue slightly in an effort to keep it from lolling to the side of his muzzle as the sensation sent a tickle of pleasure down his spine. He could already hear the dull sound of his own tail slapping against the fabric below as he tried to maintain his composure. Dawn's features softened in response, a small smile crawling across her muzzle. It was both a blessing and a curse for the wolf when she finally stopped, bringing her hoof to rest on Vernon's chest as she let out a contented sigh. 

"But that also means we aren't alone anymore Puppy." The ewe said, placing a small, tender kiss on the wolf's chin. "We have each other. To rely on, to depend on, and in situations like this, to be able to talk about our feelings, good or bad, as well as work through them together."

The ewe snuggled her head up beneath the wolf. Her bushy, woolly, poof now nestled under the wolf's jaw. The wolf could hear the lamb let out a quiet, satisfied sigh and she squeezed a little tighter against his midsection.

"I know if I was sad, or angry, or anything like that, you would be right there with an ear to listen." Dawn continued. "And I want you to know that you should expect the same of me. I will always be there."

Vernon let out a whine as he listened to the ewe's impassioned declaration. The tears were nearly at the surface now, and he let out a hard sniffle in order to try to keep them back just a little longer. Vernon brought his free paw over his face again.

"I-I know Darlin'..." Vernon sighed. "But t-there was...there is just so much." Vernon let out a sharp huff of air as the knot in his stomach began to unravel. The ewe simply gave the wolf another gentle pat in response.

"This whole trip has just been one big shit-show." Vernon lamented. "It's just been one case of Murfur's Law after another."

"Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong." He heard the ewe mumble, letting out a soft chuckle at the end of it.

"Wade's mate, our first dinner, you suddenly coming into season, Yuri's attitude..." The wolf extended his paws above them, starting to count on his fingers each terrible situation that had played out. "Bringing up the fact that you were in season to everyone, Pa basically banning us from the fair, Ana, the old goat, actually being banned from the fair..." The wolf let his paws flop back down to his sides. "And it's barely been two days out."

By now the crickets had begun chirping. The placid sleepy chirps blending into the soft white noise created by the whispering fall winds. The wolf could feel his muscles relax more and more as the evening moved in to surround them. It was as if the rest of the world was simply drifting away, leaving just the two of them to bask in the Autumn evening.

"Vernon?" Dawn asked, gently tugging at the wolf's shirt. Vernon did his best to crane his head to look down at the ewe to find her staring up at him with curious eyes. "You said 'banned from the fair' twice."

Vernon simply let his head fall back, letting out an exasperated sigh as he stared back up at the clouds.

"That's why I got mad at Zach this mornin' Floofs." Vernon placed a paw over his eyes. "Pa sent him to tell us that we shouldn't go to the fair."

The air seemed to become still as the words left his muzzle, even the crickets seeming to stop leaving the weight of his admission hanging in the ether. Dawn remained quiet for a few moments, the wolf could feel her squirm slightly as if what he had said made the ewe wince. As if he had hurt her merely by admitting that. Finally after what seemed to the wolf like ages, Dawn broke the silence.

"O-oh..." Dawn muttered, wiping her face into the wolf's shirt. Vernon couldn't feel the moisture yet, but he was sure she was wiping tears into the fabric.

"I-I'm sorry Honey Lamb, I really am..." Vernon whined. "I-I should have told you sooner but I j..." Vernon shook his head, trying to force the words out. "I just couldn't do that to you."

"D-did he say why?" Dawn added.

Vernon let out another terse sigh, bringing his paw over his face.

"Ironically, because he was afraid of exactly what happened." Vernon grumbled. "Said we'd end up causing a stir."

"I-I see..." Dawn mumbled into the wolf's chest.

"Bastard's probably feelin' purty smug right now." The wolf growled. "I bet if he was here, he'd be more than happy to tell me 'I told you so.'" The wolf hissed. "Or maybe he'd just send Zach to do it."

"I don't really think that's your Father's main concern right now..." Dawn said, wrapping her hooves around the wolf's broad frame as she lay on top of him. "If anything I imagine he's just concerned for your Mother more than anything."

"Well whatever concerns he had just made sure he'd be spending the rest of the weekend sleepin' in his office I imagine." Vernon smirked at the thought. It was little consolation, but it was at least something. Still it wasn't necessarily helping to make anything easier for the pair.

"Just another shit-heap situation to throw on the trash can fire of a family reunion." Vernon pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "I just wanted everyone to love you as much as I do, but everything I've done has just blown up in my face. And worst of all I got you hurt too." 

Another silence hung in the air, but only briefly as soon the wolf felt the ewe shift a bit farther up his chest, until he could feel the top of her muzzle under his jaw line. 

"It hasn't all been bad Vernon. " Dawn said, giving the wolf's chin an affectionate nuzzle. "What about all the good things that have happened while we've been here?"

Vernon simply let out a tired groan in response.

"Don't be like that." Dawn said, giving his chest another firm pat. "Really think about it."

Vernon felt the ewe roll over onto her back, leaving them both now staring up at the darkening sky. The purple grew darker and darker as the moon began to climb.

"I get along with your Mom really well." Dawn said, now mimicking Vernon's previous finger count with one of her own. " Vanna, Ada, and Qali all call me their sister. Most of your brothers and Malcolm seem to like me. And considering how many you have, that's fantastic odds." Dawn said with a chuckle.

"They even stood up for me along with you at the fair. They went to bat for me against the whole town!" Dawn sighed. "That's got to count for something!"

Vernon wrapped his arms around the ewe, squeezing her tightly against his chest. Despite Dawn's surprisingly emphatic list of everything positive that had happened The wolf still couldn't fully offset the staggering amount of bad things that had taken place.

"Granted I haven't really gotten to know Ulric..." Dawn added. "Or Yuri for that matter." Vernon could feel Dawn hooves on his paws. "And things could be better with your Father."

"That's puttin' it lightly." Vernon said with a sigh.

"But honestly we were lucky so many members of your family were so accepting of me so quickly." Dawn said, giving the wolf's paws a squeeze. " Most families need time to warm up to someone new joining the family. And considering my circumstances, well, it's that much more shocking really."

Vernon let out an affirmative grunt.

"I can imagine your Father is probably going through a lot right now, considering the holiday and the reunion and everything." The ewe continued. " With all that, having to deal with the two of us, and-"

"Don't defend the Old Mam'!" Vernon huffed. "He still should ha-"

Vernon felt a hoof grab at his muzzle, effectively silencing him.

"I'm not defending him." Dawn was quick to assert. "I'm merely pointing out that it may have been a bad time to lay this all on him." Dawn sighed, slowly releasing her grip on Vernon's muzzle. "So it's going to take time." The ewe shrugged. "We may not win him over this visit, but we can always come back. Maybe in the future during a more quiet weekend we can really get to know each other. Without all the distractions I'm sure your Father would come around."

Vernon chuckled. "All the more reason to consider leavin'."

Vernon felt the poof below his chin pull away. Leaning up, the wolf could see Dawn staring at him in surprise.

"Really?" Dawn asked.

Vernon gave a slight nod before laying his head back down.

"It's barely been two days, and everything's gone so wrong." Vernon sighed. "At this point, part of me is just ready to pack up and head back home."

Vernon glanced back down at the ewe. Dawn's face was now scrunched up in concern.

"I just figured we'd give it another try some other time. Like you said." The wolf winced.

"Oh Puppy, we can't do that!" Dawn protested.

Vernon raised and eyebrow in surprise. 

"We're already out here, and we've made it through half the trip. What's the point in leaving now?" Dawn asked. "If anything, I think your Father would see that as more of a sign that he had been...well...right."

Vernon laid his head back down as he mulled over the ewe's shocking objection. Dawn technically had a point, despite it completely catching the wolf off guard. His Father had always been the type to see strength in a mammal's resolve. To simply turn tail and leave would leave his Father to make all sorts of assumptions about exactly how strong their relationship truly was. Further more, it would undermine any future attempts to take them seriously as a couple. Under such circumstances, the wolf would never be able to put the possibility of tithing on the table.

Raising his head back up, he flashed the ewe a curious glance.

"You sure you want to stay?" The wolf asked dubiously.

The ewe gave a firm and decisive nod. "We've already ended up breaking up your wonderful family. If we left, Audrey would be even more upset with your Father if we just up and left now, and it would just make things worse. At the very least we can try to help mend-"

"My Pa did that to himself!" Vernon replied with a snort,

"Regardless, we just have to see this through as best as we can, and then after it's all said and done we can plan for next time." Dawn said, laying her head back against the wolf's chest. Vernon brought his paws back around her, squeezing her into a gentle hug.

"Alright...we'll stay." Vernon muttered. "We'll see it through."

Dawn let out a satisfied sigh, burying herself deeper into the wolf's shirt as she turned her attention back to the sky above.

A loud cackle drew Vernon's attention back toward the house. While it was dark, the wolf could still see the faint lights illuminating the Ranch, and the front porch. In the dim glow Vernon could just make out what appeared to be Ada and Yuri walking up to the house, followed closely by who he assumed to be Dorian.

"Sounds like Ada's back from the pound." Vernon said with a chuckle.

He felt Dawn pull away slightly, and looking up he could see the ewe was now craning her head in an effort to make out the ghostly forms in the distance.

"Oh thank goodness!" The ewe let out an exasperated sigh. "I was so worried."

Vernon chuckled, raising a paw to Dawn's face and gently turning it back toward his own.

"Silly Floofs, pretty much everyone was tellin' you she'd be fine. Yet here you were still frettin' over it." Dawn blushed slightly, looking away from the wolf's gaze.

"A-after everything she did for me...my sisters did for me, how could I not?"

Vernon let out a satisfied sigh.

"I am glad you girls managed to get so close, so fast. "Vernon smiled. " Maybe a little bit worried, but mostly happy."

Dawn arched an eyebrow. "Worried, about what?"

"About ya'll getting cozy and talking about my bedroom habits." The wolf grinned widely.

Dawn let out a snorting giggle, giving the wolf a playful swat.

"D-don't worry Puppy, I haven't said anything...yet." Dawn flashed a mischievous grin, fueling a different kind of fear in the wolf's mind. Vernon gulped unconsciously, earning another giggle from the playful ewe.

"Still...." Dawn laugh faded into a somber sigh. "I wish I had done more..." Dawn leaned back against his chest.

"Fer Ada?" Vernon asked inquisitively.

"No, no..." Dawn groaned. "I mean overall..."

Vernon flashed the ewe a confused gaze. "What do you mean Darlin'?"

"I should have stood up for myself, for us." Dawn lamented.

"You did just fine Lamb Fry." Vernon replied, placing a paw on the ewe's back. "You stood up to Ana when I wasn't gonna even say anything. And you did it again when she was trying to trash my family name. You d-"

"I faltered Puppy Love." Dawn sighed, he could feel the ewe push her glasses out of her eyes as she buried her face into his chest again. The wolf reached out a paw, gingerly taking the oversized spectacles and placing them aside as he rubbed the shuddering ewe's back. "I blinked in the line of fire, and everyone else paid for that."

"Dawn." Vernon said softly, but the ewe seemed to ignore him.

"I still feel like I should have stood my ground. I could have used my political strengths to take charge of the situation, to shut everything down before it escalated, before Dorian-"

"Hey, hey..." Vernon leaned up, tilting Dawn's head back up so he could meet her gaze properly. "Shh, shh now." He cooed, placing a finger to her lips. Her eyes were shimmering now, on the cusp of tears as she stared sorrowfully back at the wolf.

"You were the one who brought up one of the ol' Doc's sayings before." Vernon mused. "Well, what about the other stuff he said. About how you ain't gonna just win every fight you set yer heart on. You're still learning how to stand yer ground, and you aren't going to succeed every time. It's not something you're going to master overnight." Vernon offered the ewe a meek smile. "I know I still don't win 'em all, and I spent a good chunk of my life fightin' everything that looked at me cross."

Dawn pawed her few stray tears, doing her best to wipe them away.

"Y-you remembered that?' Dawn sniffled.

"I remember everything you tell me about yer little therapy sessions." Vernon grinned. "After all, you're the one who said ol' Doc Gnu needed both of us to listen to him in order to help support you. And with somethin' that important I ain't gonna just wave it off."   
Dawn giggled, giving the wolf a halfhearted swat.

"You'll get there Honey Lamb, just give it time." Vernon said as he leaned his head back against the ground, his paw still gently rubbing at the ewe's back. "And you know I'll be here every step of the way. I'm afraid yer stuck with me."

"Oh really now?" Dawn chuckled, nuzzling her head back into his chest. 

" 'Fraid so Lamb Fry." Vernon chuckled. "Wolves mate for life."

Dawn giggled, and Vernon could feel her hoof touch his cheek, giving it a perky pinch. "I bet you say that to all the ewes." She chided playfully.

"Just the one's I'm fixin' to marry." Vernon replied. The wolf squeezed the ewe into another hug, burying his muzzle into her woolly poof and planting a kiss on her scalp. 

He lingered for a moment, his lips pressed against Dawn's head as he ruminated over the strange excess warmth he could feel on them. His Mother's perfume had long since faded, leaving the lingering scent of Dawn's pheromones pure and undiluted. It was just as pleasant and enticing as it had been hours earlier, and Vernon could feel the familiar pull of his animal urges begin to gnaw at him. However, they were quickly buried under the more pressing and urgent concern for his mate. Vernon shifted his lips closer to the front of Dawn's head, planting another kiss on her scalp only to find the temperature even warmer than it had felt before.

In that moment, he felt the ewe shudder in his embrace. It was as if a quick burst of energy had shot through her tiny frame, and with it came another blast of that strong and familiar scent the wolf found so hopelessly addicting. The enticing aroma knocked the wolf for a loop, his mind going almost instantaneously blank save for the intense feeling of lust as he reeled his head back in an almost drunken sway. It was only when he felt the ewe pull sharply out of his grasp did his senses return to him, and with them concern took the priority. Dawn was now sitting on his lap, her back remaining turned to him as he leaned back into a sitting position. 

"S-sorry, sorry..." Dawn muttered.

Vernon was quick to bring his paw around the diminutive ewe, placing it firmly against her forehead. Against the wolf's sensitive paw pads the heat felt scalding as it radiated from her sweat soaked brow.

"Dawn, you feelin' alright?" Vernon arched his eyebrow in concern. The wolf quickly moved his paw to her neck, something he had seen his own Mother do numerous times when diagnosing him and his brothers when they were young, only to find it just that much more heated then her hairline. He felt another shiver pulse through the lamb as she placed her hoof on his paw. "Yer, burnin' up Honey Lamb."

"It's just this dagging 'remnant estrus'!" Dawn let out a exasperated sigh, and the wolf could feel her form slacken as she slumped back into the wolf's chest. He couldn't help but feel terrible for the ewe. On top of everything else that the both of them had to endure this weekend, Dawn also had to deal with her own body more or less betraying her. 

"It's been so long since I've had it this bad." The ewe lamented, running a hoof across her neck and up to her head before flicking moisture away. "I'm sweating up a storm."

"Dawn, it's fifty degrees and breezy." Vernon replied, placing another kiss atop her head. "If anything you should be needin' a jacket by now."

Dawn let out an irritated groan. "No thank you, my wool is stifling enough as it is!" The ewe leaned her head back against the wolf's chest, rolling it from side to side as she nestled against him. "If I had known this was going to happen I would have asked you to shear me a week ago."

A lump formed in Vernon's throat as he thought back to the last time he had the 'privilege' of shearing the ewe, back before they had become so intimate. The memory alone was enough to draw heat to the wolf's muzzle. He had made such a prize fool of himself, made even worse by accidently catching the ewe in the bathroom just moments later. Grooming your mate was seen as a form of affection among most mammals, and the wolf wasn't entirely sure if the same went for sheep. But even so, the whole incident while embarrassing, also proved intensely erotic for the wolf. 

"M-me huh?" The wolf chirped awkwardly, his voice nearly cracking like a wiry teen pup. "Don't want to do it yerself?" Vernon cleared his throat in a desperate attempt to regain his composure.

"You did such a good job last time though." Dawn replied. "Even with the best shearing kit out there you can't get a closer sheer than having someone else do it for you." The ewe replied, letting out an uncomfortable grumbling bleat.

"I guess that uh... makes sense..." The wolf replied, drawing a paw across his scalp. The wolf knew it was time to change the conversation as the smell of pheromones coming off the ewe was growing stronger by the minute. Dawn was suffering, sure. But now he was starting to suffer too, and if he didn't do something to ease the growing sexual tension in the air, he wasn't sure how long he could endure. 

"Check out that moon." Vernon pointed a claw, attempting to draw their attention to something other than their gnawing urges. "Nearly full."

"O-Oh!" Dawn stammered. The ewe sat up again, seeming to regain her composure. The ewe quickly grabbed her glasses, putting them on and adjusting them as she stared up at the orange orb. "It's not full?"

"N-Nah." Vernon replied. "If ya look close you can kinda see the edging is still covered on the side there." Vernon traced the edge of the moon with finger in an effort to point it out clearly to the ewe.

"Oh." Dawn giggled. "I couldn't even see that." The ewe shook her head in dismissal.

"Yep." Vernon sighed, feeling relief as he had seemingly managed to steer the couple clear of troubled waters. 

"I feel like such an idiot." Dawn laughed.

"Why?" Vernon replied.

"For a moment I was going to ask if that was a wolf thing." The lamb let out a sigh. "Like wolves could tell if the moon was full intuitively." Dawn turned to look back at the wolf, eyes slightly saddened. "You probably think I'm terrible for that."

Vernon laughed. "Nonsense Lamb Fry." The wolf gave the ewe a playful ruffle of her hair before pulling her into another hug. " Nothin' you could ever say would make me think you were terrible, ya'll should know that by now."

The ewe let out a pleasant sigh as she rested against the wolf's frame once more, staring up at the sky along with him.

"To be fair, I also checked the calendar this mornin' to see exactly when the full moon was." Vernon chuckled. "Come Monday it'll be full and bright orange, and every mammal in the county will be-"

"Besides, you loved it." Dawn cut the wolf off .

The lump in Vernon's throat swiftly returned as the ewe caught him off guard. Vernon's ears were standing on end as the shocked wolf mustered a response.

"W-what?" Vernon stammered.

"The shearing." Dawn nestled back against the wolf's chest, this time turning inward in order to nuzzle up under his chin. The ewe squirmed against his body once more, however this time it was concentrated lower down. Her hips now shifting against his lap as she let out an amorous sigh. "I know I wasn't the only one getting a bit hot under the pelt during that."

Vernon gulped hard as the ewe's pheromones continued to play at his primal urges. The inviting scent along with the teasing, impromptu massage was causing a familiar heat to stir in his loins.

"Honey L-Lamb." Vernon wheezed, his eyes darting in all directions as he attempted to keep from looking at the ewe. "I-I really-" the wolf swallowed hard, attempting to keep it together as the lamb had unexpectedly pulled them back into the thick of their previous, lurid conversation. "I-I was just helpin' out a-"

"Sheared.com?" Dawn said with a mischievous grin, walking her fingers up the wolf's chest.

For a moment, Vernon could swear he had felt his soul jump out of his body, fleeing to parts unknown to escape the sheer mortifying horror he felt by what Dawn had just said. 'How could she know, how could she possibly have known!?' The wolf's mind screamed as the seedy memory flashed before his eyes. He could clearly remember the lurid purple webpage covered in variously scantly wooled ewe's, all of which were in various stages of shearing. At the time they had reminded him so much of his Honey Lamb, the wolf's curious and hungry mind placing Dawn's head on the exposed ewe's bodies as he tried to imagine what treasures lie beneath her pelt. He had only done it once, and was so ashamed by merely glancing and allowing his mind to wander that he had run out of the apartment in a panic. Of course that was just after...

"H-How did you?" Vernon's mouth hung open, the rest of his question failing to form. Dawn however, had managed to pick up the gist of what he was asking.

"Well, it w-wasn't on purpose...buuUUUuuut..." Dawn playfully stretched out the word as she kissed the wolf's chin. "When I was shopping for that new laptop, the auto complete kind of lead me into your search history a bit."

Vernon slapped a paw over his eyes so hard it stung. Of course he had forgotten to clear the history. In his frenzied panic to escape the apartment the last thing he had even thought about was to cover his tracks, or that the ewe would even need to use his computer. Vernon sucked in air sharply as his mortified face twisted into a sharp cringe.

"Poor little Puppy." Dawn murmured sweetly. " Did I get you so heated up you had to peek at some other ewes to..." Dawn ground her hips against the wolf's lap again. Now the wolf was the one shuddering in response. "Ease the tension?"

"N-No!" Vernon protested. "I was imaginin' you!" 

Vernon's mind scolded him once more as the words slipped out. Torn between diffusing the situation and being honest, his need to justify his actions had foolishly overtaken his efforts to calm himself and the ewe down. The wolf absolutely hated for his actions to be misinterpreted, especially by those he cared about. And so rather than finding a way to smoothly change the subject the wolf had only managed to dig himself in deeper. Vernon bit down hard on his tongue as he cursed his own idiocy, but Dawn seemed only more pleased by the response. Her grin was practically ear to ear as she regarded the wolf. The ewe reached up, placing a hoof to his cheek and gently caressing his face.

"Awww...Puppy." She uttered softly, her muzzle edging closer to his own. " Is that why you-"

"NO!" Vernon yelped, pulling out of Dawn's grip as he yanked his head backward. "I swear it was an accident! I didn't mean to catch ya in the bathroom!"

Dawn looked shocked, if only for a moment. But her smile quickly returned as she placed a hoof over her mouth in a poor attempt to cover it.

"Oh my little Wolfy..." The lamb tried to stifle her giggles. " I know, I know." 

Dawn tried to reach out to the wolf's face, but Vernon was trying to keep it out of her grasp now. His last great defense against his little Honey Lamb's charms. Eventually though, her hoof found purchase against his muzzle, and before he knew it he found himself pulled back into her eye line. Her smile was warm and inviting as she eyed him in adoration, and the aroma around her was irresistible. 

"I'd like to think I know you well enough to know that you would never do something like that on purpose." Dawn cooed, patting the wolf's cheek a few times. Vernon let out a soft whine with each pat. "You know I forgive you, right?"

Vernon gave a meek nod, his muzzle never leaving the ewe's grip as he stared into her shimmering green orbs.

"Although to be honest..." Dawn uttered, her muzzle drawing just a bit closer to his own. "When you walked in on me like that...I just..."

Vernon let out another almost pleading whine as he felt Dawn grind against his lap once more. His mind was repeating the house rule over and over again, but it was growing more and more muffled by the sound of his own heartbeat.

"I wanted you to just ravage me right there, to just take me and rut me into a quivering puddle." The ewe drew slightly closer, licking her lips as neared Vernon's own.

"Vernon?" Dawn asked, her voice low and sultry.

"Mhh-hmm?" The wolf sighed dreamily, their muzzles nearly touching now.

"I'm thinking since you enjoy shearing me so much, the next time you shear me..." Dawn placed a finger directly on the wolf's nose, giving it a playful poke. "I'll let you rub me down with my soothing aloe wool cream afterward." The ewe licked her lips as their muzzles practically touched. "All over me."

Vernon felt a quiet woof escape his muzzle as his brain nearly melted. His Mother's warning fell deaf in his mind, completely muted by the desire to rut. He was nearly ready to pounce on the lamb when he found her slowly pulling away. Her previously lusty face now looked uncomfortable and nervous. Once again, concern took precedent over the screaming of his lower brain.

"H-Honey Lamb?" Vernon asked as his senses returned.

"I..." Dawn's voice quavered slightly. "I-I wasn't suppose to t-take this so far." Dawn pulled back slightly, causing the wolf to raise his eyebrow in confusion.

"What?" Vernon asked.

Dawn looked down, twiddling her hooves nervously.

"I w-was supposed to tell you I was getting you back five minutes ago..." Dawn sighed, wiping a hoof across her brow. "F-for before."

For a moment Vernon simply stared at the ewe blankly before recalling what he had done to her at the fair. The wolf gave a brisk shake of the head as he tried to chase away the lustful haze that had built up around his brain.

"O-oh!" Vernon gulped hard, offering a meek smile. "Y-you were just trying to t-tease me!" Vernon said, relief in his voice.

The ewe nodded slightly.

"B-but all I d-did was get myself worked up." The ewe squirmed uncomfortably as her eyes began to brim with tears. "And now I f-feel even worse!"

The ewe leaned her head into the wolf's chest, letting out a shaky sigh as Vernon placed a paw on her back. The wolf was still half dazed as he mechanically rubbed her back in an effort to console her. He could feel the ewe grip his shirt, twisting it in her balled hooves as she groaned loudly into his chest.

"GaaaaAAAH!" Dawn moaned. "It's just so unbearable! I can't take this anymore!"

"I-I'm sorry Honey Lamb..." Vernon cooed, leaning his head on top of hers. "But what can I do? If I try to take care of ya I'm just gonna howl. Then we'll have another lil' black mark on our trip out here."

"ARRGGGHHH!" Came another loud and irritated shout from Vernon's shirt. He could feel the heat of the ewe's breath against his fur as her anguished cries penetrated the fabric. "RUT ME!" 

The tone of her delivery told the wolf that her declaration was more akin to the sentiment of giving up rather than instruction. Vernon whined as he continued to try to console his mate, his mind trying to come up with something, anything that could ease her suffering. 

Then suddenly, somewhere in his partially pheromone hazed brain came a solution to the problem. It was something so simple, he was amazed he hadn't come up with it sooner. The wolf grasped the ewe by the shoulders, abruptly pulling her out of his chest. Dawn stared up him with wide and confused eyes.

"Honey Lamb, I think I got somethin'!" Vernon said excitedly.

Dawn blinked at the wolf a few times before managing to speak. "Wh-what?'

"I think I know a way I can fix this!" Vernon said confidently. 

"But you'll howl if we-"

"I think I got a way around it." Vernon said, flashing the ewe a confident smile. "Provided we do this right..." Vernon's smile grew a bit more lurid as his eyelids drooped, and the wolf ran his tongue from one side of his muzzle to the other.

It took a moment before Dawn seemed to catch on to exactly what the wolf was implying, but the second she had her face flushed almost instantaneously.

"L-Lamb Sakes..." She stammered, another shudder shimmering through her form as she sat on Vernon's lap. "B-but I mean how...I mean we ca-"

The wolf placed a finger to the ewe's lips. Vernon had heard enough, he was already set on his plan. It was going to work, it had to. It may prove agonizing for him, but at the very least it would give his Honey Lamb the relief she so desperately needed. Sliding Dawn off his lap, the wolf quickly scrambled to pack the remnants of their picnic back into the basket he had stored them in before setting it off of the blanket. Before Dawn could even question what the wolf was doing, he scooped her into his arms, slinging her over his shoulder as she flailed slightly before yanking the picnic blanket off the floor.

"Vernon!?" Dawn yelped.

"Relax Floofs." Vernon cooed. "Yer Sheepdog has you covered."

With that the wolf began to make a confident stride toward the nearby corn field, his mind fixed on his brilliant plan as well as the perfect hiding spot to enact it. The wolf gingerly shifted some stalks to the side before disappearing into the field along with the ewe in tow.

It was about ten minutes later in the quiet dark of the evening that a sudden, uproarious howl ripped across the corn field, scrambling terrified ravens in every direction to escape the thunderous noise. It echoed sharply through the night sky. The cold crisp clarity of the Autumn evening easily carrying the call toward the quiet and warmly lit Hunter Ranch. While the insulation was noted by the family as being of excellent quality, able to suppress some of the loudest sounds one could imagine. The same could not be said of the Hunter window panes, many of which were open to allow the cool, clean air of the dawning fall to flow easily into the home. Unfortunately for the wolf from whom the howl had come, it too had flowed into the house just as smoothly.

In the Den sat Xavier, Wade, Yuri and Ada. The well dressed wolf sat quietly humming to himself as he skimmed over the latest news on his iCarrot pad while Wade and Yuri were locked in a spirited argument about the events that had taken place just hours before. As Vernon's howl suddenly flooded the room, every set of ears immediately stood on end in response to the very clear message it had sent, as well as killing the argument that had been going on between the brothers almost instantly. Now the two previously bickering brothers were wracked with uncontrollable howls of their own.

Xavier remained unaffected. He, like Vernon had spent years training himself out of the terrible habit of howling in response to every random call one could hear. But that didn't mean he had forgotten the nuances and tones that told a wolf exactly why the other was howling in the first place. Xavier let out a sigh, removing his glasses and placing them on the coffee table next to him before placing his paw to his forehead. He knew that sound only spelled more trouble for the couple.

As one of his howls died away, the dreamlike look on Wade's face twisted into that of mild revulsion. "Sweet Sawgrass Vern." Wade lamented. "Gross..." Was all the wolf managed to say before growing locked into another howl.


	24. It Takes Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the previous were designed to flow into one another organically while keeping things mostly clean. However, if you aren't shy about Mature, NSFW erotica, you can check out what I like to call chapter 23 1/2 to get a more detailed look at just what went down in that cornfield. The missing chapter can be found in my compendium "Grand Lewd Ewe Events" and will be listed as chapter 3.

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Twenty Four: It Takes Two

'I need you to keep my muzzle shut.' She could hear the wolf repeating in her head, over and over again. 'Don't let go of it no matter what! Got it?'

Dawn cursed herself as she stood in the darkness of the now startlingly frigid cornfield, her hooves furiously rubbing her upper arms in an effort to warm herself. Once again, a moment of personal weakness had managed to land the pair in hot water. Just like how she had crumpled when faced with Ana's relentless cruelty, and failed to protect the family's stand against Ruddy, Loupon, and the unruly residents of the North Meadowlands. The ewe had now allowed herself to fall prey to her primal, animalistic urges instead of rising above them. She had failed to keep a cool head in the face of her overwhelming, gnawing desires.

It was a seemingly simple instruction, something even a dullard should have been able to follow. But in the heat of the moment, when her body had been pushed to the limit, that simple task had become an impossible one. Her mind had been so overcome, so flooded with desire and the burning need for relief that she had simply forgotten the wolf's missive. She was only a mammal after all, and despite years of evolution and refined civilization, under duress her baser animal urges still easily overwhelmed her rational mind.

She could have blamed her Puppy Love, and his flawed but endearing approach on how to take care of her 'remnant estrus' without alerting the household. But if they had been able to simply leave it at the wolf's original plan, if she hadn't been so insistent after the wolf had riled her up, it could have been something workable. But once she had gotten so near to the threshold of her big release, only to fall just short of it, her composure immediately crumbled under the desperate need for her Puppy's 'full attention'. She hadn't even fully heard him when he first uttered the instructions, her pheromone addled mind had been too busy screaming for the wolf to finish what he started. 

When his words finally managed to cut through the heated sexual fog, the ewe was quick to clasp her hooves as hard as she could down on his maw. At that point Dawn would have agreed to anything the wolf said as long as he promised to break the fever that had taken hold of her, the rational part of her brain having been buried deep beneath a sea of lust. She could have blamed the wolf for expecting her to be able to comply with what he had asked under such extreme circumstances, but she had been the one that became adamant that he go all the way once she had become too hot and bothered to turn back.

The ewe shuddered as another light breeze blew against her body. Her estrus had been quelled, at least for a day or two. The heat burning deep inside had rapidly extinguished once Vernon had thoroughly scratched her 'itch', and now the previously temperate feeling Autumn air had become brisk and chilly. Dawn clenched her chattering teeth as she let out a ragged huff. The ewe was walking back and forth as she continued to run her hooves over her upper arms.

Dawn nearly jumped out of her wool as she felt something being draped around her, turning sharply to find Vernon placing the plaid picnic sheet around her shoulders.

"Easy, easy, Mutton Chop." Vernon spoke quietly, holding his paws out in a defensive stance. "It's just me."

Dawn sighed, clutching the blankets edge at she stared up at the wolf in slight confusion.

"I thought it might help with the chill, seein' as how we didn't bring any jackets out here." The wolf said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "I figure it's better than nothin'."

"O-oh..." Dawn uttered. "Thank you Puppy." The ewe added, pulling the sheet more tightly around her body. It wasn't very thick, after all the blanket probably hadn't been made with warmth in mind. But at the very least it did help take some of the edge off of the crisp Autumn winds that were now steadily buffeting the field. 

With a meek smile, the wolf turned his attention back to the edge of the corn field, and Dawn watched him part a few of the stalks before sticking his head out between the newly formed gap in the direction of the Hunter household.

Now alone with her thoughts once more, the ewe found herself regarding the thin gauzy sheet she was now using as a makeshift shawl. The same fabric that had just moments ago had played bedding to their sexual escapades in the corn field. The ewe gingerly raised one of the clumps of fabric she was holding to her muzzle, giving it a gentle and wary sniff only to find that it absolutely reeked of her and the wolfs scent. Dawn found it comforting only for a moment before her rational mind snapped her back to the issue at hoof. Now free of the sexual haze brought on by her estrus, the ewe's mind was fully alert and becoming increasingly nervous.

'It wouldn't have worked anyway.' She thought, now going over Vernon's plan with a clear head. Even if the wolf hadn't howled, there is no way they would have been able to rid themselves of the undiluted aroma of sex that was now clinging to them like the scent of cigarettes on a chain smokers jacket. Getting rid of the potent odor of their mixed pheromones would have required two separate showers, and immediately washing their clothes and the picnic blanket without accidently running into one of the Hunters.

And considering how easily Yuri had picked up on the fact that the ewe had been in heat earlier in the day, Dawn could only assume that the rest of the family's keen sense of smell would easily expose their misdeed the moment they were in the same room with any of them for longer than a split second. The odds of avoiding the entire pack of Hunters while crossing back and forth through the house several times in order to rid themselves of the smell discreetly were slim to none. Of course, such hypothetical plans no longer held any value. There was no possibility of hiding the fact that the pair had mated now that Vernon had howled.

The Hunters had most assuredly heard them, as well as half the county judging by the faint howls she could hear from other directions. Audrey, Yuri, the rest of the family, there was no way she and Vernon were going to be able to walk back into that house as if it simply hadn't happened. And it was certainly going to be another point against the ewe when it came to the looming talk she was set to have with Dorian. 

Once again, it seemed they had managed to get swept into another debacle, only this time they really had done it to themselves. But despite the extra challenge the two would now have to endure thanks to their little slip up, there was one thing the ewe knew for certain. Regardless of the consequences, or what breaking the house rule might do to her and Audrey's fledging relationship, the immutable fact remained that Dawn had damn well needed that.

"I don't see anybody poking their heads out to look for us." Vernon muttered, pulling his head back in from between the stalks of corn. "I-I mean it's been ten minutes...maybe-"

"Vernon, listen!" Dawn grumbled, holding her hooves out and gesturing to the air around them. She remained silent for a few moments as she waited for the wolf to process the sounds. 

"Half the county is still howling!" Dawn added. "They heard us!"

Vernon placed his paws up defensively. "I know they heard us!"

Dawn sighed, placing her head in her hoof. "I can't believe we did this..." The ewe slowly dragged her head out of her hoof, letting out a groan as it pulled at her facial features on the way up. " That I couldn't keep my urges under control for two more days! I should have just said no!" Dawn hissed. "No! No! No!"

Dawn heard Vernon whine, and turned her attention back to the large wolf to find looking at the ground. Vernon's ears sagged as he idly kicked at the soil beneath him.

"I-I'm sorry Honey Lamb...I didn't want...I mean..." The wolf ran a paw through his tuft of head fur before starting to chew at his claws.

Dawn let out an exhausted sigh, placing a hoof to her forehead as she regarded the wolf. She hadn't meant to be so flippant with her mate. She was irritated certainly, but more with herself rather than anyone else.

"I-It's both of our faults Puppy, it's not just yours." Dawn lamented. "We both messed up." The ewe walked over the Vernon, taking his paw in her hoof as she flashed him a sad smile. The wolf let out a soft whine as he gave her hoof a squeeze.

"I-I know, but I-" Vernon let out a sigh as he ran a free paw through his scalp. "It was my dumb idea, and I pushed ya into it. I should have-"

"What's done is done now Puppy." Dawn said with a sigh. "All we can do now is try to deal with it the best we can. Together." The ewe offered the wolf an earnest smile as she playfully swung his clasped paw back and forth. The wolf managed a weak smile of his own in return.

"Together...right." Vernon replied firmly, giving the ewe a brisk nod before poking his head back out between the corn stalks, this time pulling the ewe forward as he did so. Vernon spread the stalks wider as he looked back toward Dawn, gesturing with a nod that she join him as he peered at the house from afar. Placing her own hoof against the split stalks to help the wolf hold them aside, Dawn glanced out at the sleepy homestead in the distance. In the darkness of the encroaching night, the warmly lit windows cast a variety of shadows across the expansive empty field leading up to the corn stalks. Each leaf, branch or other assorted bit of light brush caused the scattered light to flicker across the expanse as they blew through the scene. However inside the lit windows, the light remained firm and unwavering, telling the ewe that none of the Hunters were currently looking back toward them. As the ewe continued to watch, she came to the realization that the area around the home had also grown oddly quiet. Despite the stray howls still ringing out across the nearby farms, it appeared those inside the house had long ceased in their reply. 

"Should I be looking somewhere specifically Puppy?" Dawn asked, holding a hoof above her eyes in an effort to focus her vision.

"Back porch." Vernon replied, pointing a claw toward the left of the Hunter Ranch. "On the left side."

Adjusting her gaze the ewe could see the large covered porch connected to the back end of the property. The pale glow of what appeared to be a single naked light bulb filtering through the green mesh hazed panels of insect netting. Aside from being well lit, the porch seemed as quiet and empty as the rest of the Ranch at the moment. As far as Dawn could tell, the lack of harsh shadows cutting against the light meant there was no one was waiting for them there either.

"It looks empty." Dawn muttered softly.

"Yeah, but more importantly the kitchen lights are out." Vernon replied, again pointing a finger toward the rear of the home. Now that Vernon had pointed it out, the ewe easily noticed the tall and darkened windows just to the right of the porch. 

"That tells me dinner is long over, and Ma's done cleaning dishes." Vernon continued.

"So, what does that mean for us?" Dawn asked, her eyes still fixed on the darkened windows.

"If we go through the back porch, that'll put us right in the downstairs hallway." Vernon said quietly, slowly drawing his finger along the home as if he were plotting the route on a map. "All we have to do is sneak through the hall and get to the basement door at the end of it." His finger drew further across the home, stopping somewhere in the middle. "If we can get there, we can hide out until we figure out how to best confront Ma about what happened."

"A-are you sure Audrey wouldn't just come looking for us there right away?" Dawn asked, arching an eyebrow at the wolf. "I mean, she knew to look for us there last time. I can't imagine she's going to think we're still outside after an hour or two goes by."

"I don't think we'll need an hour Floofs." Vernon turned his attention back to Dawn, flashing her a weak smile that Dawn could only assume was meant to appear confident. "I mean, as long as we get our stories to line-up we'll be alright...and they ain't exactly too different already."

Vernon was more or less right, at least in Dawn's eyes. There wasn't too much that really needed fleshing out when it came down to what had happened. They had mated, and there was no way they could simply lie their way out of it. The howl was overwhelming proof as to what had been done. But as for what lead up to it, and the overall why, those could possibly be framed in a softer and more sympathetic light. It was something the ewe had done before in her political days, back when she regularly had to pull Lionheart out of his own public debacles along the campaign trail. And all things considered, some of the lions escapades were certainly worse than the ewe's current situation. Whatever she could craft wouldn't be able to get them out of trouble, but at the very least might earn them a bit more leniency when it came to facing Mother Hunter. 

Dawn shuddered as she thought of Audrey again. She wasn't sure exactly what to expect when it came time to face the she-wolf, but she certainly wasn't looking forward to it. She had been the first to accept Dawn into the family, and stood up for the ewe like one of her own at the family food stall, and Dawn had repaid her by breaking her trust.

"Okay, lets move to the porch as quickly and quietly as we can." Vernon said, snapping the ewe out of her increasingly worrying train of thought. The wolf had already began to move through the stalks only for the ewe to tug harshly at his paw.

"Vernon wait!" Dawn protested, stopping the wolf in his tracks. Vernon arched and eyebrow as he eyed the ewe in confusion.

"What?" The wolf replied.

"W-what about the picnic stuff?" Dawn asked, raising the edges of the blanket she had wrapped around her in an effort to emphasize her point.

"Just leave it." Vernon replied. "I'll get it later, after this is sorted out." The wolf quickly turned his attention back to the Hunter Ranch. "Now c'mon, while it's still clear!"

With a shrug, the ewe cast the blanket off of her shoulders, leaving the incriminating evidence of their misdeeds in the field as the couple made their way back toward the Hunter home. Vernon had broken into a light jog, and the ewe did her best to keep up despite the difference in stride between the pair. It didn't take very long before the two found themselves at the base of the porch stairwell, looking up toward the back door of the home. Thankfully, the first screen door that separated the outside from the closed porch had been left wide open. From the way it looked, with it's peeling faded deep green paint and coiled hinges Dawn could tell it would have certainly made a lot of noise just to open and close it. Dawn bumped into Vernon's leg as the wolf came to an abrupt halt just short the first step.

The wolf placed a paw above his eyes, craning his head in an effort to stare into the tall dark windows close to the porch. Dawn stayed close to Vernon, clutching at the wolf's pant leg as she waited for a response.

"Well the kitchen is still dark, and I can't really see anyone in there right now." Vernon whispered.

"How can you be sure?" Dawn replied in a hushed tone of her own.

Vernon let out a soft whine as he looked back at Dawn. She could see an nervous uncertainty behind his eyes. "W-well I mean, I can't be one hundred percent sure." The wolf tugged at his shirt collar. "But it ain't like Ma could do dishes in the dark."

Dawn gave a meek nod of agreement as the wolf turned his attention back to the porch. He remained still for a moment, seeming hesitant to push forward as he eyed the first step. But eventually the wolf raised a shaking foot before gently easing onto the old wooden stairs. With the slight pressure, the old planks gave a weak groan under his foot causing large wolf to immediately freeze in place. 

"Easy now..." The wolf whispered, his ears now flat against his head. Dawn could feel the muscles in Vernon's leg tense as she remained gripped to it, but she could also feel him shifting forward. The wolf was slowly applying more of his weight as he leaned into the step, until eventually, with little fanfare he had put his full weight on it. Once his weight was firmly planted down through his leg, the wolf quickly slipped the other onto the same step, wincing slightly as it let out another weak groan before falling silent once more. Vernon glanced back at Dawn with a weak grin.

"O-okay..." Vernon said in a hushed tone. "I'm gonna move to the next step now. And when I do, you get on the first, okay?"

Dawn gave a brisk nod. Unlike the last instructions the wolf had given her, she was going to follow the new ones to the letter. Dawn bit her hoof as she watched the wolf repeat the process he had with the previous step, freezing briefly with each creak as he edged his way up to the second stair. Once he seemed satisfied with his progress, he gestured for Dawn to make her move.

The ewe gulped slightly as she placed a hoof on the first step. However, unlike Vernon, the step remained completely silent as she eased her weight onto it. It ultimately took her a third of the time Vernon had spent getting onto the step himself. The wolf shook his head, flashing a genuine smirk as he looked at Dawn.

"Thank the gods I have such a light mate." Vernon said with a quiet chuckle.

Dawn flashed the wolf a smile of her own, making sure to keep her giggling on the inside as she waited for the wolf to make his next step. Slowly but surely the wolf moved up to the lip of the actual porch, repeating the same process he had before. Once the wolf was firmly planted on the porch, his step became more casual as he shifted out of the way of the stairs. Placing a paw on the frame of the door, he gestured the ewe forward again.

"Porch is in better shape than the stairs, you won't have to worry as much once yer up here Darlin'" Vernon whispered.

The ewe nodded as she made her way to the second step, and quickly the third and final. Now standing on the deck, the ewe let out a sigh of relief. Her tiny frame had managed to smoothly make it up to the porch without so much as a peep from the old steps.

"Don't get too relaxed just yet Floofs." The wolf said quietly, gesturing to the old screen door that stood between them and the open hallway. "That old door is noisy as hell when you close it, and how loud it is doesn't exactly depend on how much we weigh."

Dawn felt another lump form in her throat as she sidled up to the wolf. Once again the ewe clutched her hooves tightly on the fabric of his pant leg.

"L-Lead the way Puppy." Dawn muttered, using a free hoof to gesture toward the rickety old door.

She could hear the wolf let out an audible gulp as he began to shuffle forward, each step slow and methodical as he approached the entrance to the hall. Once he was just a foot or so away, the wolf stopped in his tracks. Reaching out, Vernon wrapped his fingers around the tarnished bronze handle of the interior screen door.

The wolf let out a long sigh, and Dawn could feel the muscles in his leg tighten as he stood with his paw gripping the aged door handle. The ewe had already begun to brace herself as the wolf remained frozen in his stance. She was unsure of when he was going to muster the courage to open the door, and what kind of noise might come from it when he did, but the longer he waited the more it put the ewe on edge. She could easily see into the hall through the screen from where she stood, and while no one was in there at the moment, the longer they waited only put the pair more and more at risk. After what seemed like an eternity the ewe opened her mouth to speak, but it was in that moment Vernon chose to move.

In one swift motion the wolf ripped the door wide open. The action had been so sudden that the ewe released her grip on the wolf's leg, recoiling in fear as she anticipated the loud groan that was about to cut through the silence they had fought so hard to keep. But it never came, and as the ewe opened her eyes she could see the wolf was still holding the door wide open. The wolf let out a harsh, ragged exhale as he glanced back at the ewe.

"Sorry..." Vernon voice trembled slightly as he whispered. "It doesn't creak if you open it fast. Only if you try to open it slow."

Dawn gave him a small swat, puffing her cheeks as she glared back at the wolf.

"You think you could have warned me first!?" Dawn hissed quietly, trying her best to keep the irritation in her voice at a low volume.

"I know I should have okay!" Vernon spat in a hushed tone. "I just forgot till I had my paw on the handle. It's been a while since I've been out here Lamb Fry!"

Dawn let out a annoyed sigh as she held a hoof over her chest. Her heart was still thrumming loudly due to the scare, and the ewe began to take slow and methodical breaths in an effort to slow it back to its normal tempo.

"I'm sorry Darlin', I'm sorry." Vernon added as he began to slip inside, keeping his arm holding back the door rigid against it. "But we don't have time to hash this out here, we need to keep moving."

Dawn nodded, letting out a quiet sigh as her heart rate returned to normal. Slipping in close behind the lumbering wolf, Dawn watched as he carefully eased the screen door back into the frame behind them. Unlike when the wolf opened it, Vernon now seemed to be taking great care to seal it shut as slowly as he could. 

"Now closin' it..." Vernon muttered, briefly glancing down at the ewe. "That's a whole different affair." 

The door had managed to remain so silent upon being wildly opened, yet now it seemed ready to make noise at the slightest hair of movement. With every inch or so gained, the door would emit a miniscule creak causing the wolf to stop and wince before continuing. The odd silence of the Ranch only added to Dawn's anxiety and the eternity of time it felt like was passing as she watched the door sliding it to place.

Finally, with a barely audile click, the screen door laid quiet in it's frame, successfully sealing them inside the Hunter abode with barely a peep. She could hear Vernon let out a relieved sigh.

"Alright..." Vernon whispered as he crouched down to the ewe's level. The wolf briefly glanced toward the darkened doorway to the kitchen before looking back at Dawn. "We just need to take the hallway straight down, and we're home free."

Dawn swallowed hard before giving the wolf a reluctant nod as she once again latched herself to Vernon's leg. At the end of the hall she could see the basement door, the couples safe haven. All they needed was just a half hour, maybe less before she was ready to confront Audrey. Just long enough to figure out where to begin before readily facing the music.

The wolf took a quiet step as Dawn remained locked to his hip, her eyes darting around as she scanned in every direction. One moment she was staring into the darkness of the kitchen, to the porch door, then back to the basement that lingered just out of reach. But as her eyes shifted away from the kitchen on another nervous pass, she could swear she saw something shifting in the dark. The lamb quickly pivoted her glance back into the darkened parlor, doing her best to peer into the blackness to where she had thought she had seen something. But despite her best efforts, all she could see was inky blackness. The ewe tried to reassure herself that it was nothing, merely the trick of the poor night vision that sheepkind were so well known for, and yet something in the pit of her stomach told her that it was worth bringing to Vernon's attention. At the very least the wolf could take one more look into the kitchen with his keener sense of sight to put the ewe's fears at rest.

"Ver..."

"Ahem..." With the sudden voice came a loud snap as the hallway suddenly illuminated in the spotlight of harsh electric lighting. Dawn immediately turned to find that the kitchen lights had come on, and much to her horror, it hadn't been empty as Vernon had initially guessed. It turned out the ewe had seen something looming in the dark. Sitting in front of the sink, with her arms folded up tightly as she leaned on of the dining room chairs, was Audrey. 

Dawn's heart had managed to leap into her throat so harshly that she inadvertently let out a small squeak before scurrying behind the large wolf she had been practically fused to, only allowing for her head to peer out as she looked back Audrey's way. The ewe could feel her blood freeze as the she-wolf glowered at the pair, her muzzle twisted in a disapproving scowl. Of all the mammals to catch them slinking back into the house in shame, Audrey was the last one Dawn prayed they would run into unwittingly. Dawn had so desperately wanted time to figure out what to say, to face the Mother wolf on her own terms and come clean in a way that was upfront with the wolfess. At the very least the ewe could appear to have some dignity left, choosing to confront Audrey rather than to hide. But being caught like this made it look exactly as though that had been the case. As if the couple had foolishly thought they could get away with what they had done.

Dawn swallowed hard as she looked to Vernon, who appeared almost equally as mortified as she was. The wolf's height had dropped by nearly a foot as he cowered, his ears tight against his head as he bit his lower lip.

"M-Ma!" The wolf barked weakly.

The she-wolf's glare remained cold and unrelenting. It felt as though pure ice was pouring out of her eyes and directly into the ewe as she stared back in mute horror.

"D-Dawn and I, we we're j-ju-"

"Sit." Audrey said coldly, motioning to the two chairs set in front of her before crossing her arms again.

Vernon was trembling slightly, not that Dawn was doing much better. But the wolf remained frozen in his stance. The wolf was seemingly glued to the floor as his eyes darted around nervously. Without Vernon to usher her forward, the ewe remained just as paralyzed as her mate, practically fused to his hip as she gripped tightly around the back of his leg.

"Listen Ma, we-"

"SIT!" The she-wolf commanded firmly, her voice filled with irritation as she flashed her teeth.

In an instant the ewe found herself standing by herself in the now illuminated hall archway. Vernon was practically falling over himself to get to the nearest chair, nearly knocking it over in the process before clumsily taking a seat in front of the angry she-wolf. Dawn was quick to follow suit, wasting no time to scurry up to the remaining chair, her hooves clattering against the hardwood as she scrambled toward the open seat. As Dawn approached, Vernon prepared to give her a boost into the high seating. But Audrey was quick to swat his paw away.

"She can get up by herself." Audrey said flatly, flashing Vernon a icy glare.

That edge on Audrey's voice was enough to get another hard gulp out of Dawn as she rounded the seat corner. Her eyes remained locked to the floor as she began to pull herself up onto the cushioned seat. It was certainly harder to get up without Vernon's help, but Dawn had no intention of complaining. Once she had finally managed to seat herself on the cushion successfully, the ewe quickly turned her focus to her idle hooves as she braced herself for what was coming.

"We have one rule in this house." Audrey said, her eyes shifting back and forth between the pair.

"But M-"

"ONE RULE!" Audrey raised her voice as she cut the wolf off, causing Vernon to shrink further into his seat. Dawn only glanced at her mate briefly before returning her attention back to twiddling her hooves.

"Whenever one of ya'll come home to visit, you behave." Audrey continued, her voice remaining cold and even toned. " Ya'll don't fool around on the premises." 

Dawn continued to stare at her hooves, wringing them nervously. The ewe was an adult, a fully grown lamb and she knew it. But yet, she couldn't bring herself to look up at Mother Hunter. The very idea of looking Audrey in the eyes after what she and Vernon had done was absolutely mortifying. And unlike the other situations where the ewe had felt the need to try to step in, Dawn felt it was best to remain as quiet as possible. Whatever the she-wolf had to say was more than warranted, and the faster they could move past the scolding, and move on to the sentencing, the better for Dawn's sake.

She heard the wolfess let out a long and tired sigh.

"I felt it was a pretty straight forward rule." Audrey lamented. "One I felt the reasons behind were fairly obvious to everyone in this family."

Dawn heard a soft whine come from Vernon as she remained fixated on her hooves.

"But I guess I'm going to need to explain exactly why we don't 'rut' like mindless animals when visitin' this house!" Audrey's voice rose at the end of her statement, causing Dawn to slink further into her shoulders.

The squeak of a chair brought Dawn's attention up from her lap only for a brief moment, but as she glanced up she could see Audrey had risen to her feet, turning her back to the pair. The she wolf made it just a little easier for the lamb to keep her eyes on her, but Dawn maintained a low eye-line should she abruptly face them. She warily watched as Mother Hunter walked to the sink behind her, reaching over it and grasping the window ledge. With a heave the older wolf thrust up the shutter allowing the crisp night air to pour in through the now open window. The cool Autumn breeze carrying with it the song of crickets, as well as the faded chorus of howls that were still ringing out across the rural community. With the window wide open the wolf snapped her attention back to the pair, and Dawn's head summarily shot back down toward her lap.

"There's reason number one." Audrey muttered. "I take it ya'll can hear that raucous."

A brief moment of silence hung over the kitchen, a moment Dawn first assumed was meant to make the howling sink in, that was until Audrey continued.

"Do ya'll hear it?" Audrey added, her tone rising slightly.

"Yes'm..." Dawn heard the weak reply from Vernon.

"I'm sorry, what was that Vernon?" Audrey said, louder now.

"Yes Ma'am." Vernon said more firmly.

Audrey let out another terse sigh.

"Thanks to ya'll two gettin' frisky outside, the entire county is in a howl frenzy! In no small part thanks to yer brothers amplifyin' the call!" Audrey snorted. "Now I gotta worry about all o' the North Meadowlands thinkin' I'm playin' host to some kind of Hunter family orgy!"

"Ma, t-that's a bit overdramatic don'tcha think?" Vernon stammered. 

"Overdramatic!? Boy-! Mhhh!" Audrey let out a loud huff. "You know as well as I damn well do that wolves can tell what kinda howl it is when they hear it!"

"I-I know but-"

"They ain't here to get the story though! All they're hearin' is five er' more howls that all scream 'I got laid' comin' from THIS RANCH!" A sudden clatter made Dawn jump in her chair to catch sight of the she wolf throwing a wooden spoon harshly in a nearby drawer. She was still standing, but had begun pacing back an forth as she continued her irritated tirade. "And they'll gossip with the other neighbors who aren't wolves, and paint all sorts of unseemly pictures of what goes on here! I already got enough trouble with all the baseless crock of gossip that festers 'round these parts without my son addin' to it by lettin' his pecker do his thinkin' for him!"

"And..." Audrey's angry tone seemed to break slightly. "That brings me to the other reason we have that rule in place." The she-wolf's voice dropped further, becoming more sullen, and as Dawn peeked back from her lap she could see Audrey had placed her head in her paw.

"L-look, I know ya'll are adults. When ya'll bring your mates back home, I ain't thinking all you do is play pattycake or some nonesense behind closed doors." Audrey sighed, shaking her head. "Adults in love have needs..."

"B-but when my boys come home...they're my boys." The she-wolf whimpered slightly. "I'll always see them as my little pups, every time I look at them. And I know it may seem silly, but..." Audrey grabbed a towel off the edge of the sink, taking a moment to dab the corners of her eyes before taking in a harsh drag of air. "When they're here I can sort of...pretend they are still my little pups, I can sort of imagine it was like the old days."

"I-I know Ma..." Vernon whined.

"And if ya'll do...what ya'll did..." The she-wolf sniffled. "It sorta shatters that little illusion for me." The she-wolf let out a sorrowful whine.

By now Dawn's mind was swirling with a mixture of painful feelings. Shame at the pairs sexual congress being broadcast for the whole home to hear. Guilt for hurting the she-wolf who was first had welcomed her with open paws. The knot in her stomach grew as the wolfess continued, each sentence cutting at Dawn more and more. 

"I mean, I thought you'd understand. You boys feel the same way about me and yer Father." Audrey gave another hard sniffle, seemingly trying to regain her composure. "How would ya'll like it if you accidently caught me and Dori in the middle of-"

"Okay! Okay! Stop!" Vernon quickly cut the wolfess off. "I don't want to picture that!"

"Well what am I supposed to picture now huh?" Audrey hissed. "Ya'll busted my illusion. Now I gotta try to pretend I didn't hear that howl! That I don't know what went on out there!"

"It's my fault, I'm sorry Ma! It's not like I can just take it back!" Now Vernon's voice was starting to rise. 

"It takes two to tango Vernon!" Audrey snapped back. Dawn could feel the she-wolf's eyes on her despite not rising to meet them. "And unless you were out there ruttin' a pumpkin you ain't the only one I should be sore at!" The wolfess spat.

"I'm sorry! But I had to help Floofs, she was suffering!" Vernon protested.

"Vernon, I get it." Audrey sighed. "I know what heat feels like, I've been there. It can be agonizin'." Dawn could see the wolfess shake her head before turning her way, causing the ewe to return to wringing her hooves. 

"But ya both ain't teenagers." Audrey continued. "I know it's embarassin' to endure, and can make ya feel sick, but I don't think it's too tall an order to ask ya both to keep it together for the weekend, is it?"

"A-Audrey." Dawn balled her fists tightly as she mustered the courage to finally face the she-wolf. Biting her lip, the ewe finally forced her head up to meet the older wolf's gaze. Dawn reflectively winced as the sadness in to wolf's eyes flushed a fresh pang of shame through the ewe's body. Dawn shuddered, but managed to find the strength to press on.

"I-I'm so sorry. It was my fault really." Dawn continued.

"Honey Lamb." Vernon said in shock, placing a paw on the ewe's shoulder. Dawn pushed down the tears she felt building beneath the surface. She was going to get through this without crying.

"I-It was just a moment of weakness." Dawn let out a shuddering sigh. " And I was the one who ended up pushi-"

"No Lamb Fry. It was my dumb idea." Vernon cut her off. "And it didn't even work the way-"

"But if I hadn't egged you on." Dawn interjected. "If I hadn't been so insistent."

"Alright, alright, it's both of ya'lls fault." Audrey tutted. "We already knew that, and I'm getting more and more uncomfortable with how close the two of ya'll are skirting to..." The wolfess paused, her muzzle scrunching up in distaste. "describin' things."

Vernon let out another soft whine, a deep blush forming on his muzzle as he looked down at his own lap. The ewe would have loved nothing more than to follow suit, the shame urging her to break eye contact with Audrey, but somehow she managed to overcome it.

Audrey let out another sigh as she leaned back against the counter, giving a slow, disapproving nod as she appraised the couple.

"Now I suppose all we're left with is doling out punishments." Audrey said, placing a finger to her chin.

"Aw Ma, c'm-."

"Vernon!" The she-wolf scolding, throwing Vernon another glare. The wolf's ears drooped, but now his attention remained on his Mother as she repeatedly tapped a claw against her muzzle.

"Hmm..." Audrey rolled her eyes, evidently mulling over various options in her head as to the best method of taking the couple to task. Despite managing to keep her chin up, Dawn continued to wring her hooves as her anxiety only deepened.

"Vernon, I think I'm going to have ya'll clean every dish from now until you two leave on Monday." a smug grin crawled across her muzzle as she reached a paw toward the automated dish washer situated near the sink. With a tug, she threw the large door open revealing that it was practically filled to the brim with unwashed dishes, cups, and silverware. "Luckily for you, I hadn't run this load just yet." Audrey's grin deepened into a more satisfied smile. "And you're going to be doin' it by paw. This machine is off limits."

"Ma!" For the first time Vernon actually looked annoyed. "This is ridiculous! You said it yourself, we're both adults!"

"Vernon" Audrey's tone was low and firm, but her eyes gleamed with a spark that told the ewe she was closed to losing her composure in the face of Vernon's protests.

"You can't just punish us like we're pups!" Vernon continued. "Besides, it ain't like we're the only ones who've broken the house rule be-"

"Vernon James Hunter don't you sass me!" Audrey snapped, causing the wolf to slink back into a cowed stance. Dawn couldn't help but be slightly impressed by how quickly the wolf's full name being uttered had taken the wind out of his sails. The amazing power that all Mothers seemed to have when it came to scolding their child, a true set of magic words. In that moment the ewe was thankful Audrey didn't know her full name, lest the magic might easily carry over and make the ewe that much more miserable.

"You know as well as I do that anyone who breaks that rule gets punished!" Audrey continued. " I ain't gonna make an exception now! Take a page from yer brothers and accept yer sentence like an adult!"

Vernon let out a whimper, his eyes shifting back to his lap as he began to wring his paws.

"Yes'm." Vernon replied quietly.

Audrey's satisfied smile returned. "And where's that picnic gear?" The wolfess continued. "You know you gotta clean that too..."

Vernon let out another whine.

"And the grill, yer cleanin that." She added.

"Ma, I barely used it!" Vernon piped up. "It was only roasted co-"

"Vernon James so help me-!" The she wolf hissed, causing the wolf to recoil again. With the ornery wolf easily beaten back into submission, the she-wolf let out a tired sigh.

"Go'on outside and round up yer gear." Audrey muttered. "And come right back here! I want you arm deep in dirty dishes in ten minutes or less."

Vernon let out a quiet grumble before slowly rising from his seat. The wolf began a slow shuffle back to where the two had entered, all the while his head remaining turned down toward the floor. It was certainly an unusual sight when it came to the large wolf, at least to Dawn. He looked so crushed and defeated, completely submissive in the face of Audrey's scolding. But she supposed it was once again the result of a power that could only be weld by the hands of a parent.

"C'mon Dawn..." Vernon muttered, gesturing for the ewe to accompany him back out into the dark, fall evening.

"Oh no, she's stayin' inside boy." Audrey was quick to snap back, earning a gulp from the ewe. 

Vernon's eyes widened in surprise. In a flash the wolf had puffed back up, seemingly ready to fight. "Ma you can't be-!"

"Did I stutter!?" Audrey raised her voice, causing the wolf to immediately shrink back into his shoulders. The wolf shook his head weakly, giving a meek no.

"Then scat!"

With that, the wolf quickly scurried back into hallway before slipping out of sight. Dawn heard the screen door make a loud clatter as the wolf presumably exited the home before leaving nothing but uncomfortable silence hanging in it's wake. It was just Dawn and Mrs. Hunter now, and the prospect was nothing short of terrifying.

Audrey glanced down at the now trembling lamb, but to Dawn's surprise, her glare softened as her muzzle slunk into a frown.

"And as for you Ms. Bellwether." Dawn had been wrong, just the last name was enough to make the ewe slink further into her seat. The wolf's sorrowful tone made the name sting that much more, as if she had simply lost faith in the ewe, and it was a feeling she found that much more unbearable than just her anger. 

"I-I'm honestly surprised at you..." Audrey tutted. "I thought you were stronger than that..."

Dawn let out a soft whimper. Unable to keep up the eye contact, her eyes dropped back down to her hooves.

"I-I'm so-so sorry Mrs. Hunter, really I am!" Dawn protested, doing her best to remain somewhat stalwart in the face of her overwhelming guilt.

The she-wolf let out a long and tired sigh.

"I want you to take some time to think about what ya'll did." Audrey said somberly. "Ya'll can go anywhere as long as it ain't to help Vernon. I think you two need a little time apart considerin'."

Dawn looked up at the she-wolf, blinking at her in surprise at the oddly lenient sounding punishment.

"I-Is that it?' Dawn stuttered.

Audrey shook her head slowly. " It's the same punishment I give all the girls the first time 'round." The she-wolf pushed herself away from the counter. "Because what matters to them is my trust more than anything." Audrey sighed. "And right now ya'll have wounded my trust in you."

Dawn felt her heart drop in that moment, giving rise to the burning urge to cry. The fact that she had hurt her standing with the she-wolf was an agonizing prospect, something Dawn wasn't sure she could even handle. After all Audrey had done for her in the two days she had been out here, this is how Dawn had repaid her? The ewe was starting to feel sick as she fought back the tears.

"I'm not sure how long it's gonna take to fix that trust, but dependin' on what you come back to me with after thinkin it over, it'll go a long way." Audrey crossed her paws as she frowned down at Dawn.

Dawn gave a meek nod, taking a hard sniffle before easing herself off the dining room chair, starting a shuffle of her own back toward the hallway. 

"I-I'm sorry Mrs. Hunter." Dawn said as she neared the hall entrance.

"Me too Dawn." The she-wolf replied. "Me too."

As Dawn rounded the corner, a mantra began to play over and over inside her mind. 'I will not cry.' The thought repeated. 'I will not cry'. The ewe leaned against the nearby wall, letting out a sigh as she allowed her body to slide to the floor. Dawn took a deep breath, trying her hardest to suck the guilt and pain deep down before attempting to let it all out in one long exhale. Dawn repeated the process again, and a third time as she felt the tension begin to ease slightly. It helped somewhat. It had at least managed to extinguished the beginnings of tears that had been stinging the corners of her eyes. But the uncomfortable emotions still lie entrenched deep in her chest. She had hurt Audrey, soiled the faith the she-wolf had been willing to put into her. Dawn was determined to do anything she could to repair the trust she had endangered between herself and the she-wolf, and playing host to a pity party wasn't going to help in that regard. The ewe was keen on making good on her faux-pas through action and resilience. Instead of shedding tears, she would find a way to make it up to her prospective Mother-in-law.

'I thought you were stronger than that...' Those words had managed to sting the worst of all. Audrey had thought she was stronger. Dawn had thought she had become stronger. And once again she had proven weak and feeble when faced with the easy or more enticing option at the cost of Audrey's perception of her. The she-wolf had seen her as strong, despite every situation she had failed to rise to during the previous days. And now, she had caused Audrey to doubt herself. That was what Dawn couldn't stand. She wanted to be strong, to prove to herself and Vernon's Mother that she could be strong. And the ewe was going to start by taking Audrey's scolding in stride, and finding a way to show her just how truly sorry she was. Dawn was tired of letting her weaknesses get the better of her, and in that moment, the ewe made a declaration to herself that she would stand tall. That for the rest of the trip she would try her damndest to stand her ground, and make up for every moment she had faltered in the face of confrontation.

The sound of footsteps caused Dawn to quickly jump to her feet, drawn out of her thoughts in time to catch Dorian entering the hall. The large white wolf made his way over to the office door, opening it without so much as looking the ewe's way before summarily slipping inside with a grumble. Dawn wasn't sure if he had seen her, and chose to ignore her, or had simply been too wrapped up in his own thoughts to notice the petite ewe leaning against the nearby wall. He had left the door slightly ajar, and from where she stood she could hear a few small noises coming from the office. There was a slight clattering of glass and what sounded like a heavy object landing harshly against deflating fabric before the room seemed to settle into an uneasy silence.

'Dorian's alone.' She thought to herself, her mind drifting back to the plan she had discussed with the Hunter sisters earlier in the day. It was a terrible idea to confront him, especially now that Dawn had been the cause of yet another public disturbance the Hunters would be saddled with. But the ewe already knew that no matter how long she waited to act, facing the wolf would never get any easier. It was a looming battle the ewe had no expectations of winning, and was certain would be nothing short of unpleasant. But the opportunity that had presented itself was most likely the best she was going to get. With the fair and her and Vernon's misdeeds in the field still fresh crimes in the eyes of Dorian, facing him sooner rather than later would seem the most professional and genuinely repentant. 

"I'm going to make things right." Dawn muttered to herself, balling her fists as she began to walk toward the door. "No more being weak." 

The ewe stopped just short of the hard wooden door, freezing in place as her mind began to scream doubts at her. The fresh wounds from Audrey's scolding still stinging sharply, pressing upon her urge to flee. 

"I-I am strong." Dawn whispered, raising a hoof up to the door. The ewe closed her eyes, squeezing the lids tightly as she mustered the courage to knock. "I w-will be strong."

Dawn took in a shuddering breath as she finally brought her knuckles down on the hard wood frame, giving it several quiet, albeit erratic knocks. Her nerves had caused her hoof to tremble slightly with each quiet rap, making the knocks almost trilling percussive beats rather than firm and distinct thumps. For a moment the ewe lingered there in silence, waiting nervously for a reply for what seemed like an eternity.

"Come in" Dawn heard the grumbling reply from beyond the oaken door. Dawn took another deep breath as she placed her hoof on the knob, and with a sharp exhale she opened door to Dorian's office.


	25. The Alpha

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Twenty Five: The Alpha

Alcohol. That was the first thing that assailed the ewe's senses upon entering the wolf's office. The distinct smell of spirits seemed to linger faintly in the room. Dawn immediately recognized the scent of some sort of brandy, the pungent aroma of the liquor masked only slightly by a hint of fruity like sweetness, although the ewe couldn't place the brand. Brandy hadn't been her Father's drink of choice, but it was certainly prominent in his regular alcoholic rotation. The stench alone managed to dredge up flickers of those painful memories long past, and the ewe did her best to shake them off as she pushed forward into the dimly lit study.

The low and intimate lighting gave the prodigious looking study a warm and inviting atmosphere despite what Dawn would have imagined the wolf would have preferred someone like her to feel upon entering. The olive green padded oak furnishings and golden flourishes seemed to twinkle like the flickers of a candle flame, making the room appear almost as if it were something out of the old world. Every piece of furniture seemed to exude a refined and handcrafted charm that only amplified the feeling that the room was a home to a long line of Hunter history in some form or another. The book shelves lining the walls on either side of the room practically spilling over with texts and tomes, many that by the look of them told Dawn they were unlikely to be found in the Savannah Central Public Library. Most of the bindings she could make out seemed to have handwritten labels scrawled on the ends, much of which appeared far too refined to have been written by modern paws.

Easing her way into the room, the ewe followed the source of the low lighting back to the large oaken desk at the head of the room. It was emanating from a lone, jade green office lamp that was pointed toward the center of the desk, the top of which had been covered by a large, wide brimmed Sheriff's hat. Under the most intense portion of the lighting the large white wolf sat, his face obscured partially by the top portion of a large sleek black laptop. The wolf's attention was fixed on the device as he quietly typed away. In his free paw he held a large crystal glass, half full of a deep brown liquid that he idly swished in the container as his attention remained fixated on the computer screen. 

"M-Mr. Hunter." Dawn squeaked weakly. Her mind immediately scolding her for already failing to follow Vanna's advice. The ewe cleared her throat before attempting to rebound in a firmer tone. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

Dawn watched as the wolf's eyes flicked her way, his ears suddenly standing sharply at attention before slipping back into a more relaxed position.

"Well..." Dorian grumbled. "This night just keeps gettin' better and better..." The wolf sighed, bringing his paw over the lid of his laptop before easing it closed. Dorian turned his attention back to the glass in his paw. Reaching across his desk, the wolf pulled a large decanter filled with the same brown liquor that had partially filled his glass. Dorian tipped the bottle into his cup, slowly bringing the level of the fluid to the brim before placing the larger bottle back into the shadow of his desk from whence he had pulled it.

The wolf let out a another sigh as he leaned back into his chair, placing his free arm on one of the chairs armrests as he took a small swig of his brandy. His eyes seemed to be studying the lamb, scanning every portion of her with keen attentiveness. It was something Dawn was certain he did when it came to casing criminals, exactly the behavior Vanna had warned her about. He was looking for a tremble, a flinch, something to grab at, and it took every bit of Dawn's willpower to keep still as she waited for the wolf to continue.

"Well, go on..." The wolf muttered, gesturing toward the ewe with his glass. Dawn blinked rapidly for a moment. The wolf had caught her off guard. She certainly hadn't expected him to be so willing to give her the first word. In that moment Dawn found herself unsure of where to begin, how to even approach saying what she felt she needed to say. The surprising turn had seemed to strike her dumb, and her mind struggled to find the starting thread.

"You wanted to talk...?" The wolf added, swishing the brandy in his glass idly. "Well, talk." The tone in Dorian's voice grew irritated, and with it Dawn felt her heart rate starting to rise. The ewe reasoned it was best to just press onward, to lead right into the focus of why she had entered into his office and hope the conversation remained on that particular topic.

"I feel as though we may have started off on the wrong hoof." Dawn said, her voice even and calm despite her elevated heart rate.

The wolf let out a weak chuckle. "That's putting it lightly." Dorian took another small swig of his brandy before returning to idly swishing it in his glass.

Dawn simply tried to ignore the wolf's snide remark, continuing to press forward with her agenda. 

"I know my being here has caused a lot of stress." Dawn continued. The ewe swallowed hard, but did her best to hide the muscle movement from the wolf's watchful eyes. "And I'm not going to mince words, I know I've been the cause of quite a number of incidents."

The wolf raised the paw on his armrest, bringing it behind his head as he leaned back into his chair. The old chair let out a groan as the wolf's form dipped out of the concentrated cone of light, his head now obscured in the darkness behind the desk as he swished his drink again.

"We talkin' about all of them or the latest one?" Dorian muttered from the darkness. "The whole breakin' the house rule fiasco?"

Dawn stumbled slightly. She had been uncertain that Dorian would jump to that particular incident so soon in the conversation, but considering it had just happened perhaps she should have been expecting it.

"Y-you heard that?" Dawn stumbled, once again mentally cursing herself for showing weakness.

"Who didn't?" Dorian replied. The wolf had begun to gently rock his chair back and forth, periodically revealing his face to the ewe as it slowly slipped in and out of darkness. "I know my son's howls like the back of my paw." Dorian continued. "O'course hard fer any wolf not to recognize a matin' howl."

Dawn cleared her throat sharply, trying to regain her foothold on the conversation. 

"Yes, well that was an unfortunate lapse in judgment on my part, and I can assure you it will not happen again." Dawn added, taking a moment to adjust her glasses.

Dorian leaned forward, his muzzle shifting back into the light of the desk lamp. His face had an irritated expression as he eyed the ewe suspiciously.

"Is'sat a fact?" The wolf gave out a slurred grumbled, taking another swig of his brandy. He drank deeper now, his sips graduating from small to something more average as the ewe heard him emit a hearty gulp before placing the glass on his desk. "I 'spose I should take you at yer word on that?"

Dawn gave a sharp nod. "Yes sir."

"Easy to say somthin' like that after already breakin' the rule." Dorian sneered. "But I guess you Bellwethers aren't much inclined fer followin' rules are ya?" The wolf gave another weak chuckle, but this time it was as if there was slight malice imbedded within it. "So why start now?"

"Mr. Hunter." Dawn interjected despite the sting of the wolf's words. "I'm not here to start picking at old wounds of any kind." Dawn said, clearing her throat again. It felt as though it were drying more and more as the wolf glowered at her. "I came here because I wanted to apologize." 

The white wolf quirked an eyebrow, squinting slightly as he stared back at Dawn. The ewe wasn't sure if he was appraising her movements to try to tell if she was lying, or merely trying to process what she was saying.

"Apologize?" Dorian said, leaning back into his chair. The desk chair groaned as the wolf slid back into the darkness behind his desk. 

"Yes." Dawn continued. "I wanted to apologize for everything I've caused over the past two days. To own up to my mistakes and try my hardest to make up for them."

Dawn watched as the wolf remained in the dark, his paw reaching out for his glass before pulling it back into the shadows. She could hear another hard gulp as the wolf presumably took another swig. 

"I want to try to make a fresh start between the two of us. A do-over if you will." Dawn continued pleading her case. "If not for me, then for Pu-" Dawn stopped to correct herself as her emotions began to affect her professional tenor. "Then for Vernon's sake."

From the shadows the glass returned, now completely free of the brandy it had once been filled with. Dorian however, remained in the dark, leaving the ewe's words to hang there in the silence of the study. Dawn's uneasiness continued to rise the longer the wolf remained silent, but she did her best to keep the rising anxiety below the surface.

"A-All I'm asking for is a chance Mr. Hunter. I really care about your son and I don't want to be the cause of a rift between the two of you." Dawn continued, her voice rising as she continued her entreaty. "And I certainly don't want to be the cause of any problems between you and your wonderful family."

The wolf remained in the dark, still silent as ever, but the ewe could tell by the faint glimmer of light reflecting off his eyes that they were still fixed on her.

"I want to fix the damage I've done, to heal this family I've grown to care about so much. Please." Dawn concluded, offering a weak but hopeful smile. She had managed to remain mostly cool and collected through the most important parts of her planned speech. The ewe felt she may have thrown herself a little at the mercy of Dorian's feet toward the end of it, but she imagined even Vanna would have been impressed with her so far. The ewe waited as the wolf remained silent, seemingly still locked in his position in the darkness beyond the desk lamp. Dawn felt herself begin to wring her hooves, but quickly slapped them down as her anxiety continued to rise.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity Dorian slowly leaned back into the light of the desk. Reaching into the dark, the wolf withdrew the decanter full of brandy before bringing it down on the desk hard enough to make the ewe flinch despite herself.

"There are some types of damage that can never be undone..." Dorian muttered, lifting the bottle once more and pouring himself another glass of brandy. With that simple statement, the ewe's hopeful smile immediately fell. Dawn could feel a lump forming in her throat, but with its rise came the need to protest. Any effort the ewe could make to keep the conversation on a positive level.

"B-But Mr. Hunter, surely something can be-"

"And apologies don't carry much weight when ya'll already tore everythin' apart. Ya'll got nothin' to lose by apologizin' now, nothin' to risk. Ya'll just get to make yourself feel like a better mammal for doin' nothin' but saying a few hollow words." The wolf grunted. 

"Mr. Hunter." Dawn cleared her throat. "I mean what I'm saying. I have every intention of-"

"I told ya'll not to go to the fair!" The wolf snarled, taking another gulp of liquor and wiping his maw tersely. "I told that boy exactly what it would do, but did he listen to me!?" Dorian spat. "No!" The wolf slammed his glass down as harshly as he had the bottle before, causing some of the liquid to slosh out onto the desk.

Dawn could feel the fear rising as her stomach twisted into knots. Not only was the wolf starting to raise his voice, but the scent of the alcohol coupled with the increasingly aggressive atmosphere was starting to play on the ewe's childhood trauma. It was the last thing she considered having to worry about when entering Dorian's office. Not only having to remain brave in the face of whatever Dorian could throw at her, but to keep the old wounds buried in her mind from opening back up under the strain of horrific familiarity. The yelling, the stink of alcohol, all of it was starting to call back to those terrible memories. Flickering images of a crumpled lamb crawled up her spine, balled up on the floor with her hooves out and desperately trying to hold back her Father's belt. And while her rational mine told her she was safe, and that the situation was nothing like those that had come before, the rising fear was still something extra she now had to keep in check. She needed to keep her head on straight. To keep the painful feelings from her past from mingling and blurring with the feelings Dorian was now bringing upon her.

"I didn't know until after the fair Mr. Hunter!" Dawn protested, her voice wavering slightly as she balled her fists. "Vernon didn't tell me what you had said! What Zach had said!" Dawn let out a harsh exhale. "If I had known, I would have been willing to stay home. I m-"

"I'm sure you would have." Dorian scoffed, flicking his free paw dismissively at the ewe. 

"I would have!" Dawn said sharply, her muzzle tightening into a grimace as she bit back the building anxiety.

"Bullshit!" Dorian fired back. "If' that were true ya'll would have never come out here in the first place."

"I came here to meet my mates family!" Dawn protested, her voice remaining stern despite her growing unease.

"Ya'll came out here expectin' everything to go your way. You didn't think about the strain you bein' here was gonna put on this family, what it was going to do to the community we fit into. You were thinkin' about yer selfish needs! You both were!" Dorian spat back.

The wolf took another harsh swig of brandy, wincing slightly as he choked it back. It was clear in the wolf's rising belligerence some of the liquor had slid down the wrong pipe. The wolf let out a ragged cough, wiping his muzzle as he tried to compose himself. 

"Vernon was always a bit naive." The wolf continued, the anger in his voice subsiding slightly, the coughing fit having seeming to have at least calmed the wolf's flared temper. "He makes a lot of choices without really thinkin' em' through. Too much thinkin' with his heart, and not with his head." The wolf tapped a claw to his brow to emphasize his point. "So bein' selfish is natural to the boy. It ain't on purpose o' course. But the boy just expects everyone to come around to his way of thinkin', and doesn't spend the time to reason out the complexities of why someone else can't."

The wolf pointed a claw toward Dawn, his eyes squinting as he sharpened his gaze. 

"But you're too smart fer that." Dorian muttered. "I can't imagine ya'll didn't think of the things Vernon refused to think over, but ya still agreed to come." Dorian's tone started to rise again. "You pushed, and pushed, and spurred the boy on, and fer what? What were you thinkin' exactly?"

"I didn't push for anything!" Dawn protested. "But Vernon believed so strongly that you would accept me, so much so that I couldn't argue with him!" Dawn sighed. "He believed in me too. He believed in me from the start, despite everything I had done."

"After what you've done..." Dorian growled. The wolf took another swig of his drink, placing the glass down as he leaned back into the shadows.

"I know you have a problem with my criminal history Mr. Hunter." Dawn lowered her voice, but her emotions were beginning to slip. Her fear was quickly giving way to ire. 

Being reminded of her Father, feeling like she was in that place again was causing repressed rage to boil up to the surface on top of Dorian's already unreasonable behavior. She knew she was going against Vanna's playbook by even touching on her history, but it felt like there was no other choice. "But I've done my time, and I'm trying my hardest to make up for my mistakes!" Dawn's breath grew shallow as she did her best to keep her anger from boiling over. "I didn't want to point to what happened during the 'Last Night' fiasco as if it simply cleared my guilt, but at the very least it should count as some sort of proof that I'm trying!"

Dorian fell silent, leaving the ewe to stew in her own mind as she waited for the wolf's reply. Dawn didn't like feeling angry, but in this situation it seemed the only way the ewe could remain on track. The growing ire was keeping her focused, preventing her from backing down from the belligerent wolf.

Slowly the wolf leaned forward, placing his glass on his desk before following suit with his arms. The wolf leaned his muzzle against his paws, letting out a long and tired sigh. 

"Do you even think about all the damage you've done in yer life Ms. Bellwether?" Dorian mumbled. "About all the mammals you hurt when you went about drugging up predators and turnin' em loose on a city full of innocent mammals?"

Dawn froze, feeling the anger begin to drain away as the wolf's words cut deep into her. Her part in the Night Howler Scandal was something that had never left her since the moment she had been caught. The guilt and sorrow had hung over her like a dark shroud, and despite therapy and every positive and negative event that had happened in her life since the guilt had always remained, and she was certain it always would. It was something she accepted as necessary, and well deserved. It remained a constant reminder of how low she had sunk, as well as a motivation to work twice as hard to improve the world around after she had done so much to destroy it.

"E-every day." Dawn said somberly. "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about the mammals I hurt."

Dorian gave a slight nod, his eyes remaining fixed on the ewe. "All of 'em?"

Dawn arched an eyebrow in confusion. "W-well yes, of course." Dawn replied. "I've even tried to contact the families of those who were targets, and apologized even if they didn't accept it." Dawn sighed sadly. "Only the Ottertons were willing to hear me out."

"What about the city then?" Dorian muttered, pouring more brandy into his glass. Once again it was filled to the brim, and the wolf took a small sip before placing it back down and returning to his position, his muzzle up against his paws.

"I-I've been doing all I can to help those in the city, but relations have improved quite a bit between predator and prey since we were stopped." Dawn replied, unsure of where the wolf was going with his line of questioning. "Even more so since my Father's plan was stopped. I imagine that predator and prey relations are better than they've ever-"

Dorian cut her off with a weak chuckle. 

"What?" Dawn asked, placing a hoof on her hip.

"What about the world Ms. Bellwether..." Dorian grimaced.

Dawn opened her mouth, but found she couldn't form a reply. She wasn't sure exactly what Papa Hunter was getting at. Surely the wolf wasn't expecting that she knew everything about what the scandal had done to Animalia as a whole, let alone could even begin to mend something of that magnitude.

"The reason I'm askin' this is because I want to see if you've really ever thought about how what you did affected the lives of each and every mammal from here to Sibearia." Dorian gestured his paw in a sweeping motion as if to symbolize the distance. "About the long term damage you've put on their everyday livin', even if it was miniscule."

"Mr. Hunter..." Dawn paused, putting her own hooves to her muzzle as she tried to figure out how to proceed. "I-I've certainly thought about it, but you can't expect me to know how every single mammal in the world may have been affected by what I did, or be able to fix it. I-I'm just one lamb." Dawn could feel the lump in her throat starting to reform. 

"I ain't askin' you to fix it." Dorian replied, taking a sip of his liquor. "As I told ya'll, some things can't be fixed. I'm just asking if you've thought about it."

Dawn nodded meekly. "Y-yes...I have." The ewe sighed. 

"Zootopia is the city the entire planet looks to when it comes to the pinnacle of modern society. Outsiders see it as the place that dictates how all mammals should see each other." Dorian grumbled. "What we all want to strive to be."

"Mr. Hunter." Dawn said, wringing her hooves nervously. The anxiety was starting to creep back in despite the wolf's oddly calm demeanor. "I know I'll never be able to grasp just how much I've hurt everyone globally. As I've said, I'm just one lamb. But if-"

"Fine, Fine..." Dorian muttered. "Then let's scale it back to our own little country. Lets say, right here in the Meadowlands. Just shy of the city proper." Dorian sighed, taking another sip of his brandy. "You ever wonder about how what you did affected us out here in the Meadowlands?"

Dawn felt her stomach began to drop as it was becoming increasingly apparent as to what the wolf was drawing her toward. Somehow, some way, the Hunters had been affected by the crimes she had committed over four years prior. Whatever it turned out to be, it must have been what was fueling the wolf's mistrust and dislike of her.

"M-Mr. Hunter." Dawn stuttered slightly. "If my actions have caused any-"

The wolf held up a paw, looking away from the ewe as he silenced her.

"Can you even imagine what the 'Night Howler Scandal' did to this community? Hell even with just the tenuous relationship sheep and wolves already have? The frenzy and panic it sewed into the fabric of this community?" 

Dorian's voice began to rise slightly as he wrapped his paw around his glass. "Let me paint ya'll a picture. One of a sleepy little police station whose phone lines lit up more and more with each passin' day. Neighbors turnin' on neighbors, and the increasin'ly ornery domestic disputes that came out of that." Dorian grit his teeth. "Mammals that had been friends for years stopped talking because they were afraid of 'em goin 'savage'!" The wolf took another swig. "We had preds locking themselves in their own homes, terrified they'd hurt their neighbors. Afraid of some airborne virus or mental 'tickin' time bomb' that was liable to transform 'em at the drop of a hat."

Dorian sighed as he placed his glass back down before bringing his fingers to his temples. The wolf began to massage them lightly.

"Thanks to that dumb bunny shootin' her mouth off, the predator community was petrified they were all just waitin' to go feral, like it was simply a matter o' time." Dorian groaned. "The resignations were pourin' in. So many of my officers were so wrapped up in the 'savage' frenzy they were afraid they weren't fit for duty. That they we're a danger to public safety rather than its protectors."

The wolf picked up his glass again, finishing the remainder before bringing it down. At this point Dawn had lost track of just how many full glasses the wolf had downed with the growing heat and tension of their argument keeping her attention on the wolf. But As Dorian reached for his decanter, he froze just shy or pouring it. It seemed the wolf had forgotten as well just how many drinks he had, and the look on his face told the ewe he was having an internal argument with himself as to the exact number. Dorian's eyebrows scrunched briefly before the wolf nodded to himself, mouthing what appeared to Dawn as the words 'one more' before topping off another glass. The wolf then placed the large bottle back on the edge of his desk before scooping the fresh glass into his paw.

"Y'know seventy five percent of the North Meadowlands Police Department is operated by Predators?" Dorian asked, arching an eyebrow as he evidently expected a response.

"No." Dawn said meekly. She was certain the figure was accurate. Just her recent research alone had justified why so many wolves had ended up in positions of authority and peace keeping. But it was something that was evident even back in her days working in politics. Predators seemed to congregate at the top, and prey willingly put them there regardless of how times changed and species evolved. They were seen as natural leaders, powerful and strong, and capable of protecting all those under their care. It was a self sustaining cycle that neither side seemed to be able to struggle against, the same one that would force a mammal like Vernon into police work, or Judy into farming whether they wanted to or not.

"Can you imagine what it was like to have half yer office up an leavin' over the course of a few weeks? All while the community is in the throes of eatin' itself?" Dorian grimaced sharply. "Do you think crime just stopped to adjust fer the lack of mammals on the force? Between me, Zach, and the pawful of officers I had we could barely keep this community together." The wolf huffed.

"And that ain't even countin' the demand for resignations from the Meadowfolk." Dorian growled. "On top of the limited paws available, the prey community was pushin' to clear out the remainin' preds from our ranks." The wolf took a small sip of his brandy. "Thankfully ol' Ruddy went to bat for us, or else the department would have been working at twenty five percent or less capacity." Dorian lowered his glass harshly against the table, causing the ewe to flinch again despite herself. "With the rising anti-pred demonstrations and calls fer violence we were strapped to capacity as it was. We were pullin' double and triple shifts, fueled by nothin' more than coffee and devotion to the job. Devotion to the community we grew up in! That my family has been a part of since the county line was re-drawn a century ago! And most of us were prayin' every night that somethin' would give, that somethin' would just turn the tide and end it all."

The wolf lowered his gaze, his eyes fixing on the ewe as the squeezed sharply into hateful slits. Dawn felt a shudder shoot down her spine as she stared back at him, and had to force herself to maintain eye contact despite the overwhelming desire to look anywhere else.

"Then you got caught..." Dori grumbled.

The lump in Dawn's throat gave way to bile as she swallowed hard to keep it contained. Audrey's pumpkin pie was not as pleasant coming up as it had been going down it seemed, and the ewe did her best to keep from wincing as she forced it back into her stomach. Just thinking about that day in particular had always managed to cause the ewe's stomach to turn without fail. It was not the fact that she was stopped that made her feel ill, in fact she was glad for it. But rather, it was how far she had been willing to go before being stopped. How her fear and madness had driven her to attempt to take Judy's life, to force the rabbit's own friend to maul her to death against his will. For Dawn, not a day had gone by that she hadn't been thankful that Nick and Judy had the foresight to swap her pellets with blueberries. For if things had played out the way she had intended in that moment of insanity, the ewe was certain she would never have been able to live with herself beyond it.

Dorian took another sip of his brandy. As he went to lower the glass he stopped just before touching the table. Instead he raised the glass again, pointing a finger toward the ewe.

"You know, The North Meadowlands ain't very diverse when it comes to Pred and Prey." The white wolf said, clearing his throat. "It's mostly made up of sheep and wolves, much like things are back in Schottram and Norwulff." The wolf bobbed his glass slightly from side to side. "With a smatterin' of other prey and preds here and there, but it's largely just wolves and sheep."

Dawn nodded slowly, once again unsure of where Dorian was going with the conversation.

The wolf took another sip of his brandy, letting out a satisfied sigh as he finally placed the glass down. The white wolf leaned back in his chair, allowing the dark to overtake his face again.

"Ever think about how the 'Night Howler Scandal' affected yer own folk Ms. Bellwether?" Dorian asked. "How it hurt sheep folk?"

Dawn blinked in slight surprise. She had always known that to some extent her kind had suffered for what she had done. Sheep already had quite the interesting history depending upon the mammals you had asked. Conspiracy theories about a secret order of rams pulling the strings behind everything that goes on in modern society. About caprids coming from space to enslave the rest of Animalia's mammals. She was sure those were things a mammal like Ulric knew like the back of his paw. But she knew her families legacy had certainly done its fair share to add credence to those crackpot theories. But still, when it came to the duress sheep had suffered as a direct result of her scheme, she was embarrassingly less informed on the subject than she had been with the general effects.

"Honestly..." Dawn murmured. "I really haven't thought about it as much as I probably should have."

Dawn heard a creak from the chair, but the wolf remained cloaked in shadow.

"When you got caught, I was hopin' things would improve. That everything would go back to the way it was..." Dorian sighed. "But instead, it just flipped on its head overnight."

The wolf leaned forward, placing his paws against the tip of his muzzle.

"The anti-pred groups all but disappeared, and in their place came the anti-prey groups. The anti-sheep demonstrations. Angry groups of wolves and other preds stabbing claws toward the sheep in this community and fosterin' the idea that they were at the base of all of societies ills." Dorian drew a paw through his scalp. "Our staff started to come back, but the frenzy stayed the same, even worsinin' in some ways."

Dorian picked up his glass of brandy, taking another sip before letting out an appreciative sigh.

"Crops were burned, homes were defaced, and there were a number of protests that went violent, only now instead of prey supremacy holdin' sway, native wolf ideas about prey were starting to take hold among the pred population." Dorian muttered. "It was the same shit show, with a different face. And once again we could barely keep the peace."

"Mr. Hunter." Dawn spoke. She had let the conversation drift far out of the territory that Vanna had warned her to keep it in. But after hearing the wolf's testimony, she knew just why it had been so important for him to bring to her attention. It was clear Dorian and the Meadowlands as a whole had been through a great deal at her hooves, and the wolf cared deeply about the place his family called home. Her actions had hurt the community in ways that would never be considered by most, in ways she had never been put to trial for. She had hurt wolves, sheep, the Hunters and everyone in the North Meadowlands in some way. And while she couldn't undo all the strain she had caused, she could at least make an earnest try to atone for it. 

"I can't even begin to properly apologize for everything I've caused." Dawn said, her voice warbling slightly as the pang of guilt ran through her. " To you, to your family, to this community. I know that nothing I can really say will help fix anything my actions created all those years ago." Dawn sighed, looking down to her feet in shame. "All I can do is try to make up for everything to the best of my abilities. To do what I can to drive the evil sentiments I helped stoke in pred and prey alike back into the shadows where they belong." Dawn placed a hoof to her chin as she searched for the proper words to explain herself. 

"I'm hoping the book I'm writing will help in some small way, even if only a few mammals ever do read it." The ewe looked back to her feet as she twiddled her hooves. "I know I don't exactly have the reach I once did to contribute anything major. But that doesn't mean I'm not trying my hardest to find ways to help fix some of the damage I've done." Dawn sighed.

"And thankfully, Pred and Prey relations have recovered significantly since my scheme, and even more so since the 'Last Night' plot. I mean things still aren't perfect, but I can at least help keep the ball rolling in the right direction." Dawn said, a twinge of hopefulness rising in her voice. "To try and help fi-"

"Some things can't be fixed." The wolf snarled gruffly as he finished of his glass of brandy. Dorian turned the glass upside-down before bringing it sharply down against his desk. 

"I already told you that..." He grumbled, slurring slightly. he wolf wiped his maw aggressively. "All the tryin' to smooth things over now won't undo what you caused! What you did to my boy!"

Dawn was confused to say the least. The wolf had jumped from blaming her for the communities response to the 'Night Howler scandal' to what Dawn could only assume was blaming her for Vernon's behavior. Or perhaps he was blaming her for Vernon choosing the ewe as his mate. But it didn't seem to go with how the wolf felt about his community, and about prey in general. He cared for prey and sheep as much as his own kind, or it least it seemed that way. The only logical reason the ewe could come up with was once again, that Vernon had chosen someone with such a terrible and very visible criminal record. 

"Vernon?" The ewe asked, warily cocking her head.

The wolf chuckled, his laugh ending in an almost pleasant sigh as he drifted back into the shadows. Dawn could see the gleam again, the tell tale sign that though Dorian was in darkness, his eyes remained fixed on her.

"It was just about...two days. Two days after ya'll got picked up." The wolf laughed again.

"We got a call to head down to this rally." The wolf continued, the chair creaking as he began to rock. "A bunch of uppity native types were sewin' unrest into the local wolves about their sheep neighbors. Talkin' about superiority of preds and such. Same 'ol dribble." The wolf sighed. "Only this time mammals were listenin' to 'em."

Dawn watched as the wolf placed his paws on the desk, leaning himself back into the light. The expression on his face one of somber recollection.

"And it was a public place o' course. So naturally there were caprid folk around, doin' their best to mind their business." Dorian muttered. "But the demonstrators we're gettin' too riled, and they started lookin' fer blood." 

Dorian placed a paw over his head as he leaned into it. "By the time we got there, they had dragged this little ewe away from her family. She was probably only about seven 'er eight." The wolf grumbled. "The leader of them screamin' some nonsense about how 'it starts with the youngins'' or somethin' like that while his buddies were holdin' her parents back." The wolf sat back up, bringing his paw down on the table as he turned his gaze back to Dawn. "I suspected it was just another show of bravado. Those young native types are always lookin' to put the scare into prey folk, especially with the way things had been since the night howler scare. I was so used to that by then I simply wasn't movin' as fast I should have been to break up the whole thing." Dorian turned his muzzle down to his desk, his paw idly playing with the glass he had left upturned as he let out a sigh. "I was never much to concern myself with the ravings of them native types, as ornery as they got they only ever talked a big game. Words can't hurt nobody."

The wolf let out a grumble as he reached back toward the dark edge of his desk, recalling the bottle of brandy from its hiding place. Dorian flipped the glass, pouring himself another tall glass of the liquor. His paw seemed to tremble as the liquid reached the top, causing it to spill slightly before the wolf placed the bottle back on the end of his desk. Dorian took a long sip of his freshly poured brew, gulping loudly before bringing the cup back down to the desk. The wolf wiped his muzzle before turning his attention back to Dawn.

"But a pistol sure can, one that I barely caught a glimpse of as that fella pulled it out of his coat and aimed it at the kid..."

Dawn drew a gasp, placing her hooves over her muzzle as the wolf's words hit her. "Lamb sakes!" The ewe couldn't stop herself from shouting in shock. She couldn't believe any mammal would do something so horrible, and was now gripped with terror as to the fate of the little ewe. "Did he-?"

"I wasn't fast enough..." Dorian sighed. "But Zach was." Dorian shook his head dismissively. "That dumb boy...damn dumb boy." Dorian muttered, his eyes now wandering to the glass he was holding in his paw. Dawn could see the wolf seemed to be swaying slightly, the alcohol digging deeper into the wolf's system.

"Always has to show off!" Dorian grumbled. "Has to look the hero type!" Dorian spat. The wolf leaned over the table, staring Dawn directly in the eyes. The ewe did her best to keep from shrinking into her shoulders, but the glare the wolf was giving her sent chills down her spine. 

"He should have just disarmed him! That dumb boy!" Dorian hissed, taking another sip of his brandy before slinking back into his chair. "But what does he do!? He jumps on the girl, uses his body as a shield!" The wolf huffed. "So instead of stoppin' the wolf from firin', he just made sure he'd get at least one shot off. One shot before I could get to him!" 

Dawn's hoof remained over her muzzle as the realization hit her all at once, he eyes widening as her breathing hitched in her throat. 

"N-No..." Dawn stuttered, her mind grappling to wrap around just what the wolf was telling her.

"No kevlar, o' course no kevlar." Dorian continued. "We never needed it out here before, so why would he be wearin' it!?" The wolf slurred slightly. 

"M-Mr. Hunter, y-you-" Dawn stammered, her mind lost between finally understanding what the wolf was leading her towards while desperately wishing it hadn't.

"Right over his heart the doctors said." Dorian took another swig. " 'Nicked the peri-peri..." The wolf mumbled, seeming to have difficulty with the word. "That sac 'round yer heart." The wolf leaned back into the darkness behind his desk. "Caused it to fill' up with blood, stopped his heart 'fer a minute or two."

She could hear the wolf let out another tired sigh. "If we hadn't been so close to the hospital... Lupa help me. I don't even..." She could hear Dorian's breath hitch slightly, his voice wavering as he struggled to clear it.

This what Dorian had been holding against her above all else, above how her actions has affected Zootopia, the Meadowlands or even the whole world. It all came back to the fact that she had directly hurt the family without even being aware of it. That she had indirectly endangered the life of one of his sons.

"Mr. Hunter. I-" Dawn felt like she could barely breath, the weight of the renewed rush of guilt feeling as though it was crushing her lungs. "V-Vernon never-" Dawn struggled to get the words out. "He never told me. I never knew-"

"O'course he didn't tell you!" The wolf snapped as he came back into the light. "By the time we got news out to the other boys the danger was long over! It had missed his heart, it wasn't serious to 'em!" Dorian spat. "They weren't there when it happened! To see the worst o' things!"

The wolf slammed the rest of his brandy down in a single swig before bringing the glass down hard against the table, eliciting another sharp wince from Dawn.

"Even Zach had dropped yer role in it outta' his mind till I reminded him of it this mornin'! That boy, never takes a damn thing seriously!" Dorian hissed. "That's why I had to get him a partner, someone to keep him from actin' like a damn fool all the time!"

Dawn stared back in surprise as she put the pieces together.

"Y-you mean Vanna was-?"

"She's a damn fine officer!" Dorian sneered. "Calm and collected, and sharp as a tack. Someone to keep a leash on that boy of mine!" The wolf wiped his face, dragging his digits over his features slowly. " Never expectin' to get a daughter-in-law out of it, but now he's got someone to keep him in line even when he's off duty."

The wolf's gaze fell on Dawn again, freezing her in place. The look on Dorian's face was as if he had just noticed her there. It was as if this entire time the wolf had simply been rambling to himself, and was suddenly aware of his audience. The wolf's eyes squinted as his lips curled into a tight sneer. In that gaze the ewe could feel nothing but malice and contempt, the cold and unfeeling stare reaching deep into her chest and freezing the blood within her heart solid. Dawn opened her mouth to speak, but her mind had overwritten any calm, collected words she had planned to say. Dorian's hateful yet hauntingly familiar gaze had stolen her words, replacing them with memories of her Father's same hideous glare.

"And whose hooves do I lay that mess at the feet of Ms. Bellwether? Hmm?" Dorian spat. "Who do ya'll think is at fault fer nearly puttin' one of my sons in an early grave?" 

Dawn blinked in shock, her mind trying to parse the wolf's words properly. The stinging memories of her Father's beatings still playing in the back of her mind as she struggled to respond to the situation at hoof. Dawn fought through the painful mess of her own thoughts, trying to get her voice to the surface in an effort to protest the wolf's accusations.

"Y-you can't possibly blame me for something like that!" The ewe managed to croak out despite herself. "I-I didn't make Zach jump! I didn't put the gun in that wolf's paw!"

Dorian snarled back at the ewe, causing her to shrink into her shoulders as her heart began thumping loudly in her chest.

"Not direct enough for ya? What about how yer Father nearly killed Vern?" The wolf spat. "That's two of my sons your family's tried to take from me!"

"W-what!?" Dawn stuttered. "That's not true either! We we're both ca-"

"If my boy hadn't gotten involved with yer mess of a life, if he hadn't been so fixated on you, he never woulda' been in that factory would he!?" The wolf growled. "Knowin' you is what put him there!"

Dawn could feel the tears starting to rise as the battle skewed against her. The wolf was on her now, his words stinging with each baseless accusation and half truth he threw her way. She could feel herself crumpling under his intimidation, her hooves starting to raise toward the wolf in defense despite the fact he hadn't left his seat.

"Let's face it Ms. Bellwether, this relationship you think you have with my boy, well..." The wolf paused, rolling his eyes lazily as he seemed to mull over his words. "Either yer foolin' yerself or your tryin' to distance yerself from all you've done."

"My boy may be foolish enough to think yer in love with him, but I can read you like a book little lamb." Dorian continued, rising from his seat only to slam his paws on the table. "This ain't nothin' more than a hollow attempt to ease yer troubles about all the things you did."

Dawn was feeling sick as the sea of terrible memories from her childhood bled into her consciousness, mixing and mingling with the rising fear being brought on from the wolf's verbal assault. Her mind was screaming at her to run, the nerve endings in her skin stinging as she recalled the feel of the leather strap as it swung down on her. They were trying to warn her, drag her mind back to that of the little ewe she once was and get her to flee. 

But somewhere in that swirling sea of emotions a flame began to grow. The words that Dorian was saying were outright lies now, and part of her had heard them. The part of her that was tired of running. The part of her that knew she wasn't a little lamb anymore. The part of her that had fought to keep her alive in the hospital three months prior. It was growing angry, and slowly but surely the tainted memories of her past and the fears of her present were being pushed aside as the primal ire crawled its way to the surface. 

"You want to make everyone look at you and think 'Well look at how progressive Bellwether is now! She's matin' with a wolf'!'" Dorian continued, his glare remaining leveled at the ewe. "And now yer here to worm yer way into our pack fer the same reasons! So you can tell yerself you are a good mammal." Dorian hissed. "So you can rest easy thinkin' how much of a great mammal you've become because you'd allow a wolf to-"

"I LOVE VERNON!" Dawn snapped, the ewe grit her teeth as the rage inside quickly boiled over. Dawn took a step toward the wolf, doing her best to match his glare in equal severity.

The wolf looked surprised, raising an eyebrow briefly before seeming to shrug it off. Dorian pounded his paw against the desk again as if to shake control of the conversation back from Dawn's sudden outburst.

"Bulls-!"

"I love Vernon, and frankly I don't care what you have to say about the matter Mr. Hunter!" Dawn cut the wolf off, placing a hoof on her hip as she straightened her stance. The ewe stood tall, despite her diminutive stature, her eyes remaining locked on the wolf's own. "You can refuse to believe in it all you want, but it's there! And I know it's the real thing!

The wolf simply scoffed, easing back down into his chair and crossing his arms defensively.

"And you're right! I am selfish!" Dawn spat, earning an eyebrow quirk from the slightly drunken wolf. "There is a part of me that would love nothing more than to spend the rest of my life far away from Zootopia! Some quiet, secluded little farm where Vernon and I could simply live out the rest of our days together. To not have to worry about what anyone else thought of us, or be constantly reminded of the crimes I've committed. Just to live out the rest of my quiet life with the mammal I know in my heart is my soulmate!"

Dawn placed her head in her hoof, letting out a shuddering sigh as the fire inside his continued to lap at her heart. It was pounding furiously now, turning the hateful memories of her Father's beatings into the fuel that was getting her through her confrontation with the wolf. It was as if the fight Dorian had been so dead set on having with her had become the catharsis for those long repressed offenses. The ewe now directing the energy that she had held in to one day tell off her own Father quickly turning on Dorian.

"But I know I can't..." Dawn let out a ragged sigh. " I know I owe the world to try for as long as I can to make things better! To try to make up for everything I've done wrong! And even if I can't fix everything, I'm damn well going to try!"

As Dawn took another step toward the wolf's desk, Dorian opened his muzzle to speak. But Dawn was done listening. It was Dorian's turn to listen now, and whether any of it would sink in or not the ewe had simply stopped caring.

"And I'm thankful every day that by the grace of the gods, someone up there saw fit to send me Vernon despite everything I had done!" Dawn huffed, stabbing a finger at the wolf in the chair. "A reward I didn't ask for and I know I certainly don't deserve!" Dawn snapped. "To stand with me, and to lean on while I try to heal what wounds I can."

Dawn let out a tired sigh, drawing a trembling hoof over her face as she turned away from Dorian slightly. The ewe dragged her hoof slowly down her face, tugging gently at her features as it slipped down and away.

"I only agreed to come here because Vernon wanted me to." Dawn said sadly. "He was so eager..." The ewe trailed off slightly. "So excited to introduce me to everyone." Dawn let out a weak chuckle. "I couldn't help myself, his enthusiasm was so infectious it made me actually hope that maybe, just maybe, you would prove to be as kind as he had been."

Dawn looked toward the ceiling, letting out another sigh. "That you might be willing to give me a chance to be a real part of your family." Dawn squeezed the bridge of her muzzle tightly as she turned her attention back to the seated wolf.

"Vernon was so set on making me a member of this family....and I just..." Dawn shook her head sadly. "I just wanted to make him happy. That's all I wanted. To give him back some of the happiness he was able to give me."

Dawn turned back toward the office door, holding her hooves out to her sides before allowing them drop to her sides.

"And then I come here to find so many of you willing to accept me with open paws. To embrace me as one of your own and fight for me despite everything I ended up causing." Dawn slumped slightly. "It made me start to hope that I really could find a place in this family. That I really could be a Hunter."

"You think..." Dawn turned her attention back to the wolf seated across from her. The wolf rose wobbly in his chair, planting a paw down on the desk to steady his gait. Dorian let out a wheezy chuckle. "You think I'd ever accept you as one of our own? That I'd believe any of that drivel comin' outta yer yap!?"

Dawn grimaced, the fire inside flaring back to a roar as she balled her fists.

"Vernon told me you were someone who believed that rehabilitation could change mammals!" Dawn cried in frustration. "So why can't you find it in your heart to believe me! To give me a chance to prove-"

"I don't believe anybody anymore little miss!" Dorian snarled. "I know better now." The wolf grabbed the glass empty glass from his desk, twisting it around in his paws as he eyed the ewe suspiciously. "As long as I'm head of this household, you ain't never gonna be a Hunter."

That was the last straw as the burning pit in Dawn's seemed to erupt into her bloodstream. It felt as though fire was flowing through her veins, her skin tingling with the scalding heat burning below the surface. Dawn's heart screamed over her logical mind, pouring all her fears and anguish directly into the hateful angry pit that was burning deep inside. Instinct drove the lamb forward, forcing her to the front of the wolf's desk without a second thought. Her size should have made standing so close to the desk that much more intimidating, her head the only part of her able to rise above the edge. But any fear or discomfort Dawn should have felt was buried by burning ire. The ewe grit her teeth as she stared daggers back at the still towering wolf.

"Well frankly, you don't have much of a say in that Mr. Hunter!" Dawn hissed through clenched teeth. "I'm going to be a Hunter with or without your consent, so I suggest you get used to it!"

Dorian snorted in response, evidently only slightly thrown off by the lambs sudden rush to confront him. The wolf remained silent, his hateful stare remaining fixed on the ewe.

"When Vernon and I return to Zootopia on Monday we are getting a partnership license." Dawn flashed the wolf a smug grin. "And we're planning to have a caprid wedding ceremony within the coming weeks!" Dawn crossed her hooves, a wide grin crossing her muzzle as she stared up at the increasingly appalled wolf. "I'm afraid that last name is as good as mine!"

Dorian let out a snarl, baring his teeth to the ewe as he glared down at her with wide, almost maddened eyes. It was clear he was struggling to find the words. That somewhere between the buzz of the brandy and the ewe's sudden aggressive posturing, the wolf was stumbling for a response. Failing to find his words, Dorian let out an angry roar, whipping the glass he had been holding over the ewe's head in a sudden sharp motion. Almost as soon as it had left his paw the ewe could hear the resounding crash as the crystal glass shattered against the wall somewhere distant in the room. 

Dawn had somehow remained stoic in the face of the wolf's sudden violent outburst, her gaze remained fixed and unflinching as Dorian stabbed a claw directly into the ewe's face. 

"Legally Vernon and Zootopia can do what they please, but without a tithin' ceremony you'll be nothin' more than some cheap lil' gimmer my son is experimentin' with!" The wolf glowered. "That name will be as empty an' hollow as yer intentions."

Dawn thought she was beyond the sting of Dorian's words by now, but that had managed to cut her deep. She could feel the fire finally starting to subside, her fuel nearly spent as the sorrow and misery began to well back up in its place. Dawn blinked sharply, doing her best to keep tears from starting to form as she turned away from the wolf's desk. She marched her way across the partially carpeted floor, not even thinking of the glass that could lay in her path as she made it back to the door.

Opening the large oaken door, the ewe turned back to look at the towering wolf one last time.

"If acting like you is what it means to be a Hunter, than I certainly want no part of it." Dawn eased herself around the edge of the door and back into the hallway. "But regardless, Vernon and I are staying together."

With that, Dawn closed the door behind her, leaving the miserable drunken wolf to himself. Not that the ewe was fairing much better. Now that she was out of the wolf's line of sight she could feel all the weight of what had happened flooding to the surface. The dam she had forged with her anger and resolve had now completely given way, and the deluge of rushing fear and sadness was hitting her like a tidal wave. Dawn tried to walk toward the kitchen, but she only made it about three steps down the hall before falling to her knees. 

Dorian was never going to give her a chance, he was completely set in his ways. Regardless of what her or Vernon tried he was simply unwilling to see reason. At the very least she had a reason now, she understood why the wolf had been adverse to her presence from the moment she arrived. Had she known about Zach's injury before hoof she never would have agreed to come. Even now the fresh guilt of her connection to that event was compounding on the nausea gnashing at her stomach chambers. 

But surely Audrey had known about the wolf's injury, and she had been willing to give the ewe a chance.

"Audrey..." Dawn mumbled as tears began to form behind her lenses. The she-wolf had been willing to give her a chance before, but what about now? She had let her down, tarnished her faith in her. Dawn's guilt deepened as she placed her hooves on the hardwood floor, balling them into fists.

The sudden clack of the porch door drew Dawn's attention up from the wood below to see Audrey entering the home. Behind her, Vernon was holding the picnic blanket they had left behind during their futile attempt to slink back into the house.

"I swear, yer lucky this thing didn't blow out of the county just leavin' it-" Audrey stopped as she caught Dawn trying to scramble to her feet. Dawn did her best to wipe away the swelling tears, but they just reformed with each terse pass of her hooves.

"Dawn?" Audrey murmured in concern.

Dawn sniffled sharply, trying her hardest to compose herself. but she was beyond that now. She had used all of her resolve up in Dorian's office, and now she was breaking down.

"Oh Darlin' don't cry now!" Audrey quickly kneeled to the floor, scooting toward the now trembling ewe.

"Ma! Look what you did!" Vernon cried.

"Oh hush now!" Audrey snapped back at the wolf before retuning her attention to Dawn. The ewe watched as the wolf opened her arms wide, and before she could react the she-wolf had pulled her into a tight hug. Dawn didn't want to cry, especially in front of Audrey. The mammal who had somehow seen her as being strong. But with her sudden gesture of pure, Motherly kindness the ewe had reached a breaking point. Dawn felt the heavy wave of painful anguish she had been trying so hard to keep buried rise up from deep within, and once it reached the surface there was no going back. The only thing she could do now was bury her face into the wolf's shoulder as the first of the loud sobs erupted from her muzzle. Dawn slid her glasses up into her hair as she wept into Audrey's side.

"Aw Honey..." Audrey tutted. "Shh...Shh..." The wolf cooed as Dawn sobbed heavily against the she-wolf's plaid shirt. Dawn could feel her paws gently patting her back as she gingerly consoled the ewe.

"I didn't want ya'll to take it that badly Darlin'." Audrey chuckled. "You're fine, it's fine, this ain't the end of the world."

Dawn continued to weep despite the she-wolf easing some of her guilt. She didn't know about what Dorian had said, but regardless the she-wolf's presence was something the ewe now desperately needed. Her motherly demeanor only helping to sooth the fresh wounds carved out by her husbands barbed tongue.

"I just want ya'll to excercise better restraint from now on, but that certainly doesn't mean I hate you now or nuthin'" Audrey continued.

Dawn felt a weak chuckle escape through the choking sobs as she pulled herself away from Audrey slightly. The ewe wiped her eyes, trying to regain her composure as she appraised the concerned she-wolf. Even with all the pain, Audrey's comfort was bringing Dawn joy, a ray of sunshine through the gloom of her sorrow and worries. In that moment she could see her own Mother's face reflected in the she-wolf's warm smile. Audrey reached out a paw, wiping a few stray tears from Dawn's eyes with her thumb. 

"I...I'm just happy..." Dawn whimpered, wiping her muzzle as she choked back more tears. "It...It's like I'm being scolded by my own Mother..." Dawn shuddered. "I mean, not that I don't respect your rules." Dawn looked down, letting out a sob choked sigh..."It just...it makes me feel like you care. Like I-I'm one of your own."

"Aw sweetie, you are one of my own." Audrey replied without hesitation. "You're a Hunter now Darlin', regardless of what that old stubborn mutt thinks."

With those words a fresh flush of hot tears stung Dawn's eyes, and she quickly returned to her place buried in the she-wolf's shoulder. Her ragged sobs causing her to tremble with each harsh exhale. She had said the perfect thing, the most sweetest, kindest words Dawn could stand to hear at the moment. Dawn felt awash with renewed love for the family, but at the same time the hollow sting of just how contradictory Audrey's statement inadvertently was. 

She couldn't know they were a direct contrast to what her husband had said moments before. That the head of the family had seen fit to forever brand her as an outcast. And as she thought of what that might do to Vernon's relationship with the older mammal, as well as his relations with the other members of his family, her sobs grew deeper and more pronounced. How could she tell them? How could she tell Audrey or Vernon what Dorian had said to her.

"Shh...easy Darlin'." Audrey cooed, patting the back of the ewe's head. "Yer gonna hyperventilate." The she-wolf's voice was laden heavily with concern. "Vernon, get me a hot washcloth."

Dawn continued to sob harshly, getting as much of her pain out as she could with each wracked gasp. She had lost track of the time, or the area around her as she let herself go into the warm motherly embrace of Mother Hunter. 

It was only when the she-wolf pushed her away slightly, did Dawn regain her sense of self awareness. And as Audrey brought the warm washcloth to her face, Dawn returned to her concentrated effort to push the tears back down.

The hot towel stung slightly as Audrey gently wiped the ewe's eyes and cheeks. Holding Dawn steady as she squirmed uncomfortably away from the towel. 

"Now, now, quit yer fussin'." Audrey tutted. " This'll help, just trust me Dawn."

Dawn gave a hard sniffle, doing her best to follow the she-wolf's orders like an obedient child. There was something rather comforting about being doted over so carefully that kept forcing a smile to the ewe's face despite the lingering tears.

"T-Thank you Mrs. Hunter." Dawn stuttered.

"Aw Darlin', call me Audrey."

Dawn caught a wave of fresh tears in her throat, pressing it down sharply as she resisted the urge to cry again. The fact that they were back on a first name basis was enough to push her right back into another sobbing fit.

"There, now that's better." Audrey sighed, giving the ewe another gingerly wiping with the cloth before passing it back to Vernon. "You look so much better when yer face ain't all red and puffed up Darlin'. Don't she Vern?"

Vernon nodded without a moments hesitation. "Yes Ma'am."

Dawn giggled slightly through the lingering sniffles as the she-wolf handed her thick glasses back over to her. At some point the must have fallen off the ewe's head. Dawn wiped her nose one last time before sliding her frames back on.

"Feel better now?" Audrey said, giving the ewe a playful boop on the nose.

Dawn laughed, squirming into her shoulders as she pushed free of Audrey's grip.

Dawn let out a sigh of relief. She was feeling better, at least in the moment. But still, the thoughts of Dorian's words hung heavy in her heart. And so the ewe was hesitant to reply, her words coming out shaky and awkward.

"Y-yes.." Dawn muttered, twisting a hoof awkwardly against the hardwood floor.

"Hmm..." Audrey said, rising to her feet. "I tell you what, I think it would do the both of you some good to come back to the fair tomorrow with me. Help me run the stand."

Dawn looked up at Audrey in shock, the ewe's mouth hanging agape at the she-wolf's surprising suggestion. Glancing over, Dawn could see her mate bearing an equally surprised expression.

"Ma?" Vernon asked warily. "Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean Pa said-"

"Ah to hell with what old Dori says." Audrey huffed, crossing her arms. "Until that stick finds its way out of his butt he ain't worth listenin' to."

"Mrs. Hun-" Dawn paused to correct herself. "Audrey." Dawn was certain returning to the fair would only lead to more trouble. And if things weren't already bad with Papa Hunter, returning to the fair would only make things worse. "I'm not sure-"

"I ain't takin' no fer an answer." Audrey said with a firm expression. "Besides, Malcolm is cookin' fer the barbeque back here tomorrow so I need the extra paws." Audrey flashed a wide grin. "It'll be fun, plus I can teach you all the family recipes!"

Dawn couldn't help but smile at the she-wolf's enthusiasm. Much like Dori, the ewe knew this was another argument she wasn't going to win. But at least this one, she was more than happy to lose.

"But what about-"

"Oh Dori can pitch a fit all he wants when we get back Vern, this ones on me." Audrey tutted, giving her son a pat on the shoulder.

"Audrey?" Dawn asked timidly.

"Yes Darlin'?" The wolfess replied.

"I-if it's possible....could I..." Dawn trailed off, looking down at her hooves. "Get another hug?"

"Darlin' you never have to ask." Audrey chuckled as she kneeled back down to the ewe's level, inviting Dawn back into her embrace. The ewe scurried back into her arms, hugging her as tightly as she could muster. This moment was perfect, and that's what Dawn wanted the rest of the weekend to be. 

Even if Dorian never came out of his office, even if he refused to accept her, Dawn could still bask in the acceptance of the other Hunters. Dori's words, his stance on her was something the ewe was going to have to bury. To keep to herself until the weekend was over at the very least. If she told Audrey or Vernon now, it would destroy any chance at squeezing joy out of the remaining days she had left on the ranch, and she couldn't bear to do that to herself. She couldn't bear to do that to everyone. Dawn elected right then and there, to simply grin and bear it.

Letting out a soft sigh, the ewe released her grip, pulling away from the she-wolf's warm grip.

"So..." Vernon muttered, drawing Audrey's attention back to him as she rose to her feet. "Since you two made up, does that mean I still gotta do all the dishes?"

Audrey crossed her arms, arching an eyebrow at the wolf. "Of course you do! I ain't lettin' you off the hook just yet, you ain't paid yer dues like she has." Audrey gestured to Dawn.

"Aw c'mon Ma, can-"

Audrey glared the wolf, and in a flash he scurried into the kitchen. As Dawn heard the water turn on full blast, Audrey offered the ewe a sly smile. 

"If yer good, I may teach you how to get a boy to heel like that tomorrow too." Dawn placed a hoof to her muzzle as she tried stifle a laugh, but Audrey's own laughter proved too infectious to resist.


	26. A Brief History of The Northern Roaropean Lamb

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Twenty Six: A Brief History of The Northern Roaropean Lamb

"When compared to other mammals rise to a civilized state, sheep and caprids in general were found to have crawled out of their caves significantly earlier than most. Long before the founding of Scottram, Irelamb, and The new Pridelands, Sheep had been subsisting in the form of small communities and cities states spread across the regions. Records of advanced farming tools and written texts have been found to go back nearly as far as the advent of the original Pridelands Empire, and it gave them a great deal of time to grow and refine their culture and practices as they approached nation status."

"Early sheep herds were actually surprisingly similar in structure to that of their wolf counterparts, although forgoing the alpha-beta hierarchy system. At the advent of sheep cultural norms, the herd was largely composed of family members, with the sire ram or ewe leading the herd. But sheep were largely less tribal earlier in their development, which lead to largely peaceful intermingling and trading with other herds. This would lead to the herd dynamic quickly shifting away from simply being made up of families, and expanding to outside herds and even other species of caprids in the interest or protection and convenience."

"This is where early sheep and wolf differed the most greatly. Caprids were generally more docile, and as such spent more time cultivating and perfecting the land they already held rather than forcibly expanding into new territory. But what they lacked in offensive war mongering, they made up for in defense. And this is why they open and inclusive nature of the herd system became a great benefit when it came to sheepkind, especially those centered in the burgeoning nation of Shcottram."

"Years of proxy wars against invading wolves had only proved to hone and embolden the herd mentality of sheep kind, more and more small herds combining their resources and arms in an effort to keep the wolves at bay. Naturally these increasingly larger and larger herd based clans would place their faith in the strongest warrior among them, looking to them as the herd leader. It was this style of herd structure that would lead to the Blackwool clan's rise to power, and the birth of Schottram as a unified country. Specifically Sean Blackwool, who would become the first king of Scottram upon it's creation in 954 A.P. Irelamb, the neighboring nation would see formation just six years later."

"Sean was a seasoned warrior who, in his years before rising to the status of ruler, would lead the sheep under his command to many glorious and seemingly impossible victories against the invading Norwulff forces. But the one that would earn him the favor and praise of every herd in the nation would be 'The Battle of Woolcrag' in 944 A.P. Sean's strategic planning, cunning, and exemplary skill in combat would see him lead his armies to the successful liberation of the town after ten years of wolf occupation. Word of Blackwool's greatest victory spread like wildfire, sung from village to village and herd to herd. And with it came the pleas and requests to join under Blackwool's herd and finally put an end to the wolf occupation of sheep lands. It would take a total of ten years, and numerous battles, but eventually every herd in the land would join Blackwool in his fight against the wolves, and elevate him and his family to the status of being the recognized leader of all the herds in the country."

"This of course saw the birth of Shcottram, In which Sean would declare every sheep who resided upon its shores as being one herd, as well as every wolf as unwelcome among them. And soon after the installation of the Blackwool family as the ruling class among the Shcotts, Blackwools armies successfully drove the last of the occupying wolves out of the nation, This of course wasn't the end of the Norwulff attacks, but never again would the invaders manage to hold any land on Schottish soil."

"The royal line would keep Schottram stable for many centuries. With each onslaught of attacks, (mostly coming from the Norwulves) being successfully repelled. Between the strategic planning of the Blackwool lords in regards to their armies, and many members of the family line leading the charges, kings included, attacks by the invading Norwulves were foiled at every conceivable turn. The Blackwool family, keeping in line with the legacy Sean Blackwool had left in his wake, considered themselves rams of the sheep of Shcottram. And so every male in the family was taught how to fight without exception. However the frequent Norwulff attacks kept the ruling Blackwools rather busy when it came to dealing with the economic needs and rule of law among the everyday Shcotts. And so it was left to the ewes of the Blackwool family to deal in the matters of diplomacy and the needs of the citizenry, especially the acting Queen. More often than not, the acting Queen would often find herself in a greater role as the face of the citizens of Shcottram, but the King's vigilant defense of Schottrams shores did not go unappreciated by the populace despite this."

"The Norwulff reformation caused great consternation and argument among the Blackwool Royal Court, as well as the residents of the nation as a whole. While the ruling herd in Irelamb seemed to be more open to hearing the pleas for peace with the new wolf nation out, the festering old wounds of the constant battles between groups kept Schottram on the offensive. Both the acting King and Queens remained unwilling to hear the Düclaw clan out on peace talks, that was until Delcan and Moira Blackwool took thier respective thrones in 1342 A.P."

"The newly crowned King had an even more distrusting and suspicious attitude when it came to the wolf's entreaty. In fact, the old wounds of the previous attacks, as well as Lesser Norwulff's continued attacks on the nation despite the Greater Norwulff's calls for peace left Declan eager to pay their old enemy back. He was one of the first of the line of Blackwools to call for an offensive stance rather than defensive one. That the time had come to bring the fight to the nation of wolves, to wipe them out, and ensure that sheepkind would never have to worry about their treachery ever again."

"Moira on the other hoof, believed that negotiation and mending old wounds were the key to moving forward as a species, for the sake of sheep and wolves alike. She believed that a full scale war would be nothing more than a fools errand, and would only end disastrously for both parties. This became the catalyst for the many arguments the couple, although it wasn't their first. According to the documentation left by castle guards and castle hoofmaidens close to the couple, they rarely spoke to each other in any manner other than professionally and coldly. There were rarely any affectionate moments between the pair, even after the birth of their sons they remained stoic and cold to one another. It is for these many reasons their short marriage was rumored to be an unhappy one."

"King Declan's attitude toward the wolves would prove to be his undoing however. Eager to get a jump on the unsuspecting wolves, the king put out an order to shore up every able bodied ram in the nation to prepare themselves for enlistment in the King's army. He planned to lead a fleet of 45 of Schottrams finest warships to the shores of Lesser Norwulff to exact what he felt was long overdue revenge for the wolves heinous crimes. Ignoring his wife's pleas to rethink the invasion, the King set off with his ships and nearly half of Scottram's males in 1345 A.P. But of course we all know how that ended, I more or less went over it in the chapter about Norwulff history. The ships never made it to the shore, swallowed by an angry sea while caught in a snarling winter storm. Not even a piece of the wrecked ships washed up on the shores of Lesser Norwulff, and thus the wolves never even knew anything about the supposed oncoming invasion. The Kings death left Moira to sit upon the Schottish throne alone, until her sons came of the proper age to take over the position of King in her stead. Moira's prediction had proven to be half true, in that the attempt at war had proven to be disastrous for the Schottish citizens."

"Now seated on the throne with a nation in chaos, Moira had to act quickly to repair the void left by the loss of so many able bodied rams to her husbands foolish endeavor. She would go on to announce to her subjects that the disaster that befell Declan and his army was an act of the gods, a powerful and painful warning that the time had come to end the bitter feud between sheep and wolf-kind. Some of the Schottish citizenry were vehemently against Moira's call for peace, but the overwhelming majority of sheep under Blackwool's rule respected and were willing to follow the Queens call." 

"Schottram had suffered greatly for Declan's folly, and the prospect of making peace was more favorable than the possibility of losing even more lives while the nation was in such a critical state. Even more so, the possibility of finally putting an end to the dreary life of perpetual preparedness for war was an enticing prospect to the Schottish populace. Instead of living in constant fear and alert of Norwulff attack, always on guard for the next invasion, the Norwulves would now be the ones to guard the sheep."

"Queen Moira is quite an interesting and enigmatic figure. As well as being one of my ancestors of very high distinction, she was probably the most beloved ruler in all of Schottish history, even more so after the peace treaty was formed with the wolves in 1346. Many historic accounts of Moira describe her as a mammal of poise and grace that no Queen who had sat on the throne before had ever held, and those who wrote such statements could scarcely conceive a Queen in the future who could live up to her legacy. The air around her was said to fill those who looked upon her with renewed faith and confidence, and even her detractors couldn't argue against the wisdom and skill with which she managed the nation as a whole, with no King to aide her on top of it all. The strength and foresight she carried carving her a prominent and powerful role in the shaping of Shcottish History. Even today her portrait can be found on the ten buck note used as Schottish currency, as well as various churches and art pieces depicting scenes from her benevolent rule."

"However, details of the Queens personal life are few and far between, especially after her first meetings with the wolf ambassador Erik Düclaw. The Queen had kept sparse personal journals to begin with, and they completely stopped about a month after negotiations with Erik began. When concerns were brought up about meeting the ambassador alone, the Queen had been cited as brushing off said concerns off with a laugh. Apparently one of her guards accounts had described the Queen as mentioning that she was certain the meetings would go fine as she had dreamed that they would, as well as having dreamt of Erik specifically."

"Incidentally, aside from being the live-in ambassador, Erik was also made to be Moira's personal body guard despite the protest from the royal court and castle guard. Public accounts cite the Queens reasoning for the move as being a bid to instill confidence in wolves living among sheep, as well as a show of the Queens strength and resolve when it came to her beliefs. In the same way the Blackwool males fought along side their citzens, she was willing to risk her life in order to stand behind her decrees, at least in the eyes of the public it seemed."

"Even after the Queen turned control of the crown over to her son Declan the second, and retired to the royal estate to the north, Erik was bid to follow suit. While he was no longer the acting ambassador, Queen Moira insisted he remain her body guard until the end of her days despite more objections from her sons and the royal court. But the Queen once again justified these decisions as remaining firm on her stance about how well sheep and wolves worked together. Even though she would now remain out of the public eye, she refused to be seen as a mammal who says one thing, and does another."

"Reasons like these are the straws with which conspiracy theorists grasp at to point to the possibility of a secret tryst going on between the pair. Between the sudden absence in the Queens journals after Erik became a permanent fixture in Moira's life. That he was with her at all times, even so far as appearing in every portrait of the Queen post becoming her personal guard. There were even accounts from the night watch of alleged howling coming from the Queen's personal bedchamber in the midnight hours. Of course with no other wolves within close proximity to the castle, and the inability of mammals outside of the wolf species being able to read the type of howl being heard the watch chalked it up to dumb, functionless savage instincts. 

"There was also Declan the second's short lived time on the throne, and the controversy surrounding his expulsion and the seating of his younger brother Roderick in his stead just four years later. Despite having been given the throne by his Mother without a struggle, Declan seemed to have a chip on his shoulder when it came to his Mother and her relations with Erik. Much like his Mother, his personal accounts are few and far between. But from the portions that he did write, it was clear the young king shared his Father's view when it came to wolves in general, and seemed to have a general disgust for his Mother's close relationship with Erik. Key phrases in his writings such as referring to his Mother's relationship to the wolf as an "unholy union." as well as an "affront to his Father's memory and legacy." tend to be the ones theorists tend to gravitate toward. But the most baffling turn was Declan's attempt to burn his Mother's Estate to the ground with the Erik and her inside without provocation. I mean, at the time Declan had already secured the throne, with no one to answer to other than perhaps his Mother's clout over the Schottish citizens. Was it simply to honor his Father's memory? To remove any dissent at the possibility of rolling back the Ram-Wolf pact? Perhaps a hatred of Erik specifically? Again the personal accounts are to few and far between to form an accurate account of the young King's reasoning."

"The plot was of course, a failure. Queen Moira and Erik Düclaw survived the blaze, despite half of the estate burning to the ground. It had apparently started in the newest addition to the estate, Blackwool Tower, a large windowless tower built once Moira had turned the throne over to Declan II, which was odd considering it was far from the Queen's living area. Despite the fact that no lives were apparently lost, the Queen was noted as being livid to the point of illness. Personal accounts of the guard staff and hoofmaidens had referred to her breaking down in tears on several occasions despite never expressing why. Needless to say, her anger and disgust fell at Declan immediately, and despite her turning over royal authority to the ram, she was able to easily rescind it in the face of the overwhelming evidence of his involvement in the arson attempt. Many of his personal staff held no loyalty for the new King, and had willingly confessed against him when faced with Moira and the Schottish public. Declan found himself imprisoned in a tower similar to the one he had burned to the ground shortly after being found guilty, and he would spend the rest of his days there while his younger brother Roderick took the newly evacuated throne."

Instances like these do make it somewhat hard to completely dismiss such theories and notions about Schottam's Queen. Believers are also quick to postulate that the absence of the Queen's personal records and Declan the Second's after the Ram-Wolf pact are actually the fault of the Schottish Government. That officials and the current royal Blackwool descendants have buried the texts, in fears that confirmation of any relationship other than professional existing with Erik Düclaw would tarnish the Queens legacy. But whether it proves to be true or not, it seems we'll never know for sure."

"I personally would like to believe in such a secret, clandestine relationship, having always been a hopeless romantic. But the idea that Vernon and myself were not the first star crossed lovers in my family line, and that our hardships were not only shared, but considerably more difficult to endure for the couple during the time. But I have yet to find any concrete clues to solidify it for me, despite my personal hopes. Perhaps if I find the time, I can do more research on the topic and revisit Moira's mysterious relationship in a later chapter, but for now I must press forward in regards to my family's history lest I get distracted from the overall goal of this book."

"Wolf integration in Shcottish society was slow going despite the overwhelming desire for peace amongst the sheep folk. Sheep remained wary of their new neighbors, and despite the desperate need for workers in a great deal of trades among Shcottish soceity wolves were turned away from most positions. The only exceptions were the role of peace keepers among the towns and cities, as well as positions in the Shcottish Army. This is where it is believed the association between wolves and positions of law and order really began. And even as the years went on, and the sheep became more lax when it came to the jobs available to wolves they continued to naturally migrate toward law enforcement and defense work."

"By the time the visionary leader King Richard the Lionhearted took the throne of the New Pridelands, the combined forces of wolf and sheep in the Shcottish army had repelled two incursions by the empire on the Southern Shcottish border. Proving just how effective the aide the Norwulves gave to the Schotts had ultimately been. At the time the nation had grown rather quickly, as had it's populace, and so these victories were nothing to simply shrug off. The New Pridelands had become a growing threat to Shcottish sovereignty, and without the aide of the wolves among them it is arguable that the nation would have remained independent."

"Luckily, Lionheart signified a changing of the guard in terms of the New Pridelands expansionist polices. The charismatic leader spearheaded a radical change of ideals, including phasing out the monarchy in favor of democratic rule, and the concept of co-operative exploration and shared ownership. Lionheart was very eager to find a new land where he could field test these ideas, and his plan would lead to the birth of modern day Zootopia as I mentioned in the section related to Norwulff History."

"While the Blackwool royals remained skeptical on the idea of phasing out monarchies, the concept of mutually beneficial co-operative exploration was somewhat appealing to them. Despite fears that Animalia was largely flat, the building pressure applied by the rebound of Shcottram's population created a great need to expand and find new resource supplies."

"While the population of Shcottram was adapting and growing comfortable with the wolves among them, the royals relationship with them seemed to grow increasingly bitter after Moira and Erik's respective passings. Despite all the benefits to the nation the wolf populace had brought, Moira's descendants almost refused to acknowledge that such changes had been the work of the new wolf migrants. When Declan the second took the throne, he was quick to make sure that no wolves were employed within the castle walls despite his Mother's stern condemnation of it. His son Donnan treated the wolf populace in Shcottram even worse, calling for the mammals to be taxed for simply choosing to live in Shcottram." 

"However, to the public, the beneficial changes including wolves had made on their society was readily apparent to even the most uneducated among them, and as such disagreed with the proposed taxation. But the outcry became louder and more angry when Donnan began calling for undoing Moira's truce and expelling the wolves living among them. The wolf and sheep populace grew unruly and violent, and in response the king deployed his own army upon the most troublesome towns under his control to better keep the peace. However, his efforts would prove futile thanks to the work of his cousin Arthur Bellwether. A prominent public speaker, the sheep was found at the center of many of the unruly demonstrations, and the King's continued tyrannical action only garnered him enough public support for the staging of a violent coop against Donnan."

"With Donnan removed from power, and the throne assumed by Bellwether, the Ram-Wolf pact remained untouched. But with Bellwether's descendants, that coldness fostered for wolves and predators in general seemed to return and persist, and while nothing in direct conflict with the rights of Shcottish wolves ever came back into the laws of the land. The royals seemed averse to hearing the mammals concerns and looking after them as well as they did the sheep citizenry. Even under King Ewan, despite his willingness to join Lionheart's exploration of the mysterious western lands, his trust for the leader and predators in general remained bitter and strained."

"This would of course spread to Zootopia with the King's second son, Archibald Bellwether. And it would remain a consistent rhetoric in nearly every Bellwether that would hold political office after him, myself unfortunately included."

"No one is really sure why even after the change of hooves in the royal family, that the strange distrust and coldness in regards to wolves and predators seemed to return to the blackwool-bellwether line. But again, if one were to ask a conspiracy theorist, they would explain that the each ruling member of the bloodline was burdened with the truth in regards to Moira and Erik's affair. That living with the shame and the fear of exposure of that royal secret caused them to distance themselves from associating with wolves in any way. The more they appeared to disdain them, the less suspicion the public might have when it came to the Moira connection. But again, this is nothing that can be proven with any sort of hard evidence. And as far as Bellwethers go, when it comes to my Grandfather, my Father and me, we knew nothing about the alleged affair. At least I know I certainly didn't, and such information was never told to me."

"The events leading up to 'The Wolf War of the Meadowlands', and the subsequent aftermath is what saw the return of the public divide between the common sheep and wolf. The bloodshed and barbarism of the Native Canideans reminding the sheep populace of what their ancestors had always warned them that wolves were truly capable of. And while it was ultimately Leif's efforts to drive the Redclaws out that saved the county, Archibald had latched on to the fear and waryness of the local sheep and exploited it to fill the citizens heads with his own beliefs. The ram would feed into the rising anti-wolf sentiment, and even go so far as to expand it into including all predators in general. This left the caprid citizens more distrustful of their wolf neighbors than ever, and the wolves found themselves silently shunned and marginalized by the Meadowlands populace. Archibald's fear mongering was an attempt to set stage for how predators were to be looked at in this new world, and his take on sheep and wolf relations is largely what has persisted to this day in the caprid consciousness. But despite his efforts to denigrate wolves to the lowest echelons of society, they continue to find themselves in positions of protection and law enforcement. In fact it seems that when it comes to the overall perception of predators, the only thing Archibald's sentiments manage to construct was a hierarchy among the new world's predator classes. One that supported wolves and lions in higher roles in society while at the same time causing those predators to look down their muzzles at preds like foxes, racoons and rats."

"As for Shcottram as a nation, it remained under the archaic rule of a monarchy longer than any civilized society in historical record. The reign of the Blackwool-Bellwethers continued up until the early 1900s despite the other branch of their family in Zootopia allowing the district to be subject to a democratic vote since its inception. Today, the royal family still exists in Shcottram despite the nations now fully democratic government as a powerless entity with no real authority over the Shcottish citizenry. They exist as something of a tradition, a relic of cultural importance to the fabric of Shcottish identity. At most the members of the Blackwool-Bellwethers are akin to that of the famous actors and movie stars of North Mammalia. Making posturing speeches at public events, and hosting glitzy and glamorous ceremonies from their palatial castle estate. The most involvement the public has in regards to the family is paying for them to throw weddings and celebrations despite the fact the family has a near endless supply of wealth. But to the citizens of Shcottram, such celebrations are not just praising the Blackwools, but praising the rich history of Shcottram itself."

"Meanwhile the Bellwether family in Zootopia have been in and out of office since the city-state was founded. And though the faces may have changed, the anti-predator sentiment only seemed to worsen with each new Bellwether. Some believe this is why the Bellwethers would find themselves spending less and less time in office as mammalian society grew around and away from their primitive beliefs."

"Before my Grandfather, Ash Bellwether, there hadn't been a Mayor Bellwether in over sixty years. And almost as much time passed before I was elected to the lesser role as Assistant Mayor to Leodore Lionheart. Even from my perch in such a lowly position my poisoned mind was set on continuing my families legacy, thanks in no small part to the indoctrination and abuse I suffered during my youth. I schemed, and I planned, and I justified it to myself by buying into my families rhetoric full sale. And in the end I did more damage than any Bellwether who came before me. Despite coming to my senses, and even going so far as to prevent a catastrophe that followed the seed of my once heinous intentions, it will never be enough to properly make amends for my terrible actions."

"I don't think the future of politics hold any place for a Bellwether. The name is tainted, marred by the actions of myself and those who have come before me. And now, my choice in mate assures that I will be the last in the line of Zootopian Bellwethers. The name will die with me, and perhaps that is for the best."

Dawn let out a tired sigh as she scanned the final sentence once more.

"The name will die with me, and perhaps that is for the best." Dawn murmured to herself quietly. She was sure if Vernon ever read that particular passage he would pitch a fit. After all, the wolf had been one to argue just how important it was to keep her name even in a hyphenated form on the ride up to the Meadowlands in the first place. The wolf remained stubbornly set on not going through a caprid wedding ceremony unless he got to wear the name Hunter-Bellwether in exchange. The wolf believed she should be proud of her name, that it had come to represent that a mammal was not only capable of change, but even heroic after how she had helped save the city from her Father. Even she had begun to consider the idea after talking to her sisters on the ride out to the fair. The praise and warm wishes causing the ewe to begin to believe what Vernon saw in the name, and why keeping it was so important.

But it only took a few minutes in Dorian's study to remind her why she had grown to detest it so. And writing about her families 'illustrious' history had only managed to sour her further on the idea. Dorian was right, the ewe would never be able to truly make up for her wrong doing. The damage had sent ripples across the world around her, had wounded families and friendships in ways that were beyond her ability to mend. It wasn't as if she could simply go back in time and stop herself, to pull herself back from the brink of madness long enough to prevent the hysteria and chaos caused by her scheming. 

No matter what good she could do now, the name Bellwether would remain synonymous with bigoted, speciesict ideologues, and at the very least the one good thing she could do at this point was allow it to die the death it deserved. Vernon may never agree with it, this she was sure of. But she knew the wolf loved her enough to ultimately give up on sharing last names should she remain firm on the idea. It wasn't a position she wanted to put him in, but it was necessary, at least to her.

'Knock, knock' A light rapping a the bedroom door drew Dawn's attention up from her laptop. Up until now she had been alone, taking the time Vernon spent being forced into dish duty to write the more boring but necessary portions of her book. She figured she would have more than enough time to finish the sections before the Hunter girls decided the time had come to turn in for the night, and checking the clock for a moment had proven that she had. In fact the ewe had managed to finish earlier than planned, leaving her puzzled as to who else had turned up for bed early.

"Dawn?" Came Vanna's voice from beyond the door. "Are you in there?"

Dawn let out a sigh of relief at the sound of the familiar tigress' voice. After everything that happened earlier in the evening, having to face Ada or Qali without a buffer would have made the already uncomfortable ewe even more uneasy. At the very least should Vanna bring up Dawn's transgression in the corn field, it would be done with tact and careful wording rather than bluntly bringing it up.

"Y-yeah, I'm here." Dawn replied, closing her laptop softly. "You can come in."

The door opened slowly, Vanna moving it with care as she slipped in to the large bedroom. The tigress was already in her pajamas, wearing a pink tee-shirt that said 'bad kitty' across the chest, and a pair of pants adorned with colorful yarn balls. It was almost enough to cause Dawn to laugh out loud, the colorful and cutesy outfit contrasting sharply with the tigress' looming and intimidating figure. Then again, Dawn knew better by now, at least if their midnight musical duet was anything to go by. Still the ewe couldn't help but crack a smile at the large feline.

"I was hoping to catch you alone." Vanna said, keeping her voice on the quiet side. "I wanted to talk to you before the other girls came up to bed."

Dawn's smile dropped slightly, the concerned tone in Vanna's voice conveying a gravity behind her words that told Dawn whatever she had to say was important.

"O-oh of course Vanna, is everything alright?" Dawn said as she placed her laptop aside, sliding it to the edge of the bed where the tiger now stood. 

"Yes, I mean..." Vanna trailed off as she placed a paw behind her head and awkwardly scratched. She looked away from Dawn, seemingly unable to keep steady eye contact as she continued. "I mean if you are that is?" Vanna asked.

Dawn scrunched her muzzle in confusion. "Am I okay?" The ewe replied.

Vanna sighed, grimacing as she tried to focus her gaze back on the ewe.

"I mean, I wanted to see if..." Vanna shook her head. "If you spoke to Papa Hunter at all, like we had discussed?"

Dawn froze, her brow furrowing at Vanna's unexpected question. She hadn't expected the tigress to follow up on their conversation so soon. The ewe had already spent enough time dwelling on what had happened in Dorian's office while she mulled over the disappointing and disgusting history of the Bellwether families crimes despite having elected to bury it when faced with Audrey's overwhelming kindness and the prospect of destroying any enjoyment the ewe might be able to get out of the remaining weekend. Dawn had sort of assumed that Vanna simply wouldn't have followed up on it, instead waiting for Dawn to tell her about what happened whenever she had chosen to finally do it. 

But now the ewe was faced with a dilemma. How could she lie to her new found sister about her meeting with the older wolf. Unlike Audrey, Vanna was trained in the same way Dori was, at least Dawn reasoned as much. If the ewe showed even the slightest hesitation or wavering in tone while crafting the lie she intended to tell, she was certain the keen eyed feline would pick up on it. On the one hoof, lying to Vanna could easily hurt their budding relationship, especially if she picked up on it. But telling her what had truly happened, what Papa Hunter had said about her, Zach and Dawn herself might cause all sorts of problems. 

Even now Dawn wondered if Vanna knew the truth about why her transfer request to the North Meadowlands had been approved. Had Zach even told her that he had been shot just weeks before she joined the force? And if Vanna knew what Dorian had said about Dawn, would the tiger feel obligated to argue with the wolf? To fight on Dawn's behalf and damage yet another relationship in the Hunter family.

All these questions continued to swirl around the ewe's mind, making her more and more uneasy as she desperately tried to think of how to respond. She could feel beads of sweat starting to form on her brow as she began to wring her hooves nervously.

"Dawn?" Vanna's voice brought Dawn's attention back to the tigress. Already she had screwed up, taking long enough to think of a reply for Vanna to feel the need to follow up. The ewe had to act quickly now.

"After how Audrey had caught us..." Dawn said with a sharp exhale as she looked in the tigress' eyes. "After how our...picnic..." Dawn said trailing off, her voice wavering slightly as she tried to find the right words. "Ended, well...I didn't think it was a good idea anymore."

Vanna squinted slightly, placing a paw to her chin as she seemingly began to analyze Dawn. The ewe recognized the stare, having been on the receiving end of a similar one just hours earlier. The tigress was scanning the ewe for nervous twitches and subconscious tells, anything to prove to her whether Dawn was lying or not.

"Oh?" Vanna asked, suspicion rising in her voice.

"W-well I thought maybe I should just leave it be after talking to Audrey." Dawn lied through her teeth, cursing herself for once again stuttering at the start. Dawn offered a meek smile. " She told me to wait him out, t-that he would come around eventually."

Vanna raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she squinted down at the ewe. From what Dawn could tell, the tigress' only seemed to slightly doubt her. Her body language exuding uncertainty when it came to gauging Dawn's responses. 

"Hmm..." Vanna said before easing into a seat next to the ewe. The weight of the feline pressing against the mattress caused such a deep impression that Dawn found herself pulled closer to the big cat despite her best efforts. The tigress placed her paws on her lap as she let out a tired sigh.

"You know, if anything happened, I'd want you to be able to tell me right?" Vanna said, her tone laced with concern.

Dawn felt the guilt start to bubble up within her stomach as Vanna spoke. The genuine concern in her voice tugging at Dawn's heartstrings almost immediately.

"I mean, I know we haven't known each other long." Vanna continued. " I mean we're already calling each other sisters but..." Vanna paused, scratching the back of her head again. "I know we're still sort of getting used to each other."

Dawn gave a soft nod, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat as quietly as she could. 

"I don't know what exactly has gotten into Pa. But I don't want you to think I'm just going to stand by if he does anything out of line." Vanna sighed, placing a paw on the ewe's shoulder as she looked her way. Vanna's eyes shone with concern as she attempted to meet Dawn's gaze. "If he hurts you in any way, I would want you to feel comfortable enough to tell me."

The guilt was now weighing heavily on Dawn's heart as she listened to the feline's plea. Vanna truly did see her as a sister, and was set to do what she felt was the sisterly thing to do should Dorian act out of turn. She wanted nothing more than to help. But Dawn knew she had to keep up the lie. She had already done enough damage to the Hunter family, and she couldn't bear to do anymore.

"I would." Dawn murmured. "I-I swear."

The two were silent for a while, the awkward atmosphere filling the ewe with deeper dread and discomfort as she prayed for the tigress to simply accept her lie.

"You would?" Vanna asked, breaking the silence.

Dawn's response was immediate, as if she had seen the question coming a mile away.

"Of course!" Dawn said with a weak chuckle, flashing the tigress as genuine of a grin as she could muster despite herself. Even with her best efforts, the ewe couldn't manage to meet the large feline's gaze for longer than a few seconds at a time. 

The tigress lowered her eyebrows, clearly unimpressed by the ewe's attempts at earnestly. Dawn could tell in Vanna's dull glare that there was no more doubt in her eyes that she was hiding something.

"Dawn." Vanna said firmly, her eyes tightening into slits as she grimaced.

A loud barking laugh suddenly broke through the tension, pulling Dawn's focus away from Vanna's interrogation to the entrance to the bedroom. The door had flung open revealing Ada standing proudly in the wooden frame. She was wearing a baggy pair of shorts, and a sleeveless tee that were a matching shade of blood red. Emblazoned across the front of the shirt was the white image of some sort of canid skull that Dawn could only assume was that of a hyena, with two bones crossing over one another behind it. She also seemed to be wearing some sort of fluffy white and purple cape draped around her neck.

"The party has arrived ladies!" Ada let out another cackle.

"Woo!" A voice chirped from seemingly nowhere. As Dawn searched for the source, her eyes fell back on Ada's odd, plushy cape. It took the ewe a moment, but as it suddenly dropped to the floor Dawn realized it hadn't been a cape at all, but rather it had been Qali. The arctic fox had been hanging from Ada's neck, and was now bouncing in her step as she made her way into the room in little more than a oversize purple tee-shirt and a pair of matching panties.

"Ada! Qali!" Dawn chirped, relieved that their sudden arrival was enough to quash any further probing from Vanna.

"'Evenin' squirt! How was your night?" Ada cooed teasingly, raising and lowering her eyebrows in a playful manner. "Cause from what I heard youse had a lotta fun."

Dawn immediately blushed, slapping her hooves over her muzzle in her best effort to cover it up.

"I...I..." Dawn stammered.

"Ah, dat's a yes!" Ada said with a grin as she made her way over to the nearest empty bed. With no hesitation the large mammal threw herself onto the bed, bouncing on the mattress as she came to rest in a lounging position. Leaning a paw on her chin, the hyeness regarded the ewe with a mischievous smile. 

"Well c'mon lamb cakes, spill it. I want to hear all da juicy details!" Ada let out another barking laugh.

"W-well..." Dawn muttered, tapping her hooves together nervously.

"Howdy ladies." Once again Dawn's attention was drawn back to the bedroom entrance to find Malcolm standing in the doorframe. The pudgy wolf was dressed in baby blue pair of insulated underwear, monogrammed with his initials. The one piece garment seemed slightly undersized, as a good portion of the wolf's wrists and ankles were exposed, and the fabric seemed to strain around his pudgy belly. It was clear the wolf's PJ's had once been fitted to a slimmer wolf, but Malcolm had elected not to update his garment with the change in weight. The wolf had a tan, worn looking pillow clutched tightly against his side.

"Good evening Malcolm." Vanna replied as the wolf made his way into the room.

Dawn raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"W-wait, I thought Audrey separated the boys from the girls?" Dawn asked, looking to Vanna.

"That's only sorta true." Malcolm cut in as he sat down on another empty bed. "It's more about keepin' the couples separated." The wolf placed his pillow on the mattress, and proceeded to fluff it. "And me and Xavi bein' couples, well she had to figure out somethin'."

Ada chuckled. "Yeah, he couldn't stay wit da boys, dat would be like a buffet o' hunky wolves for 'em." 

"So we made him an honorary Hunter girl!" Qali chirped, now bouncing on her mattress.

Dawn smirked, doing her best to suppress a chuckle.

"H-he's a Hunter girl?" Dawn bit her lip as the urge to giggle pressed against her teeth.

"Darn tootin'" Malcolm replied, leaning forward on the bed. The wolf idly kicked his feet in the air as he face the other girls. "Even got me a nickname and everythin'."

Dawn looked up at Vanna in a mixture of surprise and amusement.

"Really?" Dawn asked.

The tigress gave a short and simple nod. "Yes, we call him-"

"Butterbuns!" Qali snorted, idly playing with her tail as she stared up at the ceiling.

That was all Dawn could take before a giggling snort slipped free of her muzzle, Dawn did her best to close her muzzle with her hooves, but the giggling continued regardless.

"Butterbuns?" Dawn snickered. "H-How'd he get th-that name?" Dawn choked through her giggling.

The russet wolf's ear sagged slightly as a blush played across his muzzle. 

"W-well it's sorta...I mean..." Malcolm stuttered awkwardly, poking his index fingers together as he looked away from the group.

"Let's just say I overheard him and Xave talkin' about a wild night involvin' sum budda." Ada said with a mischievously grin as she eyed the increasingly embarrassed red wolf. "And da name sorta....stuck." Ada let out another barking cackle.

Dawn felt a blush creeping on her own muzzle as she processed exactly what the Hyena was hinting at.

"But dat's old Buddabuns story to tell, for now lets get back to da topic at paw!" Ada shifted closer to the foot of her bed as her attention zeroed back on Dawn. "So enough stallin', I wanna hear about how you made ol' Puppy howl!"

Dawn's blush intensified as she shrunk into her shoulders. The ewe found herself skirting away from the attention, shimmying up to the head of her bed inadvertently. 

"W-well I don't thi-"

"Leave her alone Ada." Vanna interjected, rising to Dawn's defense. "If she's not comfortable talking about it then you shouldn't pressure her."

Ada scoffed. "Ah c'mon, I ain't gonna rip on ya too hard for it." The hyena chuckled "Besides you ain't the only one here whose broken' dat rule." Ada grinned widely.

Dawn raised an eyebrow curiously. She had heard Vernon mention something like that earlier, and Audrey had more or less implied to the truthfulness of the wolf's statement, but in her emotional state she had barely even registered the statement. Now however...

"Wait..." Dawn said, moving away from the head of the bed as the hyeness peaked her interest. "Do you mean to say that you...?" Dawn trailed off, tapping her hooves together nervously as she found herself unable to finish the sentence.

Ada snickered. "Pft, of course not, I'm like da only on here who hasn't!" Ada leaned her head against her paw again. "Not for Yuri's lack a tryin'." Ada placed her paws under her chin before playfully batting her eyelashes. "I'm a classy goil."

Dawn turned her attention to Qali and Malcolm, both of whom seemed to be sharing an uncomfortable blush. With Dawn's eyes now fixed on them, the two produced weak smiles.

"Yeah, I'm afraid it's true." Malcolm said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Same, me and Trenny totally did it here." Qali added, with considerably less hesitation.

Dawn placed a hoof over her mouth in an attempt to stifle another rising giggle. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. That not only had she not been the first to break the House rule, but was now placing third overall. The previously shameful and embarrassing situation was starting to seem significantly more of a trifle now that she found herself among equally guilty members of the Hunter family.

"So you and Vanna are the only ones who-"

"Pft..." Ada shook her head. "Just me Fluff, I'm da only one who actually respects Ma Hunter's house."

Dawn blinked in surprise as Ada's words registered.

"Then...that would mean..." Dawn trailed off as she turned her attention back to the large, stoic cat sitting on the end of her bed. The looming tigress now seemed remarkable small as she cowed under the sudden attention. There was no way that Dawn could even begin to conceive of what Ada was implying, but the tigress' body language was all too telling.

"Vanna?" Dawn uttered as she raised her hooves to her mouth in shock.

The tigress only glanced at the ewe for a moment before turning away, but the blush that was radiating off her muzzle was blinding.


	27. Girls Night: Rule Breakers

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Twenty Seven: Girls Night: Rule Breakers

"But enough stallin' sis." Ada grinned widely at the ewe. "You gonna spill it or what?"

"She doesn't have to if she doesn't want to!" Vanna said with a huff, her muzzle still flushed with red. "Lay off Ada!"

Dawn hadn't even registered Ada's provoking statement, she had been far too lost in thought over the confirmation that Vanna had indeed broken the Hunter house rule. Vanna, who on all accounts seemed to be the most responsible and rule abiding out of all the Hunter girls, had willingly defied Audrey's wishes. It was simply impossible for the ewe's mind to parse. Dawn was stuck staring at Vanna in shock as the feline's eyes met hers again. Vanna's ears flattened against her head as she shrunk deeper into her shoulders.

"I mean...I um..." Vanna sputtered as the ewe's senses returned, making Dawn aware of the gawking stare she had levied at the tigress. The ewe quickly turned her gaze away, trying to play it off with an awkward cough. "Things happen sometimes, right? We don't need to say anything more!" 

"Youse are just tryin to save yer own hide kit kat!" Ada cackled. " If old fluff ball doesn't have to tell, den needa do youse right?" 

"No!" Vanna snapped back, drawing a paw over her scalp frantically before slipping back into a more confident posture. The large tigress folded her arms, glowering at the still smugly grinning hyena. "I mean, it's wrong to try to pressure someone into talking about something they aren't comfortable sharing!"

"Vanna's right." That had come from Qali. The petite fox was now curled up at the foot of her bed, clutching a pillow tightly as she eyed the rest of the group. The fox frowned for just a moment as she spoke, letting out a disappointed sigh before her smile suddenly returned.

"That's why we should tell her about when we broke the rule first!" She happily chirped, giving her pillow a tighter squeeze. "That way it will make her way more comfortable about sharing her own story!"

"Now wait a min-"

"That ain't a bad idea Snowball!" Ada cut Vanna off. The hyeness flashed the big cat another smug grin before shifting her attention back to the arctic fox.  
"Why don'cha start us off, and we'll go around da room?" Ada added.

Qali's response was an eager one, the diminutive arctic fox stowing her pillow behind her before giving the mattress a few more playful bounces as she clapped her paws together.

"Oh, okay!" The fox chirped happily as she settled back onto her mattress. Resting one paw against her cheek, the vixen placed a finger to her lower lip, tapping it lightly. She seemed to be thinking over just how to begin, rolling her eyes back slightly as she softly 'hmm'd' to herself. While this was going on, Vanna had simply placed her head in her paw, her shoulders slumped in seeming defeat. Dawn wasn't keen on the prospect of retelling the exact details of her own lurid exercise with Vernon in the field, but she would be lying if she said she was uninterested in hearing the other girls own stories, especially Vanna's.

With a sudden snap of a finger, Dawns attention was drawn back to Qali. The vixen was now leaned up to the edge of the bed, both her arms now prone against the mattress as she flashed a wide grin.

"Alright, so this was the last time we were out, back when Trenny first graduated." Qali said. "You remember Dawn, I mentioned it in the truck."

Dawn nodded softly, moving closer to the foot of her bed as she prepared to give the vixen her full attention. Easing around Vanna, the ewe slid up to the edge, sitting herself in much the same way Qali had.

"You mean the first time you met Audrey and Dorian?" Dawn asked in shock.

Qali gave a brisk and energetic nod.

Dawn placed a hoof to her lips to hide her surprised expression. The stories had just gotten started and already it had turned out that the ewe had not been alone when it came to tainting her first official family meeting. Although considering Qali's general personality, the ewe felt that perhaps she shouldn't have been so shocked.

"We had been out here for...hmm..." Qali murmured as she once again brought a claw to her chin, tapping it questioningly. "It had to be two days at most." Qali affirmed with a soft nod.

"Ol' Auddey wanted me and Trenny to help clean out the closet in the boys room." She placed a paw against her cheek. "Move some of the more important stuff out to the barn and yadda, yadda, something." Qali waved her other paw dismissively.

"You mean the room downstairs right?" Dawn asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "The closet that looks like a bomb went off inside of it?"

Qali nodded without missing a beat. "Hee hee, I guess it went back to being a dump pretty quick huh?" Qali chuckled. "But I assure you Trenny had straightened it up."

"Anyway..." The fox continued. "We had just moved a few things out to the barn and Trenny was already in the closet by the time I got back inside." Qali raised a paw. "So I slipped in to the closet after him and closed the door behind me. No big deal, we had been doin' that all day right?" Qali asked.

Dawn nodded slightly despite the fact the question was clearly rhetorical.

"So we get a bunch more boxes together, and we go to carry 'em out." Qali continued.

"So like two for you den squirt?" Ada chuckled.

Qali glared back at the large hyeness briefly. "Yeah, so?" Qali snorted. "They were big boxes!" Qali crossed her arms.

"I'm sure dey were." Ada mocked, rolling her eyes as she teased the vixen.

"Let's see you come down to my families farm and lug around a fifty pound tree before makin' judgements!" Qali snapped. "And those boxes were holding your mates weight lifting set by the way!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure, sure." Ada said, a clear tone of disinterest lacing her reply as she waved a paw. "Just go on wit da story already."

Qali furrowed her brow before turning her attention back to the group at large. The fox let out an annoyed huff.

"So, anyway..." Qali muttered flashing the large canid one more nasty glare before continuing. "Trenny goes to open the door, and what do you know, it's stuck."

"So you were locked in?" Dawn asked.

"The door doesn't have a lock." Qali corrected. "But the wood frame tends to warp in the summer..." The fox trailed off, tapping a claw to her chin. "At least that's what Auddey told me later."

"So what did you do?" Dawn questioned.

"I tink she made it pretty clear in da beginning what she did. Weren't youse payin' attention?" Ada chuckled.

Dawn shook her head dismissively. " I mean, what did you do to try to get out?"

Qali shrugged. "Everything really." The arctic fox sighed. "Trenny and me tried calling for help, prying it open, everything short of breaking the door down. Mostly because Trenny wasn't keen on the idea of having to pay to replace the door himself." Qali rolled her eyes. "Of course ol' Auddey was out picking up groceries at the time, so we were just going to have to wait it out."

"Lamb sakes..." Dawn murmured quietly.

"And the worst part was that the closet wasn't connected to the house's air vents." Qali groaned. "It was stifling in there, all the built up Summer humidity was locked inside that tiny room."

Dawn grimaced sharply at the thought. Just a few weeks prior to their visit to the Hunter Ranch, the central air conditioning unit in her and Vernon's shared apartment had broken down, and the couple was forced to endure a week at the mercy of the stifling humidity that built up in their rainforest adjacent home. It was torture, although the ewe was grateful that they at least didn't live in Sahara Square. But for an arctic fox, who's fur was thick and built to combat the cold, Dawn could only imagine being subjected to overbearing humidity was that much worse.

"So naturally we ended up stripping down to little more then underwear and over-shirts." Qali giggled. "Well at least I did, Trenton was holding out."

"Probably because he was trying to avoid puttin' himself in a situation that might lead to rutting." Vanna finally spoke, although her response was low and quiet.

"Didn't woik." Ada chuckled.

"So there we were, killing time by playing board games and junk while we prayed for Mama Hunter to get home." Qali continued. " And it was soooo boring..."

"Not a fan of board games I take it?" Dawn asked.

"Not this girl." Qali chirped, pointing a thumb to her pelt. "I like active stuff, like taking walks, swimming, and snow sports especially. I'm an excellent snow boarder!" The fox said proudly. "But musty old board games where you have to sit and take turns and wait a whole bunch practically puts me to sleep."

Ada laughed. " I hear dat."

"So when we started playing cards....well..." Qali grinned widely. "I decided to try to make it interesting." The diminutive foxed waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"O-oh?" Dawn asked, her curiosity peaked despite knowing where the vixen's story was inevitable leading. "How so?"

"Strip poker." Qali giggled.

"Nice." Ada replied with an impish grin.

"And I lost..." Qali added with a mischievous grin of her own.

Dawn placed her hooves over her mouth. "O-ho my." Dawn said, doing her best to suppress her own smile.

"On purpose." Vanna added.

"Of course on purpose!" Qali giggled. "Why else would I want to play?"

Vanna simply rolled her eyes.

"Now I thought you said ya'll were already stripped down to yer undergarments." Malcolm chuckled.

Qali smirked. "It was a short game." The diminutive fox giggled. "He was skeptical of course, but with a worried frown and a playful bat of my eyes I was able to convince him it was just to make him more comfortable. To get him out of that stifling clothing and relax a bit." Qali feigned an innocent expression, flicking a paw lazily. "He thought I just wanted to help, but instead I was out to hustle him." Qali brought her paw to her lips as a blush began to form on her muzzle. 

"Ya'll tricked him?" Malcolm said with a quiet laugh. "And how'd ya manage that? I thought ya'll said you didn't care fer parlor games and the like?" The russet wolf raised an eyebrow.

"Just because I don't like them doesn't mean I don't know how to play them!" Qali laughed. "My Dad was a card shark, and he passed that on to me and my sisters." Qali grinned evilly. "I just hadn't told Trenny at the time."

"Ohhh!" Ada cooed knowingly. "Bad foxy."

Qali giggled in response.

"So what happened?" Malcolm pressed, the wolf hiding his grin behind clenched paws.

"Well I was out of clothes, so I had to bet something." Qali cooed. "So I told Trenny if he beat me with his next hand, well..." Qali's smile grew practically cheshiren in size, practically stretching from ear to ear. "Let's just say I told him I'd wrap my muzzle around mount Trenny for a while."

Dawn raised an eyebrow in confusion breifly. "Mount Tre-?" As realization hit the ewe, a deep crimson blush rapidly followed. Qali offered a simply nod in response, as if to further affirm the ewe's conclusion as to just what part of Trenton's body the diminutive fox was hinting at.

"Again, he was totally against it at first." Qali smirked. "But a bit of my best fast talking, some fluttering of the eyelids, and the distracting view that I was going out of my way to show off he caved pretty quickly." The fox snickered. "By the time I was cramming cards into his paws he wasn't putting up much of a fight."

"You naughty goil!" Ada laughed.

"B-but didn't you...?" Dawn cleared her throat awkwardly as her bashfulness strangled her words. "You said you tricked him...y-you hustled him?" Dawn asked.

Qali chuckled. "Well you see..." Qali could barely keep her giggling under control as her own blush deepened. "If I won, Trenny was gonna have to...well do it to me instead."

Dawn let out an 'oohhh' as she placed her hooves over her muzzle.

"Datta goil!" Ada clapped, letting out a barking laugh.

"So he lost the bet then?" Malcolm chuckled.

Qali gave a brisk nod. "And let me tell you, Trenny knows how to work that tongue!" The vixen smacked her lips. "He had me up against the closet door, screaming his name at the top of my lungs while I rode his muzzle!" Qali giggled. "My legs were so tightly wrapped around his head, I'm surprised he didn't pass out!" The fox rolled backwards on her mattress as a giggling fit ensued. Qali kicked her tiny legs as she continued to laugh, taking deep breaths as she tried to compose herself.

Finally seeming to catch her breath, the vixen sat back up. Qali let out a few more weak chuckles as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"It was amazing." Qali cooed. "Until the door opened and the two of us spilled out right in front of Mama Hunter."

Dawn felt herself reflexively cringe at the mere prospect of being in Qali's position. Despite breaking the house rule, at the very least the couple hadn't been found mid-mating by Audrey. She had barely been able to look the she-wolf in the eyes just from her easily deducing what the couple had been up too outside. If Audrey had found them while Vernon's snout was buried in the ewe, Dawn was certain she would never be able to make eye contact with her again.

Ada was the first to bust out laughing, her hyena like cackle loud and uproarious as she rolled on her own mattress. Qali was quick to join the large canid, followed by Malcolm shortly there-after.

"Phew..." Qali said, composing herself once more as the others laughter died away. "Talk about getting caught with you pants down."

Ada let out another sharp laugh. "Good one Snowball!"

Dawn leaned forward, her attention remaining fixed on Qali.

"So what did you do?" Dawn asked nervously.

Qali lolled her shoulders before letting out a tired sigh. " Honestly, I was pretty ashamed." Qali shook her head dismissively. "I was luckly ol' Auddey let me off lightly."

"She told you to go 'think about what ya'll done', right?" Malcom asked.

Qali gave a meek nod. "Yep, and I did. I felt super terrible afterwards, especially because it was mostly my fault."

"It takes two to tango..." Dawn mumbled softly as she chewed at her hooves.

"That's exactly what she said to me!" Qali chirped, pointing a claw Dawn's way as she rolled slightly in her seat, rocking back and forth. "She even called me Ms. Pelagere for a while, like I had lost status with her..."

"Trust..." Dawn added, causing the fox to nod her head in agreement.

"I had like, tarnished her trust in me." Qali sighed. "And it certainly didn't come off as respectful."

"Dat's puttin' it lightly." Ada added with a chuckle.

"It was another two days before we were back to first names." Qali lamented. "And boy did that suck."

"W-what about Trent?" Dawn asked.

Qali chuckled. "Not only did he have to finish cleaning the closet, but he spent the rest of the day organizin' the attic by his lonesome." The vixen shook her head. "No AC up there either, poor Trenny."

"Lamb sakes..." Dawn uttered. Qali more or less had been through the same, if not a worse situation than she had. The fox even had to endure two days more of the She-wolf's cold shoulder. Then again, despite what the diminutive fox expressed, Dawn had a hard time picturing the cheery, excitable fox being significantly down about the affair, at least not for very long. She just seemed far too happy a mammal to let such a thing weigh on her as much as Dawn had. Then again, the ewe had a lot of other guilty feelings weighing on her already before Audrey had come to scold her.

"Yeah, yeah." Ada scoffed. "I'm shure da mook was feelin' real lousy and down when he was wearin' you as a muzzle." 

Qali let out a soft giggle which faded away into more of a sorrowful sigh. "I still felt bad though, for Trenny, and for how I made Auddey feel." The fox offered a weak grin. "Auddey's such a sweety, and I hated that I put her in such a position."

"I hear that." Malcolm sighed. "I know I felt the same way when me and Xavey got caught."

"Speakin' of..." Ada grinned. "I'd say you're up 'Buddabuns', unless Kit Kat wants ta go foist?" Ada grinned evilly, her glance shifting back to the massive tigress. Vanna grimaced sharply, turning her head away from Ada as she let out a scoff.

"Aw c'mon Vanna, we're all sisters here." Malcolm paused for a moment, glancing down at himself briefly before offering an awkward smile to the group. "Well, mostly."

Ada and Qali giggled at the pudgy wolf's words.

With a tired groan, Malcolm shifted his body toward the rest of the group, laying on his side. The red wolf leaned his head on paw, while allowing the other to drape over his gut. His paw idly scratching at the baby blue fabric as he let out a comfortable sigh.

"Xavey and I had been an item fer about a year at that point if I remember correctly." Malcolm tapped a claw to his chin as he rolled his eyes. The wolf seemingly trying to recall a more concrete memory. "Yessir', it was just shy of a year!" The wolf declared, returning his paw to it's resting place on his stomach. "By then we had visited a few times, so I knew Momma Hunter purty well by then. But this was the first time we were gonna be spendin' the whole week at the ranch. It was Courtship Day break, so we finally had that kind of time free from work to take a real vacation. And I was really lookin' forward to the holiday festivities."

"Courtship Day ain't supposed ta be for couples like youse!" Ada snarked. "It's supposed to be about gettin' new couples togeddah! Not celebratin' bein' a long term ting." The hyenas shook her head.

"Yeah, Ostara is the holiday for celebrating long term relationships." Qali added, raising an eyebrow curiously. "Right?"

Vanna and Dawn nodded in confirmation.

Malcolm chuckled. "I know that!" The wolf replied. "But I was more so lookin' forward to the town festival, more so the cook-off and bake-off aspects of it!" Malcolm ran a paw though his russet hair. "I was kinda eager to throw down with some of the local chefs, and see what they were made of." The wolf declared proudly. "And gettin to taste a bunch of specialty foods and deserts you can't get most other places was a purty enticin' prospect too." Malcolm ran his tongue across his maw, patting his belly affectionately.

Dawn raised an eyebrow curiously. "I thought you said you two were coming to the ranch for a 'vacation'." The ewe adjusted her glasses slightly. "Participating in a series of cook-offs sounds like a lot of work."

Malcolm laughed. "When yer line of work is also yer favorite hobby, the line between the two gets real blurry." The wolf sighed. " 'Sides, cookin fer contests is a lot less pressure than running a diner. More fun and free wheelin', and ya'll don't have a buncha customers breathin' down yer neck."

Dawn understood where the wolf is coming from, or at least could somewhat understand. While she had yet to publish her first book, writing had always been a fun hobby for her. It was something she freely pursued in her downtime for her own enjoyment from her adolescence onward, and even if she never shared any of those works with those around her, the time spent writing them had never seemed like a waste. Now that she was staring down the barrel of releasing a book for public consumption, she found herself wondering just how she would be able to properly delineate 'work writing' from 'play writing', or if there could be any clear distinction at all from that point on. One thing the ewe was certain of was that even if her writing career ultimately flopped, she would still find herself writing for fun regardless.

"Anyhow..." Malcolm sighed, scratching his belly again. "Once Xavey and I first came out to the Ranch, we had a few days of preppin' before the 'Courtship Festival' opened up officially. So Momma Hunter and I went out and entered in to all the contests we were plannin' on participatin' in, and then we basically spent the whole day in the Kitchen cookin' up a storm." Malcolm chuckled. "We were practicin', honin' our skills and tradin' recipes and tips while Xavey just stood there and watched."

"Why?" Dawn asked. "Xavier didn't want to help?"

Malcolm let out a hard laugh. "Didn't want to? Darlin' he wasn't allowed to!" The russet wolf let out another jovial laugh. "I love my 'Fluffybuns' to death, but that boy can't cook worth a damn." Malcolm shook his head. "If I even let him hold a wisk it'd probly' catch fire, that's how bad he is. When it comes to baking, well that boy is practically the Anti-Crust."

Ada let out a cackle of her own. "Nice pun on dat one 'Buddabuns!'"

Malcolm bowed his head as if bowing for applause in response to Ada before letting out a contented sigh.

"But he didn't want to be alone all day, at least until Pa got back from the precinct. So he stayed and cheered us on." Malcolm smiled warmly.

"So what happened?" Ada smirked. "C'mon, get to da good stuff!" The hyeness said with a sharp snort as she slapped her knee.

"I'm gettin' to it, hold yer horses there city girl!" Malcolm chuckled, pushing his hair away from his eyes.

"Yeah, c'mon!" Qali added. "I haven't heard this one yet!"

Vanna was quick to shush the pair, her eyes were stern and serious as she glared at the hyena and fox until they went silent. Despite Vanna's previous stance on spilling their collective guts when it came to their most intimate moments, the glint behind the tigress' eyes shone with interest as she returned her attention to Malcolm.

Malcolm sighed. "Alright, so we had been baking fer hours at this point. Pies, cakes, pred cuisine, all sorts of goodies."

"The Kitchen must have smelled amazing..." Qali said dreamily as she leaned her head in her paws. The diminutive fox kicked her legs idly as her attention remained on the chubby wolf.

"Yeah, to be a fly on the wall on dat day..." Ada smirked. "For da smells and da show!" Ada chuckled.

Malcolm shook his head, a grin crawling across his muzzle. "Anyway, I remember I wanted to show Momma Hunter how to cook up some 'de-licious' raspberry tortes. They're kind of a staple food fer Courtship Day. But by then, we had pretty much used up all the supplies we'd need to keep cookin'."

Malcolm extended his paw, holding it up as he eyed the group. "So naturally, someone had to pick up more flour, sugar and so on to keep us bakin'" The wolf waved his paw. "And since Ma Hunter doesn't like to let anyone else drive her truck aside from Papa Hunter, she was the one who decided to go get the ingredients we needed."

Malcolm raised an eyebrow, a sly smirk crossing his muzzle. "That left me and Xavey alone to monitor the food that was still cookin'." 

"So is that when you two-?"

Malcolm held up a paw, effectively silencing Qali's burgeoning curiosity. 

"Now don't get ahead of me Darlin'." Malcolm chuckled. "I'm gettin' there. I promise."

Malcolm let out another groan as he sat up, placing his paws on his knees as he crossed his legs into a seated pose.

"Now, I wanna start off by sayin' the last thing I had on my mind was breakin' the house rule. I wasn't even thinking about sex. I was more concerned about the pies in the oven than anythin' else."

"Sure you was." Ada rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't!" Malcolm affirmed. "Although I can't say fer certain if Xavey didn't either, it certainly didn't seem like he was thinkin' it at the time anyway." Malcolm sighed, drawing his paw through his hair again. "We spent most of the time just talkin' while I kept busy workin' on the food we still had supplies fer."

A mischievous smile crawled across Malcolm's muzzle. "Then, I accidently dropped a spoon I was using." The wolf brought a paw to his chin. "It was covered in batter, and on it's way to the floor it smudged on Xavey's pants before landin' right between his paws."

Qali was already rolling in her seat eagerly as she eyed Malcolm with an intense focus. The arctic fox seemingly giddy with anticipation as she rocked in place.

"I take it prissy pants was none to pleased about the stain?" Ada quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh Xavey was none too pleased. He hates gettin' food on his clothes, even the less than fancy stuff." Malcolm chuckled. "So while he's flippin' his lid, I'm reachin' fer the spoon and cursin' the fact I wasted a good bit a batter that was glopped onto the thing." Malcolm shook his head dismissively. "I finally get a grip on it, and as I'm going to stand up, my muzzle bumps right under Xavey's crotch."

Dawn blushed slightly as she brought her hooves to her muzzle. Despite the fact that she had known where the story had been heading from the get go still did little to prepare her for when the pudgy wolf got to the 'meat' of his story.

"Oh my..." She said quietly. The ewe could pretty much assume where things were going from here.

Malcolm chuckled. "I got the batter from his pants on my snout, but more importantly I got a deep whiff of my 'Fluffybuns' delicious scent." Malcolm's eyelids drooped slightly as he stared off dreamily. "That virile, dusky earthen' scent that sent shivers down my spine."

Dawn gulped slightly as the wolf's description tickled at her memories of her mates own scent. In that moment she couldn't help but picture herself in the same situation, just inches away from Vernon's own wolfhood and drinking deeply of his musk. Dawn shuddered briefly, thanking the gods that although the thought was a stimulating one, at the very least her estrus was dulled enough for the sudden fantasy not to stir up too much agony in her loins.

"At that point Xavey had stopped fussin'." Malcolm continued. "We had both sorta locked eyes, and I could see we were more or less thinkin' the same thing." Malcolm grinned slyly. "Of course I couldn't resist a bit of teasin' first."

"What did you do?" Dawn asked, leaning forward slightly as she bit at her hoof.

Malcom chuckled. "Well, I batted my eyes at my lil' Xavey, and I said 'Aw, I'm sorry about the mess Darlin', how bout I clean ya'll up?'" 

"And what did he do?" Qali was quick to ask, the fox now leaning well over the edge of her mattress as she watched the pudgy wolf.

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "My little wordsmith, master of the Animanglish Language, didn't say nothin'." Malcolm shook his head. "He stuttered and stammered a bit before finally givin' me a slow, shaky little pleadin' nod."

Malcolm licked his maw as his grin widened mischievously. "So I lapped that little bit of batter up....and then..." The wolf shook his head. "And then I opened up his pants, and started lappin' at my favorite dessert."

"Right in Audrey's Kitchen?" Dawn asked in shock.

Malcolm simply nodded, the smirk never leaving his muzzle.

"Right in front of the counter. I was down on my knees teasin' that poor boy seven ways to Sunday." Malcolm chuckled. "Xavey was making the cutest noises, he always does when I got him at my mercy like that." The chubby wolf said dreamily. "Like lil' half begs. Dyin' fer me to end his sufferin', but at the same time lovin' the teasin'."

Dawn's blush deepened as the wolf's tawdry tale went on. Even her romp in the corn field hadn't been as risky as what Malcolm and Xavier had done. Short of mating in Audrey's bedroom, the ewe couldn't imagine a more dangerous place to try to sneak in a rut than her Kitchen. At least, up until Vernon had howled the pair had the privacy of the night to more or less shield their deeds. It was unlikely that Audrey would have come looking for them unless they had been out for hours. But her Kitchen was surely asking to be caught.

"Unfortunately..." Malcolm's smile waivered as his ears began to sag. "From where I was...er...handlin' things, I couldn't exactly see the entrance of the Kitchen." Malcolm's voice grew quieter as a blush began to form on his muzzle. "O'course Xavey was in the perfect position' to meet Momma Hunter's eyes when she came back from the store."

Ada hissed as she sucked in a sharp breath. "Ohh..." The hyeness shook her head. "So you didn't know huh?"

Malcolm chuckled weakly. "I felt Xavey suddenly tense up, but I couldn't figure out why..." The pudgy wolf's blush deepened. "And I couldn't exactly ask him with my mouth fulla'...well...y'know..." The wolf trailed of, tapping his fingers together idly.

Malcolm placed his head in his paw. "He had to pull me off and turn my head around before I knew what was happinin'."

"Look's like youse two got caught wit Xavey's pants down!" Ada said, letting out a hyena-like cackle.

Malcolm kept his head down, clearly deeply ashamed of Audrey catching the couple like that. "I was purty much on a full name basis fer the rest of the holiday." Malcolm sighed. "And as fer Xavey, well he was on dish duty fer the rest of the trip. Which considerin' how much we were bakin', well...it was a tall order."

As Malcolm's story sunk in, Dawn was having a hard time deciding which story had been the worse of the two. Each one prominently featured being caught mid-act by Audrey, a fate the ewe mentally held up in her mind as worse than death. More or less the couples had been caught committing the same crime against the house rule, but was catching your son with his girlfriend riding his face better or worse than catching your son on the receiving end of oral? Either way, if there was one thing Dawn could glean from the stories for certain, it was the fact that even if Vernon had successfully limited their escapade in the field to taking care of Dawn's problem, the trouble they faced would have been more or less the same. Despite that Xavier could, from a legal standpoint argue that the house rule only technically mentions rutting, clearly it wouldn't fly in Mother Hunter's courtroom. And that fact was readily apparent in Malcolm's story.

"I just felt so ashamed when Momma Hunter' eyes fell on me. She looked so hurt..." Malcolm sighed. "And when she called me 'Mr. Hackett', it cut me deep."

"I know how that feels..." Dawn murmured, reflecting on how painful it had felt when Audrey had simply referred to her as Ms. Bellwether. Even thinking about it now, despite the fact that she had more or less made amends with the she-wolf, it made her feel just as hollow and sick as when she had first heard it.

"I'll betcha do." Ada said with a smirk. "O'course I don't, cause I'm da only one wit da curtsy and dezenzy to control myself."

Once again Ada reaffirmed that she remained the only Hunter girl not to break the house rule. But it was an idea that Dawn couldn't wrap her head around. While she had no real reason to doubt the hyeness statements, her attitude and the way she carried herself made Ada seem the least likely to care about things like Audrey's house rule, or even what Audrey might think of her. She didn't want to pass judgment, but at the same time she couldn't help feeling like there was no way she was telling the truth.

"I find that kind of hard to believe." Dawn said without thinking, only to quickly bring her hooves to her muzzle. She hadn't meant to let it slip out, but now that she had said it, it hung in the open air awaiting an answer.

Ada cackled. "Well it's tru dere fuzzy butt!" The hyeness flipped her black and white hair out of her eyes. "Whaddya tink I'm some kinda impulsive animal who can't control herself?" Ada raised herself off the mattress slightly as she threw Dawn a sharp glare. "Dat because I look like sum sorta trouble maker I can't follow da rules?"

Ada's tone was sharp and stern, and Dawn was quick to jump to her feet at the sudden accusation. The ewe held her hooves out defensively.

"No! No!" Dawn stammered, terrified that she so easily offended her new sister, especially after what she had done for her earlier in the day. Dawn clasped her hooves together pleadingly as she tried to think of a way to explain herself.

"I mean, I...I didn't-"

Ada let out a hyena-like cackle as she rolled backwards on her bed, kicking her feet slightly as she held her stomach. Dawn simply stood staring in shock and confusion, unsure of what to make of Ada's sudden change in tone as the hyeness managed to right herself. Ada wiped a stray tear from her eye as she tried to stifle her laughter.

"Oh Mam'!" Ada giggled. "I had you goin huh!? Da look on your face was priceless!" The hyeness wiped another stray tear from her eye as she tried to compose herself.

"Ada, that isn't funny." Vanna said tersely, throwing a glare of her own at the hyena.

Ada scoffed. "Ah, you have no sensa humor Kit Kat!" The canid replied, waiving the massive cat off dismissively with a paw. "'Sides I have to razz da newest Hunta goil, it's part of da hazin'!"

Dawn eased back down into her seat, still somewhat confused as she found herself looking back and for the between the tigress and the hyena. Ada was still laughing, but Vanna's cold stare remained rigid and unrelenting, and slowly the smile dissipated from Ada's muzzle. With a harsh and irritated sigh, Ada turned her attention back to the ewe.

"Ugh. Fine." Ada grumbled. " I was just funnin' whicha Fluff Butt, I know I don't really seem da type give a pile of dung about wedder or not I care what mammals tink of me, but I do." Ada rolled her eyes slightly, but her tone remained firms and earnest. "'Specially da Huntas." Ada smiled, but there was a strange sadness behind her eyes. Almost as if admitting that had hurt her to some degree. The ewe felt the desire to press her new sister on what had caused that somber change in her tone, but decided better of it as the hyeness was quick to continue. 

"So when I tells ya I swear on my own eyes I never broke da rule, I mean it." Ada grinned confidently.

"It's true." Vanna said with a tired sigh as she turned her attention back to the ewe. "As unlikely as it would seem, Ada is the only one of us here who hasn't..."Vanna closed her eyes briefly, gritting her teeth for a moment before continuing. "Made a bad decision."

"Speakin' of dat..." Ada's grin grew to almost Cheshire like proportions. "I'd say it's your turn Kit Kat."

Vanna quickly turned back to the hyeness, crossing her arms in defiance. 

"I'd rather not." Vanna stated simply. "In fact I never agreed to."

"Aw c'mon sis!" Qali chirped. "I'm dying to know!"

Vanna shook her head briskly, opting to remain silent.

Malcolm raised an eyebrow. "C'mon now Sis, it's only fair ain't it?"

Vanna grimaced. "Fair?" The tigress spat. "Nobody forced the two of you to tell those stories. So why should I have to embarrass myself just because the two of you decided to do the same?"

Dawn could see the tigress was growing increasingly irritated. By now Vanna had risen to her feet, walking away from Dawn's bed as she glared at the other members of the group. Her ears flattened tightly against her head as she sneered.

"What a kitten!" Ada snickered.

"I am not!" Vanna spat back, reaching a paw for the pillow on what was presumably her mattress. The large feline lifted it off the bed, clutching it with her paws as she eyed the hyena across from her.

"And whaddya gonna do now?" Ada chuckled. "Gonna belt me wit a pillow?"

Vanna hissed as she glared at the hyeness. "If you don't shut your yap I might ju-"

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Dawn was quick to interject, hoping that she would diffuse the situation. As much as she was intrigued to hear what had happened between Vanna and Zach, the ewe was more keen on avoiding a bedroom brawl breaking out between the two females. 

"I-I can understand if I-it's too embarrassing." The ewe frowned, looking at her feet as she stood up on her mattress. "I won't hold it against you." Dawn sighed. "I certainly know the feeling."

The tension seemed to ease as the two sisters turned their attention Dawn's way, Vanna going so far as to let the pillow hang loosely from one paw as she frowned back toward the ewe. But what was even more surprising was that Ada was sporting a frown of her own. The hyeness placed a paw behind her head, scratching awkwardly as she grit her teeth.

"Ah geeze..." Ada whined. "If youse are both gonna be dat way about it, den I don't wanna hold your paws to da fire." Ada crossed her arms. "I was only playin'."

"It's alright." Dawn replied, adjusting her glasses. "Besides, I've decide I..." The ewe trailed off as she struggled to find her words. "Well, I've decided I'm willing to talk about what happened with Vernon and me outside, despite how embarrassed I am in retrospect."

Dawn had surprised herself with her sudden decision. Perhaps it was the fact that Malcolm and Qali had been so willing to open up about their own misdeeds, or Vanna's need to rise to Dawn's defense regardless of what stake she had in it. Or perhaps it was even the fact that when it came down to it, Ada had been more than willing to let her off the hook when it came to telling her tale. But regardless, Dawn felt much more comfortable knowing she was more or less among friends who had been through the same thing, and could even find humor in it. It made the ewe feel confident enough to press forward with her own embarrassing and shameful ordeal. 

But Dawn found she wasn't the only one surprised by her statement. Ada was looking back at her in bemused shock, while Qali seemed to be brimming with overwhelming joy. Malcolm too, wore a bemused and playful grin. But the most startled was Vanna, the large and unusually unexpressive tigress' jaw now hanging open in shock as she stared back at Dawn in an almost terrified surprise.

"YES!" Qali chirped, bouncing on her mattress a few times as she held on to the headboard.

"Well look at dat." Ada smirked, crossing her arms again. " Lil' lamb is steppin' up to da plate!"

Ada laid back down onto her mattress, resting her head on a paw as she grinned back expectantly at Dawn.

"Youse got more spunk den I had ya pegged for wools." Ada snickered. With that, the hyeness flicked her free paw in the ewe's direction. "Youse can start when your ready, take ya time sis."

Dawn sat back down on the bed, taking a long sigh as she tried to steel herself for opening up about the debacle in the field. It certainly was not her proudest moment, but she knew confronting it like this was a good way to cope with it. She had learned as much in therapy when it came to recounting and reliving her criminal past. The only way to work through it was to acknowledge and reflect on it, and sometimes sharing it with those you love and trust was the best way to move past it. The ewe took another deep breath as she tried to figure out just where to start her story. Finally settling on what seemed like the most appropriate point, Dawn took a final deep breath.

"Well, as you all are prob-"

"Wait!" 

Dawn blinked rapidly in surprise. That had come from Vanna, the large tigress now holding a paw out toward the ewe to signal her to stop.

Vanna sighed harshly, running her free paw down her face as she cursed quietly to herself.

"If you are going to tell your story..." Vanna muttered. "T-then I guess I should at least share mine." Vanna grimaced sharply.

Dawn stared at the tigress in silent confusion for a few moments before managing to find her words again. "V-Vanna, you don't have-"

"No, I do." Vanna sighed. "It would be wrong for everyone else to open up about this stuff, and I'm the only one who stays out of it." Vanna shook her head. "I-I just, I don't like to think about what I did. I'm very...I'm ashamed."

"Hey Sis, relax." Ada said coolly. The hyeness' tone was surprisingly sincere as she eyed the large feline in concern. "If its got ya dat twisted den-"

"No." Vanna sighed, shaking her head dismissively. "I can do it. I can."

With that, the tigress plopped down harshly on to her mattress, causing it to groan under the sudden harsh strain. Vanna placed a paw over her face, looking down at the floor as she began her story.

"Zach and I had been working together for a year before we officially became a couple." Vanna said calmly, her eyes remaining locked to the floor. "But working in the Police Department, and being his partner, well...I saw a lot of the ranch on my off hours."

Vanna slowly eased her way back onto the bed, until she laid flat against it. The big cat was now staring at the ceiling as she rested her head on the pink plaid printed pillow at the head of her bed.

"I was more or less a part of the family by Ma and Pa Hunter's standards. So when Zach and I announced we had become mates, well..." Vanna smirked. "They were overjoyed."

"Aww..." Qali cooed, her grin widening as she rested her head on her paws. The diminutive fox was now hanging off the edge of her bed in the direction of the tigress', watching her intently despite being partially upside-down. 

"But that's really only important to note so you have some idea of how long we had been together before..." Vanna shook her head slowly as she let out a terse sigh. "Before the whole incident happened."

Dawn had now creeped up to the foot of her bed, lying prone much like Ada was. The ewe rested a hoof against her cheek as she listened intently. The tone of Vanna's voice clearly told Dawn just how hard the story was for her to share, the wavering and sighing indicative of her mortifying embarrassment. But this only did more to capture Dawn's interest. If the normally stoic and reserved Vanna was so overwhelming ashamed of when she had broken the house rule, especially after Malcolm and Qali had told their own rather lurid and shocking stories, then how much worse could her own tale stand to be? How could anything be worse that getting caught in the act by Mother Hunter?

"This was about a year after we had officially become mates." Vanna continued. "So about two years of knowing Ma and Pa pretty well by the time this happened."

Vanna squeezed the bridge of her muzzle with her fingers. "Long enough for them both to grow to trust me." Vanna allowed her arms to flop lifelessly to her sides. "And I went and soiled that trust."

Vanna's tone was heavy and somber, leaving her statement to bask in deathly silence as soon as it had left her muzzle. The quiet lingered for what seemed like minutes before the tigress suddenly shot up from her bed.

"It was my fault!" Vanna lamented. " It was all on me! I took Auddey's trust and faith in me, and I threw it away in favor of my gnawing, primal urges!" Vanna groaned.

"Hey, dial it back a notch sis'." Ada said with concern. "Look at everyone else here, dey all fell into da same ting. It's like Auddey says, 'takes two to tango.'" 

"Yeah, don't be so hard on yerself there Vanna." Malcolm added.

Vanna simply fell back into the mattress again, placing a paw over her face.

"No, it really was my fault." Vanna sighed quietly. "There was no excuse for my behavior. I could have avoided it all so simply, but I chose to do something stupid."

Dawn had heard enough. Based on her experiences with Dr. Gnu, she could easily recognize the obvious signs of a mammal in need of someone to reassure her. This particular incident seemed to weigh heavy on the normally stoic cat's chest, and the ewe knew through experience that having someone close by to help coax her through retelling the story and easing her fears as she worked through each leg of it. Vanna needed someone to lean on now more than ever. 

The ewe slid off her bed carefully before scurrying her way over to Vanna's bedside. With only some slight difficulty, Dawn managed to clamber her way up onto the side of the larger mattress frame. As Dawn settled her self in by the large felines side, only then did Vanna seem to notice her presence, raising an eyebrow curiously at the ewe now seated by her side. Dawn did her best to mimic the pose she often saw her therapist sit in, to convey an air of professionalism and concern through sheer body language before speaking.

"It's alright Vanna." Dawn said softly. "I'm sure it wasn't your fault, and even if it was..." Dawn glanced briefly around at the other girls and Malcolm before gesturing a hoof toward them "We're all sisters here. No one is judging you."

That seemed to have been enough to ease the troubled feline somewhat as she slowly laid her head against the pillow once more. With a deep and shuddering sigh, the tigress continued.

"It was around the time of the Harvest Festival." Vanna placed a paw over her face. "Ma Hunter had asked for Zach and my help to clear space in the barn for the corn cobs we'd be picking later that day."

Dawn nodded reassuringly, gesturing for the feline to continue her difficult tale. 

"I-It..." Vanna stuttered slightly, taking a moment to clear her throat before continuing. "It had been unseasonably warm that year. A Saharan Summer, at least that was what most mammals call it."

Vanna slowly drew her paw down her face, placing it at her side as she let out another long and tired sigh.

"And well...that sort of....well..." Dawn could hear the tigress audibly gulp. "Kind of trigged an early heat for me..."

Dawn placed a hoof to her muzzle to hide her shock. Of all the motives she had assumed could be the root cause of Vanna and Zach's indiscretion, the last thing she had considered was that the tigress may have been at the mercy of the same forces of nature that she had been enduring just hours before. Vanna seemed far too strong, too composed to imagine her faltering under even the worst a remnant estrus had to offer. And yet here she was, more or less confirming that she has succumbed to the same vice as Dawn.

"Ma Hunter was out, she was picking up supplies." Vanna sighed. "And Pa was at the station." Vanna mumbled, wiping her paw across her eyes. "We were all alone."

Ada was now leaning in almost as far as Qali was, the large hyeness now practically hanging off her mattress.

"Yeah?" Ada's eyes were wide. "And den what?"

"I had been dealing with my estrus all day...and between the late summer heat, and the ache, and the gnawing desire...I just...." Vanna brought a paw up to her mouth, biting down softly on a finger as she struggled to get the words out. Dawn reached a hoof out, placing it on Vanna's shoulder comfortingly. The ewe offered a meek smile.

"You couldn't help yourself?" Dawn asked.

Vanna nodded. "I had an idea...a fool proof plan..."

Dawn had to stifle a giggle from slipping out. In that moment, Vanna had reminded her of Vernon, and his own 'fool proof plan' that had gone so awry. It appeared that the large and seemingly unflappable tigress' had more in common with her brother in-law than she knew.

"What was the plan?" Qali asked, eagerness lacing her tone.

Vanna let out a sorrowful grown, laying the back of her paw across her face.

"I-I was gonna take him in the barn..." Vanna grumbled. "Hold him down and have my way with him right there on the floor."

"Mhh..." Malcolm cooed. "Vanna, you wildcat you."

The tigress let out another groan, and Dawn could see a blush forming on her muzzle. The ewe continued to gingerly pat her shoulder.

"There, there Vanna." Dawn smiled softly. "It's okay."

"I even went so far to plan how to stifle that dumb mutt's howl, even though Ma and Pa were too far away to hear it." Vanna continued.

"How!? How!?" Qali chirped. By now the fox had completely left her mattress, and was now clambering her way on the other side of Vanna's bed. The petite fox now leaned over Vanna, her smile ear to ear as she excitedly awaited an answer.

Vanna let out another groan, covering her face with both paws.

"I...stuffed...mrmr...mrr..." Vanna's words trailed of inaudibly.

"I'm sorry, didn't catch dat." Ada grinned, placing her paw to her ear in the direction of the shrinking tigress.

Vanna replied again, even more quietly, but now there was an edge on her mumbling. As if she was trying to force the words out through pain.

"I'm sorry what?" Ada repeated.

"MY PANTIES!" The tigress snarled, causing the girls to jump in their respective pelts. "I STUFFED MY PANTIES IN HIS MOUTH TO SHUT HIM UP!"

With the tigress' loud and sudden admission, came shock, then horror as Vanna realized just how loud she had revealed her method of muzzling Zach. The tigress quickly covered her face with her paws again, her blush practically glowing despite her attempts at covering it up.

The room remained quiet for what seemed like an eternity, the awkward void created by Vanna's outburst leaving everyone in the room struck dumb. Even Ada, despite her wide smirk, seemed to be biting her tongue if she had any witty remarks bubbling below the surface. 

Dawn had covered her face with her hooves. Though the ewe was blushing fiercely, she was more concerned about covering up the slight, shaky smile that was now creeping across her muzzle. Despite how woeful and agonizing the tigress' admission had sounded, the mental image of Zach being choked into silence by the big cat's unmentionables was patently hilarious. Dawn cleared her throat sharply in an effort to shake away the urge to giggle. It took a few hard coughs, but eventually the ewe was able to regain her composure.

"And I take it...?" The ewe trailed off, unable to bring herself to finish her question.

"He didn't even see it coming." Vanna mumbled. "He put down one of the corn buckets, turned around, and I just...I lunged at him."

"Did he fight?" Malcolm asked with a laugh.

Vanna let out a sigh. "Not for very long..." Vanna placed her paw over her face. "Especially when he figured out what was going on."

Qali broke into a giggle fit, giving the somber tigress a playful nudge as she rocked back and forth on the balls of her knees. The diminutive fox was clearly eating up the scandalous nature of Vanna's tawdry tryst. Vanna only mustered another lamenting groan at the arctic fox's gesture.

"Okay, okay..." Qali wheezed, trying to catch her breath as her giggling subsided. "I only have one question for you Kit Kat." The fox said with a wide smile.

Vanna grumbled a soft, inaudible series of words before finally ending in a long, and agonizingly drawn out "Whaaaaat? "

"Did it work?" Qali quirked an eyebrow curiously. "The panty thing?"

Vanna removed her paw, turning to face the eager fox. The tigress stared back at Qali in quiet disbelief, her mouth opening briefly only to close without uttering so much as a single word. Her response however, seemed to had failed to register with Qali, as the vixen was still staring back at Vanna expectantly.

"Well?" Qali added.

Vanna closed her eyes sharply, letting out an irritated huff as she turned back toward Dawn. The tigress' blush had only managed to grow a deeper crimson in response to the curious fox's question. Dawn watched as her grimace deepened, Vanna seemingly straining herself to force an answer out.

"Yes." Vanna said softly.

"Awesome!" Qali responded, rubbing her paws together excitedly. " I wonder if I can make that work with Trenny?" The vixen wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Please, your panties are so tiny he'd probably breade 'em in by accident." Ada said with a chuckle.

The fox seemed to deflate slightly, her ears sagging as a frown crawled across her muzzle. "Aw mam', you're probably right." Qali sighed, flopping down against the bed sheet with a dull 'thwump'. She remained face down, her muzzle buried into the mattress for a moment before slowly raising it back up and leaning it on her paws. 

"Maybe I can use my shirt..." The fox quietly mused to herself as her tail lazily flipped from one side to the other.

"Just buy a gag, it's da easiest solution." Ada added with a smirk.

"I'm not walking into one of 'those' stores." Qali whined, raising her eyebrows slightly as she emphasized the word. "Especially back in Fox's Glen! Everyone would know about it!"

"Y'know there is such a thing as shoppin' online Darlin'" Malcolm added with a chuckle.

"I know bu-"

"So I take it Mother Hunter caught you around then?" Dawn cut the vixen off. The ewe knew this story was hard enough for Vanna to get through without it being drawn out by idle chat amongst the Hunter girls. She had made it this far, and Dawn was keen on hearing exactly what ultimately exposed Vanna's misdeed to Audrey. " She walked into the barn and found you like Malcolm and Qali?"

Vanna winced slightly at Dawn's words. The ewe tried to meet her gaze, but the tigress' eyes kept shifting away.

"Nooo...." Vanna mumbled softly.

Dawn quirked an eyebrow in confusion. If Audrey hadn't caught them in the act, and if the crude gag Vanna had come up with had kept Zach's howl from carrying across the farmlands, then how had the She-wolf caught them? 

"Was it the smell?" Dawn asked, trying to put together the means which had proven to be the couples undoing. "You didn't shower afterwards and Audrey could smell the pheromones?"

The tigress continued to avert Dawn's gaze as the ewe tried to figure out the mystery. Vanna let out a quiet groan as she shifted away from Dawn. Now laying on her back, the tigress stared up at the ceiling.

"Nooo...." Vanna repeated, even more quietly than before.

Dawn scratched her chin, puzzled. She was out of guesses, and summarily perplexed. If she couldn't guess it, then it might take hours to finally extract the information from the tigress. And unlike Dr.Gnu, Dawn couldn't exactly schedule to pick up the session the following week.

"Oh dis is gonna be juicy." Ada cut the silence with her snarking tone. The hyeness was now leaning on a paw, grinning in the direction of the group now amassed on Vanna's bed. Ada wiggled her eyebrow playfully. "C'mon kitty, it'll make ya feel betta. Just let it out already!"

Vanna let out another groan, placing her paws over her face and letting out a mournful snarl before allowing them to fall to her sides. The large feline took a long, deep breath before letting out a long sigh.

"I...." Vanna said quietly. "I told her."

Dawn blinked in surprise, tilting her head slightly as she tried to parse what the tigress had told her.

"W-what?' Dawn uttered.

"I told Audrey." Vanna whined.

"You told her?" Qali asked.

Vanna suddenly sat up, her sudden movement nearly knocking Dawn and Qali off the bed in the process. The large feline let out a sharp hiss as she placed her paws on top of her head. "YES, I TOLD HER!" Vanna snarled. "I TOLD HER AS SOON AS SHE GOT HOME! I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF!"

The tigress turned to Dawn, nearly scaring the ewe out of her wool at the sudden rapid movement. Vanna looked at her with mournful and pleading eyes, her lip quivering slightly as if she were about to start sobbing.

"I went in with my best poker face, doing my best to look as innocent as possible while I helped her unpack groceries." Vanna mumbled. "I was so sure Mother Hunter would see right through me, right through my attempts at deception. But instead, she seemed completely oblivious."

"So whats da problem?" Ada asked. "It was woikin' wasn't it?"  
Vanna let out a sorrowful sigh. "She was her usual happy self, and that's what made it worse." Vanna visibly cringed as she continued her tale. "Every smile, every time she called me 'Darlin', it felt like my insides were being torn to shreds with guilt."

"It just got worse and worse until I couldn't take it anymore, I just completely fell apart." Vanna whimpered. "I couldn't bear to look Auddey in the eyes knowing that I was lying to her!" The tigress put her head in her paw. "And when she noticed and asked me what was wrong I just...I just..."

"You couldn't lie." Dawn asked.

"I broke down, falling to my knees and telling her everything!" Vanna slapped a paw over her face, only to slowly drag it down her face as she let out an agonizing groan. "I wrapped my arms around her waist and begged forgiveness!" Vanna began to raise her voice, the tigress becoming increasingly upset. "I was so ashamed of myself!"

Dawn was flabbergasted, only able to watch the tigress in deafened shock as she continued.

"She said 'it takes two to tango' but I know the truth! It was my fault!" Vanna lamented.

"Aw, lighten up pussy cat. Zach coulda-" 

"The trailer was only three miles away! We could have easily went home!" Vanna groaned. "But no! I had to have him right there!" The tigress dragged her paw down her face, turning her head to the ceiling as she let out a shuddering sigh.

"I'm a trained officer, and I let my baser urges get the better of me. I caved to my own lurid desires and broken the trust Ma Hunter had put in me." Vanna shook her head. "I never felt so weak and foolish." Vanna's looked down at her paws, her head slumping in defeat.

"Tch, dial it back Kit Kat, don't be so ova dramatic." Ada shook her head. "It's just a rut."

The tigress let out a weary sigh, placing a paw over her eyes once more.

"At the very least Audrey was willing to forgive me for being honest." Vanna sighed. "She still called me Vanna despite how I had clearly broken her trust."

"Aw, no fair!" Qali whined, a pout forming on her muzzle. "What do we have to do to get that kind of treatment?"

"Zach was less fortunate..." Vanna continued, ignoring Qali's objection. "He was forced to finish the barn work on his own."

Vanna let out a weak and shuddering sigh. "But despite what Audrey said, I still felt so badly." Vanna muttered. "That regardless of what she said to try to ease my fears, I still feel like I had damaged the trust between us."

Dawn was shocked to say the least. Through the retelling of her story, Vanna had been the most emotive the ewe had ever seen her. It was amazing how much guilt the felines affair had left weighing on her heart. But considering how kind and accepting Audrey was, it wasn't hard to see why the tigress felt so bad. Dawn had only really known the she-wolf for two whole days, and she had felt sick with guilt over breaking the house rule. But Vanna had gone at least two years of unspoken trust before breaking down and defying Mother Hunter's wishes. Two years of growing close and getting to know each other, getting used to seeing Audrey as her Mother. Despite how preposterous it may have sounded to the other girls, Dawn could see herself just as easily following Vanna's footsteps had she been in her sole-pads. 

"I let the heat get the better of me." Vanna sighed. "I should have been stronger."

Dawn placed a hoof on the large felines knee, causing Vanna to look up at the ewe. Dawn offered a warm smile in response.

"You aren't alone Vanna." The lamb sighed. "I let the heat get the better of me too."

"I knew I smelled sumtin' funny on da ride out to da fair!" Ada chimed in, flashing Dawn a smug grin.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Well I think your mate made it more than obvious at breakfast this morning, didn't he?"

Ada grimaced slightly, running a paw through her mane of hair. "Y-yeah, sorry about dat Fluff." Ada muttered. "He really shouldn'ta putcha on blast like dat."

Dawn shook her head dismissively. "It's fine, it's all over with anyhow." With that, the ewe turned her attention back to the sullen tigress.

"I should have been stronger too. I should have resisted the urge to rut." Dawn said sadly. "But it was so agonizing, and then...well...Vernon just wanted to help."

"Wait! Wait!" Qali piped up. "Start from the beginning! How'd you get from the picnic to the rutting!?" The fox had now crawled over Vanna's leg, leaning her chest on it as she eyed Dawn expectantly.

Dawn rolled her eyes at the chipper fox, the ewe let out a bemused sigh as she placed her hooves in her lap.

"Well..." Dawn muttered, shaking off the last of her nervous jitters as best as she could before continuing. "First off, I had been dealing with my remnant-estrus all day." 

Dawn began to wring her hooves as she recounted the lurid anguish she had spent the day enduring. "Between the hot flashes, the chills...." Dawn bit her lip. "And the burning, unrelenting, gnawing..." Dawn shook her head sharply to keep focused. "sufficed to say on top of everything else that had been going on today I felt absolutely miserable."

"I can imagine." Ada muttered. "One time I had a twelve hower shift at da hospital durin' my heat last year." The hyeness ran a paw through her hair. "I swear I felt so bad I wanted to crawl into one a dem morgue shelves with da rest of da dead guys." Ada said with a chuckle.

"So naturally, on the picnic I was still more or less suffering." Dawn sighed. " I was sweating bullets under my wool, squirming in my seat as I tried to keep from focusing too much on Vernon's....well...body..."

Dawn shook her head softly. "But Vernon already knew what I was going through, and he was worried about me." Dawn rolled her eyes. "And so, he suggested trying something out..."

"Heh Heh." Ada chuckled. "Just like Kit Kat huh?" 

Vanna let out another lamenting grumble.

"Well if that was the case we wouldn't have heard Vernon's howl now would we?" Malcolm added.

"The whole point of Vernon's plan was that he'd never...I mean..." Dawn held her hooves out. "He was going to help me out. Just me."

"Ahh..." Malcolm, Ada and Qali said in unison.

"Of course I know now that even if that plan had worked out, it still would have qualified as breaking the house rule if your stories are anything to go by." Dawn gestured to Malcolm and Qali, both of whom nodded in response.

"But Vernon was so worried, he just wanted me to be able to enjoy the rest of the trip." Dawn sighed. "And I wasn't in a strong position to say no to the idea. My estrus was eating away at my brain." Dawn raised a hoof simply to let it flop at her side. " I couldn't think straight, I just wanted an out!"

With that, Dawn looked back up at Vanna, flashing her a sympathetic glance.

"And when it came down to it, I pushed Vernon to....well...finish the job." Dawn said sadly. "Just like you did with Zach."

"I take it he got ya too close, but couldn't work ya over without gettin' in dere huh?" Ada grinned knowingly.

Dawn blushed, covering her muzzle with her hooves. But despite the embarrassment, she found herself smirking slightly. Slowly the ewe managed to nod her head affirming.

"I...I was supposed to hold his muzzle shut..." Dawn mumbled. "But as you can probably tell..."

"That didn't work out so well." Qali said with a giggle.

Dawn sighed. "I just felt so awful afterwards." Dawn shook her head. "I mean everyone heard us. Audrey had heard us. And it was my fault Vernon had howled." Dawn placed her hooves back in her lap.

"When Audrey called me Miss Bellwether, that hurt the most." The ewe lamented. "It felt like a knife had cut me. The feeling that I had ruined the trust I had worked so hard to build over such a foolish thing."

Dawn looked up to Vanna, her eyes shimmering slightly as tears started to well behind her lenses.

"Audrey thought I was stronger than that. And I felt like I should have been." Dawn smiled softly. "Just like you did."

For the first time since Vanna had poured her soul out to the ewe about her time in the barn, a smile began to form on the large cats face. It was a small, furtive smile, but it was clear the ewe had managed to help ease some of her pain.

"And then of course there's Vernon, who's been doing nothing but trying to make sure I have a good time." Dawn sighed, turning her attention back to the group at large. "My faltering just made more trouble for him." The ewe shook her head. "The gods knows he's got enough of that already with Dorian..." Dawn paused, her memories drifting back to thoughts of the study, the stench of brandy and the cruelty of the wolf's words. Dawn shuddered briefly, trying to shoo the painful memory back into hiding. 

"And Yuri." Qali added.

"Hey, he ain't dat bad." Ada interjected. That managed to earned a dull stare from the other girls, all aside from Dawn who simply gave the hyeness a curious glare. After a moment, Ada let out a derisive snort.

"Well, not all da time!" She huffed, crossing her arms defensively.

"Still, I don't want to put anything else on Vernon." Dawn continued, bringing the groups attention back to her. "My Puppy Love had more than enough already."

Qali let out a soft, amorous sigh as she smiled widely at Dawn. "You two are so cute together." Qali cooed. "'Puppy Love', 'Honey Lamb'" The fox playfully exaggerated the pet names. 

"Yeah, ya'll two see almost as tight as me and Xavey." Malcolm said with a chuckle.

Dawn smiled warmly as she thought of Vernon. Her poor little Puppy Love who was doing everything in his power to try to give her the ultimate North Meadowlands experience. Fighting a battle against his Father that the wolf couldn't know was bound to lose no matter what he did. All for her sake, all to make her feel like a part of the family. To show her that she belonged, that they fit together.

"He's my soulmate." Dawn sighed warmly. "I love him."

Qali let out another adoring sigh.

"When did you know?" She asked.

"Hmm?" Dawn replied.

"When did you know you loved him?" The diminutive fox added. "That he was the one?" 

Dawn smiled warmly at the unusually focused fox. Qali was now leaning on her paws as she stared back at the ewe in childlike wonder. Unlike getting the story of what had happened in the cornfield of her chest, this was one story Dawn knew how to tell.


	28. Girls Night: The Art of Romance

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Girls Night: The Art of Romance

"When did you know?" She asked.

"Hmm?" Dawn replied.

"When did you know you loved him?" The diminutive fox added. "That he was the one?" 

A warm smile crept across Dawn's muzzle as she thought back to early days when she first met Vernon. Despite all the terror, and danger that the "Zootopia's Last Night" case sent rippling through her already troubled life, it had all been worth it to have been lucky enough to reconnect with the wolf. And even now, looking back on those early days in their relationship filled the ewe with renewed warmth and love for her soulmate.

"Well, I would be lying If I said it was the moment we met." Dawn said with a chuckle. " Despite having shelves filled with books filled with all sorts of tawdry romances, with couples knowing as soon as they laid eyes on one another that they belonged together, I don't believe it works like that in real life." The ewe shook her head dismissively. " Well at least, not in my case."

Dawn shifted up Vanna's bed slightly, the large tigress moving over a bit to allow the lamb to lean her back against the head of the bed. The ewe leaned back slightly, placing her hooves on her chest as she continued to recall the day Vernon and she had first reunited.

"I should mention first, that Vernon and I did know each other briefly as kids." Dawn said.

"Really?" Qali chirped.

"Aw...puppyhood love huh?" Malcolm cooed.

Dawn giggled. "Unfortunately no, although I certainly wish things had gone that way." The ewe flashed a warm smile. "Perhaps if we had actually had the time, maybe something like that could have happened. But we didn't get to know each other long enough."

Qali frowned sharply, the little fox's ears flattening out in dismay. "Why?" The vixen asked, concern in her voice.

Dawn frowned as she remembered the miserable day when her Father had ended her friendship with Vernon. The drunken ram nearly tearing her arm off in an effort to rip away the 'offending' friendship bracelet she had made while berating her in the process. The day that had left her with a dislocated shoulder, a blackened eye, and the death of the only friendship she ever had.

"M-my Father put an end to things." Dawn sighed sadly. " He was..." Dawn closed her eyes, the memories of that day causing a dull ache to ripple through the areas her Father had hurt all those years ago. "A very cruel mammal."

Ada let out a low growl, and as Dawn turned her attention to the large canid she could see her expression was a mixture of disgust and ire.

"I get ya." Ada growled. Clearly the hyeness had picked up on Dawn's subtle implications. "He's dead now right? Because a dat Night Howla ting?"

Dawn nodded affirmatively, her response seeming to ease Ada's attitude as a smug grin returned to her face.

"Good ting." Ada snorted. "Oddawise I'd love to pay him a visit and teach him how it feels to be at anuddah mammal's mercy."

Dawn felt a paw on her shoulder and turned to find Vanna now looking down at her with sympathetic eyes.

"I'm sorry Dawn." Vanna said sadly. "No mammal should have to go through that kind of thing."

Dawn placed her hoof on Vanna's paw, rubbing it affectionately as she offered the cat a small smile. " Thank you..." The ewe turned her smile to the rest of the girls. "All of you, but I'm okay now." Dawn rolled her eyes slightly. "Well, mostly okay. But there's little left to be said about my Father, and I'd rather not dwell on it any more than I have to." Dawn gingerly removed Vanna's paw from her shoulder, smiling widely at the rest of the Hunter girls. "This story is about love, not my lousy childhood."

Slowly but surely, Dawn's smile seemed to infect the others, pulling the atmosphere back to the previous warmth it had held before.

"When I first met Vernon..." Dawn chuckled, shaking her head. "I mean again. I didn't know how to feel." The ewe adjusted her glasses. "We didn't recognize each at first, it was only after working together for a while that we sort of rediscovered our friendship." Dawn placed her hooves on her hips, tilting her head toward Vanna slightly as she eyed the looming tigress. "So imagine me, this little runt of a ewe who just got out of jail. Predator enemy number one. And my new boss introduces me to the biggest wolf I've ever seen and tells me we'll be working together!" Dawn laughed. "I was terrified!"

"I hear that." Qali said with a smirk. "The first time I met Trenny was a real trip. A six foot four wall of ice that made the primal part of my brain scream 'run away'!" The diminutive fox giggled. "But the rational part of my brain was like, 'Hello handsome.'!"

Ada chuckled. "Yeah, and you didn't even have dat whole anti-pred criminal past to add to it." Ada quirked an eyebrow at the ewe. "I can't even begin to imagine what was runnin' through your head dere Fluff Butt."

Dawn shook her head as she chuckled. " Pretty much everything you could expect. Fears of being eaten, or being made an example of, or the gods know what." Dawn sighed. "I mean it was silly, but the place I was in at the time, any terrible thing seemed possible."

Dawn smirked. "But Vernon, he was a gentlemam' through and through. If he held anything against me at the time, he certainly didn't show it."

"That sounds like a Hunter for ya." Malcolm interjected.

"Except for maybe Dori." Qali huffed.

Dawn winced at the mention of the large white wolf, but did her best to keep the memories of her conversation buried by pressing on through her story.

"He even went so far as to help me to get some semblance of a life together. When the bank, or the grocer had refused to deal with me, Vernon stepped in and made sure they stopped discriminating against me." Dawn let out an affectionate sigh. "And this was before we even found out we were friends growing up. He just did it out of the goodness of his heart. Because he was willing to give me a chance."

"Which is more than the city sounds like it was willing to offer." Vanna added, earning a nod from Dawn.

"I don't fault the mammals in Zootopia for feeling the way they did, but how could I even start to try to turn over a new leaf if no one was willing to give me the opportunity?" Dawn asked.

"So what happened when you two figured out who you guys were!?" Qali jumped in, the fox now laying across the bed with her head on her paws. Qali was trained on Dawn, her eyes focus on her own as she eyed the ewe expectantly.

Dawn offered a wide grin in response to the eager fox. "Oh, we were ecstatic, especially Vernon." The ewe flicked a hoof lazily. "He was keen on making up for lost time, and making our shifts as fun as possible." Dawn sighed dreamily, her eyelids fluttering softly as she recalled the warm memories of the silly fun the pair had on their many night shifts at the Bug Burga. "And it was during that time I started to feel...things..."

"Tings huh?" Ada cooed, quirking her eyebrows playfully at the ewe.

"I wouldn't say it was love just yet." Dawn held up a hoof to the snarky hyena. " After all, the lamb in me couldn't conceive attraction to a predator, especially a wolf." Dawn chuckled, shaking her head dismissively. "I mean, I had never even dated outside my species. I had only ever been in relationships with rams, and anything beyond that was alien to me."

"I can sort of understand that." Vanna said, scratching the back of her head idly. " It was strange for me to....figure out I was attracted to Zach." Vanna paused, rolling her eyes slightly as she chewed on her lip. "I mean, accepting that I was."

Dawn nodded. "I think I was really able to start to grasp it when Vernon and I were forced to move in together." 

"Wait, you two moved in togeddah?" Ada asked. "Why?"

"Well, my apartment burned down." Dawn said somberly.

Each of the Hunter girls flashed the ewe a puzzled and concerned look, but Dawn simply rolled her eyes, dismissively flicking a hoof. "It's a long story, but with nowhere else to stay, Vernon was dead set on me living with him."

"And then the sparks started flyin'?" Malcolm asked, a warm and silly smile crawling up his muzzle.

Dawn giggled, shifting back against her pillow as she found herself recalling some of the things that had happened during their 'friendly co-habitation', most notably Vernon helping her shear, and accidentally walking in on her in the bathroom.

"You could say that." Dawn said, with a knowing grin. "But honestly, by then I was struggling with my growing feelings for Vernon. I couldn't tell if it was just because he had been kind to me and I latched on to him, or if it was something about his smell, or because I hadn't lived so close to a male in years." Dawn chuckled. "I was looking for any way to rationalize it, to chase it away as silly infatuation." 

"But obviously it wasn't." Vanna said with a knowing grin of her own.

Dawn let out an amorous sigh. "It took my therapist to kind of drive it home for me, but it was true. I had fallen head over hooves for a wolf." 

"Aww..." Qali cooed. "That so sweet!"

"So whendya tellum?" Ada grinned.

Dawn grimaced slightly. Realizing she was in love with the wolf hadn't been as wonderful as it should have been at the outset. She struggled with the complex problems and emotions that such a love could carry with it, especially considering her place in Zootopia at the time. In that way, her love for the wolf was an agony the ewe simply couldn't endure living under, for the safety of each of them.

"I...didn't..." Dawn muttered sadly.

"What!" Qali yelped, frowning sharply. The fox pressed her paws against the mattress, leaning her body closer to the ewe. "Why!?"

Dawn shook her head. "I just..." Dawn placed a hoof to her head. "With who I was, and what Vernon wanted to be, I couldn't take a chance at ruining his life like that." Dawn sighed. "I didn't want to hurt him because I selfishly expected him to love me."

Dawn leaned back, staring up at the ceiling as she rested her hooves on her chest.

"I gave serious consideration to moving out." Dawn murmured.

The room remained quiet for a moment, the Hunter girls falling deaf at how heavy the ewe's story had grown. It was clear the girls were unsure of what to say, at least at first. But eventually, Ada broke the deafening silence.

"Butcha didn't, did ya?" Ada asked.

Dawn sat back up, propping up the pillow before leaning against it again.

"Before I could, things went kind of crazy..." Dawn said. "I trust most of you heard about that story. About the wine bottling plant, and my Father's attempt to destroy the city. And then after that...well..." Dawn winced, recalling her stay in the hospital, her brush with death at the hooves of the night howler toxin. It would have been a fitting end for someone like her. At least that's what she had thought at the time. "I was out of it for a while."

"I remember reading about it." Vanna added, scratching her head awkwardly. " You were the only survivor out of the mammals that were exposed."

Dawn nodded slightly. "Myself and Doug, not that it mattered."

"So what happened next?" Qali asked, now using her paws to sort of bounce in place. 

Dawn smiled warmly as she recalled the moment Vernon had first told her how he felt. At a time where the wolf was unsure if she could even hear him. Somewhere through the dreamlike haze of the coma and lingering night howler effects, the wolf's words had managed to reach her, and spurred her back to the waking world.

"A lot of what happened was...fuzzy." Dawn said. "I'm not well versed in about how a coma will affect a mammal in most cases. But for me...I was vaguely aware Vernon was near me." Dawn sighed. "I could hear him sometimes, and I always sort of felt him."

A wide, warm grin crawled across Dawn's muzzle as she readied to tell the girls what she had heard. "And somewhere through the fog hanging over my brain, I heard Vernon tell me he loved me. That he always had."

That managed to earn a collective 'aww' from the Hunter girls, Ada excluded. Qali was practically in awe, the fox beaming in response to Vernon's declaration.

"That's soo adorable!" Qali squeed. "He loved you just as much the whole time!"

Dawn giggled at the enthusiastic fox.

"Y-yes well, keep in mind he didn't know I heard him." Dawn said, regaining some of her composure. "So when I actually woke up, Vernon didn't exactly repeat himself."

"Pft...ain't dat like a guy." Ada scoffed. "What is it about tellin' a goil ya love 'em dat scares 'em to death?"

Dawn giggled, raising a hoof to Ada again. "Well don't worry, I didn't plan on letting it go." Dawn grinned widely. "I just needed to wait for the right moment."

"So when was the right moment?" Vanna asked.

Dawn adjusted her glasses slightly. "When we got home of course. When it was just the two of us." Dawn smirked. "I told him that I heard what he said, and I needed to hear it again." Dawn let out an amorous sigh, holding her hoof against her heart as a heat welled deep inside her chest. "And that's when he told me how much he truly loved me, and that I was the one."

Another series of 'awws' rippled through the group, with Ada even contributing this time. Malcolm dabbed the corner of his eye as he began to waft a paw toward his face.

"Shoot, I'm wellin' up here..." The chubby wolf sniffled. 

Dawn was smiling broadly now, but more at the thought of Vernon than the story. Of that moment in her life, and how it felt. The fire inside her chest practically stung with love for the large wolf, and in that instant she wished he had been in the room, just so the ewe could plant a kiss on his muzzle. Vernon would never know how much his love had truly saved her life in so many ways, but when it came to moments like this it only strengthened the ewe's resolve to do her best to show him every day.

"And I finally got to tell him the same." Dawn sighed.

"And then you kissed right!?" Qali added with a gleeful grin.

"Dey probably did more den dat." Ada chuckled, flashing the ewe a grin.

Dawn placed her hooves over her muzzle as a harsh blush began to form. The heat that had been in her chest was now flushing to her face in full force.

"Y-you aren't wrong..." Dawn trailed off.

With that, the other girls, as well as Malcolm, burst into giggling, Dawn joining just moments later. The girls seemed to spend a good while giggling before they managed to compose themselves, Dawn being one of the first to manage to catch her breath despite herself. Turning her attention to Ada, the ewe arched an eyebrow curiously at the hyeness.

"What about you Ada?" Dawn asked. "I'm kind of curious as to your relationship with Yuri."

"Yeah, it's a curious one all right." Qali said through giggles as the fox tried to regain her composure.

"Oh yeah?" Ada snickered. "What's so curious about it?"

Dawn winced slightly, biting her lip as she tried to figure out exactly how to phrase her response without accidentally offending the hyena. After a few moments with no success, the ewe found herself looking up to Vanna with pleading eyes. The large tigress briefly quirked an eyebrow before seeming to get the ewe's message.

"I think she wants to know what you see in Yuri." Vanna said bluntly.

"Yeah." Malcolm added. "I mean that boy sure is...a erm..." The wolf mumbled, playing with his paws nervously. "I mean he's a pill."

"I was just wondering..." Dawn said, continuing to wince. "When did you figure out you loved him?"

"Do you even love that jerk?" Qali added, the fox had returned to leaning on her paws as her attention now fixed on the large canid.

Dawn grimaced sharply in response to Qali's bluntness, worrying for a moment that Ada would take to arming pillows like Vanna had before. But the hyeness simply cackled in the trademark fashion of her species before trailing off into a wistful sigh.

Ada turned her attention to the group, her expression surprisingly gentle and warm in spite of her usual personality.

"I know Yuri's a jerk." Ada said with a chuckle. "But he can be a sweet fella when it comes down to it."

"On what planet?" Malcolm laughed.

Ada closed her eyes, shaking her head as another laugh escaped her throat. "He's just really insecure, and more worried about what everyone tinks of him den he wants to admit." Ada smiled. "I guess I'm de only one who really gets to see dat dough."

"I'd say so..." Vanna replied.

With that, Ada leaned back onto her pillow, placing her paws behind her head as she stared at the ceiling above.

"Me and Yuri, we both got pretty demandin' jobs." Ada said, raising a paw. "Yuri's runnin' detective woik, on call almost twenty-four seven. And me, I'm a noise at da hospital workin' night shifts."

"You're a nurse?" Dawn asked.

Ada chuckled. "I work mostly in da morgue, figurin' out what killed mammals. Sometimes I woik Emergency, but I prefer da morgue." The hyena turned her head to Dawn, flashing the ewe a playful grin. "Dey don't complain' about my jokes."

Dawn placed her hooves over her muzzle as she let out a giggle, to which Ada replied with a wide, over dramatic open mouth smile as if inviting the other girls to laugh at her joke. Sadly, there were no other takers, and with that the canid continued her tale.

"Yuri and I had been togedduh for..." Ada tapped a claw to her muzzle as she tried to pin down a date. With a nod, the hyena continued. "It was about a year, yeah, one year exactly actually."

Ada smirked. "I remember because it was our anniversary, or raddah, it was supposed'ta be."

Dawn frowned. "Oh, what happened?" Consider Yuri's general demeanor, the ewe found herself already assuming that the wolf and hyena had gotten into a fight.

"What happened?" Ada repeated, arching an eyebrow at the ewe briefly before turning her attention back to the ceiling. Ada let out a long, tired sigh. "Woik happened."

Ada dragged a paw over her face, allowing it to rest on her chin before she continued.

"Lotta crimes at da time. O course dat meant Yuri's phone was ringin' off da hook at all howers of da day." Ada placed her arms behind her head. "And as fa me? Well da hospital was going trew a really bad period, where we was horribly undastaffed." Ada rolled her eyes. "So dat meant old 'good goil' Ada was runnin' extra howers and back to back shifts."

"Oh." Dawn said, frowning.

"I just remembah bein' so tiyad..." Ada groaned. "I swear sometimes I just wanted ta crawl up onto one of da body slabs and have someone roll it inta da wall so I could get some real shuteye." Ada smirked." I don't tink da neighbors wouldda complained, but my boss sure would have." Ada grinned, winking at the ewe and earning another giggle.

"And Yuri was busy too?" Qali asked.

"And grumpy" Ada chuckled. "Da both of us was. We was too tired to even argue!" Ada leaned up, facing the rest of the girls. "We'd just get home, say hi, and go ta bed, if we was that lucky."

"Ugh, that sounds rough." Malcolm winced, the wolf seemingly disgusted at the prospect of being pushed that hard. It was something Dawn was at least familiar with, having spent many late nights prepping work that Lionheart would always take credit for. Sufficed to say it was not something she missed, and she could certainly relate to Ada's predicament.

"We was supposed tah do a dinner ting." Ada raised her paw. "Fancy restaurant in Seaodder, evening at da top of da Space Needle havin' drinks. Da woiks." Ada shook her head. "We had reservations."

"And I take it you had to cancel?" Dawn asked sadly.

Ada sighed. "We sat down, had a talk about it." Ada raised an arm before letting it flop back to her side. "Wit our howers bein' what dey were, we knew it wasn't happenin'. So we decided to move it a few months. Till our schedules cleared up." The hyeness placed her paws on her chest. "It was sad, but we accepted it."

The room was quiet for a moment, the awkward somber silence from before returning to once again hang over the room. Dawn wanted to say something, but found herself unsure exactly what to say. Much like her own story, Ada's had taken a disappointing dip, and the mood in the room had shifted to reflect it.

"Geeze, I thought this was supposed to be a romantic story." Qali muttered with a yawn. "You're starting to bum me out Chuckles."

Ada let out a hyena cackle, leaning her head on her paw as she turned toward the group.

"I'm gettin' dere squit. Stop gettin' ahead of everybody!" Ada laughed.

Qali winced, her ears flattening as she looked around at the others in embarrassment.

"Sorry..." She whined, returning to her prone position on the bed. Ada simply rolled her eyes before continuing.

"So, as I was sayin'. We agreed to put off da anniversary for a while." Ada sighed. "And I was fine wit dat." Ada raised her paws. "After all, it's justa day."

Ada turned around, laying on her stomach as she stretched out across the center of her bed, allowing her to now fully face the others.

"So fast foward to da night right? Yuri's out on a case, and I'm at da hospital." Ada wiped her eyes with her paw. "I was on the bad end of a back to back twelve hower shift, wit only about two howers total snooze time, and I was feelin' it bad."

Ada shook her head sharply. "I felt like my guys on da gurneys did, only at least dey got to lay down." Ada cackled, drawing a few stray giggles from the other girls. "And I needed a cawfee bad."

The hyeness' normally jovial expression shifted to a scowl as she rested her head on both of her paws. "Unfortunately da hospital cawfee tastes like a weasel piss, and is about as eneagetic as a sloth."

Vanna arched an eyebrow curiously. "How do you know what weasel piss tastes like?" The tigress asked.

Ada shook her head. "Kit Kat, I woik at a hospital. At one point or anuddah a tiyud noise or doctor is gonna accidentally take a sip of a specimin." The hyeness grinned widely. "Sadly I didn't notice I was drinkin' Mr. Weasletto's sample till dere was only a toid of it left. I really tought it was da cawfee!"

Dawn found herself chuckling slightly despite her disgust. She hoped that the hyena was simply making another lousy joke, if not for her sake then for Ada's own.

"Anyway, so I'm practically fallin' asleep in da Emergency Room when finally, by da grace of da gods, I get my break." Ada sighed. "toity minutes of not doin' anyting neva sounded so sweet, I tells ya." The hyeness grinned widely. "So I skulk off to da morgue to just sit in silence and try to keep myself up with some dumb phone games."

"Anything good?" Qali asked?

Ada shrugged. "Day're phone game, of course not!" Ada chuckled. "Mostly crosswoids and dose numbah puzzles. Da stuff you don't have to keep payin' to play."

"You do crosswords?" Dawn asked, flashing the hyeness a surprised glance. The ewe couldn't help herself. Despite not wanting to make assumptions about Ada, the canid didn't seem the type that was particularly wordy.

Ada shook her head slightly, her grin widening as she regarded the ewe. "Hey, just because I'm a street goil don't mean I don't enjoy eduactin' myself!" Ada raised her paw, flicking it outward as she rolled her eyes. "I'll have you know I didn't get to bein' a noise by sittin' on my paws all day. I hustled!" Ada let out a barking laugh.

"Or the standards for medically trained mammals in the Seaodder area are really, really low?" Vanna said with a smirk.

"Shh!" The sudden exclamation had come from Qali. The little fox was now standing on her tippy toes, reaching a paw to Vanna's lips as she stared at her with a deadly serious stare. "I want to know what happened!" Qali said, raising her eyebrows as she gazed into the tigress' eyes. Vanna stared back at the diminutive fox in surprise.

Ada let out another barking laugh. "Geeze Snowball, youse I really into dis stuff huh?" Ada shook her head dismissively, rolling her eyes as she leaned back against her pillow. The hyeness placed her paws behind her head again, her gaze lazily returning to the ceiling.

"I'm nearly asleep sittin' up, when someone knocks at da morge door." Ada said, arching an eyebrow in the groups direction. "Obviously dats not sometin' that usually happens in da hospital, so naturally my curiosity is peaked."

The hyeness slowly rose up before shifting into a prone position, a smirk on her face as she struck a stalking pose on her bed.

"So I creep over to da double doors, and who do I find?"

"Yuri? Was it Yuri?" Qali chirped. "It was him right?"

Ada rolled her eyes as she slipped back into a seated position, crossing her legs on the mattress.

"A 'course it was Yuri frost fa brains!" Ada chuckled. "Uddarwise why would I be tellin' dis story!?"

Dawn watched as Vanna gave the tiny fox a soft but playful nudge, pressing her head down slightly with one of her massive paws. Qali was quick to pull away, swatting at the cat as she giggled.

"So dere's my favorite little mook, standin' in the hall with two extra large pipin' hot cawfees from Snarlbucks. One of dem brewed to da nines wit all my favorite mix-ins." Ada's eyes took on a dreamlike glimmer as she stared off. "Dat night, it smelled like heaven itself." The hyena let out an amorous sigh as she clasped her paws together. "Toins out, my little mookie lined up his break wit mine so he could spend it wit me, and he brought me my favorite cawfee cause he knew I needed it."

Ada leaned back on the bed, allowing her head to lean on her shoulder as she flashed Dawn a warm grin. "He drove halfway across town just to spend like ten minutes wit me, and make sure I had da energy to keep goin'." Ada sighed. "I can still remember just sittin' dere, and Yuri's got his arm around me. We was just talkin' and drinkin' our cawffees, and makin' sure we was both alright."

Ada turned to face the group, laying horizontal across her bed as she rested her head on her paws.

"It was sumtin' so small, so paltry ya know?" Ada chuckled. "And it was probably da least romantic place in da world." The hyeness let out a warm, contented sigh. "But damn it, It made my day. Heck it made my year." The hyena offered a wide, toothy grin. "And dat's when I knew, I loved dat mook."

"Wow." Malcolm said, the heavyset wolf matching Ada's pose with a dreamy look of his own crawling across his muzzle. "I gotta say, I'm really surprised."

"That Yuri showed he cared for someone other than himself?" Vanna smirked.

Malcolm let out a hearty laugh, nodding slowly through the chuckling as he placed a paw to his muzzle.

"Aw c'mon, I'm openin' up here!" Ada barked, wafting a paw at the pair dismissively. "Whatddya tink I made it up to make him look good!? I ain't dat nice!" Ada chuckled. "If he's bein' an ass, I ain't gonna cover for him!"

Qali rolled her eyes, a bemused smirk plastered on her muzzle. "Uh-huh." The fox cooed sarcastically.

"Look, you want confirmation? You ask Yuri's partnuh!" Ada snickered. "Dat poor stag had to wait in da car while Yuri took his break wit me. Let alone da fact dat dey had to drive twenty minutes outta duh way to get to duh hospital, which dat prissy buck was none to happy about." Ada grinned. "He always brings it up every time I see him!"

"Oh that's convenient." Qali grinned, lolling her head back and forth on her paws as she continued to tease Ada. " We're never even going to meet that guy, so how are we supposed to confirm it?"

Ada scoffed. "Jeeze, what's wit da toid degree!?"

Qali began giggling, rolling slightly in her seat in amusement. 

"I-I'm just teasin'" Qali stuttered through her giggling. "It's very romantic, honest!"

"Well, I thought it was lovely Ada." Dawn added, trying to sound as sincere as possible. As much as she believed Ada, the ewe still found it hard to picture the wolf doing such a thoughtful, albeit simple gesture. Then again, she really didn't know much about the wolf to begin with other than what Vernon and the others had said about him, and her limited interaction with him at breakfast. Ada certainly was in a unique position to see a side of the dark furred wolf that no one else could, much in the way Dawn was when it came to Vernon. But picturing the seemingly cold wolf being anything close to affectionate was practically as mind-bending as catching him kiss the hyeness on the muzzle earlier that day. 

Ada lowered her eyebrows, letting out an irritable grumble. "Alright den Squoit, why dontchu tell us your story so I can poke holes in dat!" 

Qali jumped up almost instantly, standing on Vanna's bed as she clasped her paws together. Her eyes shone with a glee and enthusiasm that was almost scary to Dawn, as if the fox were ready to simply burst through the ceiling at the prospect of being invited to tell her tale.

"Gladly!" Qali chirped happily, grinning widely as she quickly laid back down on Vanna's bed. The fox once again leaned herself on Vanna's leg, laying her head on her arms as her eyes flicked from mammal to mammal. Qali brought a paw to her muzzle, chewing on her claws idly as she began.

"So, I should mention first that my sisters and I, well we help our parents run a Yule tree farm." Qali raised an eyebrow in Dawn's direction. "Did I mention that before?"

Dawn gave a slight nod. "I've heard you mention it a few times." Dawn tapped her chin with a hoof. "Well, at least about climbing trees anyway."

Qali nodded briskly. "Well, that's what my sisters and I do, more or less." Qali's tail idly flipped from side to side as she continued to speak. "We plant 'em, trim 'em, and sell them just in time for the Yule Season. And we do a pretty good job!" Qali leaned up on Vanna's leg, placing a paw to her chest as she puffed it out proudly. "Mammals come from all over The Burrows to Fox's Glen to get their holiday trees from Pelagere Farms!"

Qali raised and lowered her eyebrows playfully. "And not to brag, but when it comes to tree trimming, I'm the best out of my sisters!" Qali leaned forward, placing a paw by her muzzle as she leaned toward Dawn and Vanna. "And don't let them tell you otherwise, they know it's the truth." Qali whispered before letting out another giggle.

Vanna and Dawn traded glances for a moment before the large tigress simply rolled her eyes, causing Dawn to let out a giggle of her own as Qali settled back into her position on Vanna's leg. Qali let out a soft sigh as she leaned her head on a free paw.

"Anyway, So I first met Trenny around the time of the Carrot Days Festival." The diminutive fox rolled her eyes slightly, waving a paw idly. "It's sort of like the Harvest Festival around the burrows. More of a rabbit thing I think."

Dawn nodded affirmatively. "Yes, I've heard of it." The ewe found herself thinking of her dear friend Judy, the rabbit now on her own holiday vacation with similar goals of introducing her family to Nick as her new mate. The only difference being was that the family already knew Nick fairly well. The fox had long since earned a place among the Hopps as the mammal who kept Judy's dream afloat, and was there to save her life. Dawn frowned slightly as she imagined the announcement of Judy and Nick being an item would probably go over with significantly less friction than Vernon and herself. 

"A friend of mine is actually out there right now with her mate enjoying the festival." Dawn scratched her chin as she realized she hadn't heard back from Judy since the train terminal two days earlier, making a mental note to check in on her later in the evening. "I really should see how they're doing. I hope it's going better than things are here." Dawn said with a dull chuckle.

"Aw c'mon, don't be like dat sis." Ada reached over, giving Dawn's arm a playful poke with a claw. "Rememba da old sayin', it could always be woise!" Ada offered a reassuring smirk.

"Besides, you have us on your side." Vanna placed a paw on Dawn's shoulder, squeezing slightly.

"Although your friend bein' a rabbit probably mean she's got way more sisters." Malcolm said with a laugh, drawing a giggle out of Dawn.

"Over one hundred actually." Dawn shook her head dismissively. "I've heard family weddings are a real mess."

"Hey!" Qali chirped, drawing the groups attention back to her. The tiny fox was pouting slightly as she glared back at the group. "I'm trying to tell a story."

Ada chuckled loudly. "Alright Pipsqueak, sorry." The large hyeness waved a paw in the fox's direction. "Go on, go on, dere was a fair and den...?"

Qali let out a soft huff before flopping back down on Vanna's leg, drawing a grumble from the tigress. Qali leaned a paw against her cheek as she took a slow, deep breath.

"Well, see..." Qali trailed off, rolling her eyes as she seemed to be recalling the memory from the depths of what Dawn could only assume was an extremely active and scatterbrained mind. "We had been having a problem with someone stealing trees from the property at night." The fox quickly drawing a paw horizontally in front of her, making a 'chop' motion. "Loppin' them down and sneaking them out without so much as a footprint left behind." Qali raised a paw and shrugged.

"So my Pop called the Troopers out to investigate, because he was pretty sure the culprit wasn't a local." Qali said.

"Why did he tink dat?" Ada asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Our family is the only ones out in Fox's Glen who are experts when it comes to cutting trees, and whoever was stealin' them was a pro cutter." Qali held out her paws. "It turned out it was these two Lion Brothers from Tsavo farms a few towns over, one of our competitors." Qali rolled her eyes lazily. "But that's not the point of the story, the point is that when the trooper came out, that's when I first met Trenny."

Dawn scrunched her muzzle up in confusion. "Wait, I thought Trenton didn't become a Trooper until very recently." The ewe scratched her chin. "At least that's what Vernon had told me."

Qali gave a brisk nod. "Yeah, he was still studying at the time." The fox raised a paw. "But while he was in school, he participated in a few ride-alongs." Qali wiggled her paw back and forth. "You know, where a friend or officer in training can ride with a cop to see what it is like to be on duty?"

Dawn nodded, she had heard of Nick and Judy participating in a few during their years in the precinct. Most of the ride-alongs she had heard about featured Judy's siblings, most of them very young and eager to see how 'cool' being a cop was only to be disappointed by a series of very slow afternoons. Although she had heard that Nick had taken his own Mother on one. Apparently, the older vixen wouldn't take no for an answer when the opportunity arose to see her son in action on his first legitimate job.

"Anywho, that's where we met." Qali mused, letting out an affectionate sigh as she rested her head in her paws. "I can still remember when I first laid eyes on that tall drink of water." Qali's eyes seemed to shimmer. "His gleaming white fur shining in the sun as he stepped out of the car, and those piercing baby blue eyes of his. Mhh-Mhh!" The fox clasped her paws together, letting out a squee as she fawned over the mental image of her mate. "I knew I had to get to know him right away, I needed that wolf in my life!"

Dawn raised an eyebrow curiously. "So, you fell in love the moment you first saw him?"

Qali giggled, shaking her head with a terse no. "Oh no, no, no." Qali grinned mischievously. "I just wanted to take a bite out of his tight little butt at that point." 

Dawn felt a harsh blush creep onto her muzzle, and she quickly clasped her hooves over her face to cover it up. Glancing up at Vanna, the tigress seemed to be holding together better than she was. Her face remained mostly expressionless, however, the ewe could see the hint of red just below the surface of her fur.

Qali's giggling trailed off into another soft, pleasant sigh as she eased her head back into her paws. "No, that was around Yule when I figured out we were going to be more than just a 'fling'."

Qali cocked her ears, raising her head off her paw and allowing it to bob lightly as she kept her attention on the other girls.

"You see, my sister Matsa was overseas at the time. She was staying with our Grandmother while taking classes over at the 'Pranch School of Fine Arts' or whatever..." Qali rolled her eyes, waving her paw more dismissively than before. "So we were a little understaffed." Qali rested her head back against her paw, raising her eyebrows before flicking her fingers with her other paw. "Not that that was a problem between me, Pop and Auniq, we could tackle the field easy."

Qali rolled her eyes slightly as she winced. "We would have been cutting it close to the season, but we could have just made it."

"Could?" Dawn asked, picking up on the arctic fox's uncertainty in her phrasing. Qali grimaced sharply, her ears sagging flat against her head as she let out a sigh.

"We had about a week left to finish the last of the trees in the field..." The fox trailed off as her frown deepened. "When Dad threw his back out."

The group let out a collective hiss of mock pain, Dawn gritting her teeth as she tried to imagine just what such a condition might feel like. Vanna had already begun to rub her own back as if she were afflicted with memories of a back injury of her own.

"Poor Dad." Qali sighed. "He could barely even get out of bed, he was practically crippled from the strain."

"Youch." Ada said, the hyeness bearing a tight grimace of her own. "What didja do?"

"Well, Dad couldn't help us anymore at that point." Qali raised a paw. "The local doc said he was going to be recovering for at least a month and a half." Qali leaned her head back into her paws as she idly kicked her legs. "So needless to say he wasn't going to be helping us trim or sell trees for the rest of the season. And without him, there was no way we were going to have the field prepared in time."

"And I take it that's where Trenton came in?" Malcolm asked. The chubby wolf was now laying on his stomach, his attention fixed on the small white fox as she gave a brisk and enthusiastic nod. 

"Once Trenny heard we needed help, he was eager to volunteer himself to fill in for Pa." Qali flashed the girls a wide grin. " His school was close by, so it wasn't a long trip for him to make when it came to helping out. It was just a matter of finding time around his classes to help with the trimming." Qali placed a paw over her muzzle as she began to giggle. "He was so hard to train, especially with how little time we had." Qali rolled over, leaning her head back as she stared at the group from upside down. "The first tree I set him up to work on unsupervised, he ended up chopping it down to a stump!" Qali kicked her legs as another giggle fit came on. The little fox rolling slightly from side to side as she clasped her paws over her muzzle.

"How da heck did he manage dat?" Ada raised an eyebrow as she leaned on her side, eyeing the fox curiously.

"H-he just kept t-taking too much off one side, and then t-tried to even it out on the other only to do it again." Qali stuttered between giggling.

"Just kept makin' it worse huh?" Malcolm chuckled.

"He was so upset with himself over it." Qali's giggling trailed off into a soft, relieved sigh "It was the cutest thing. Poor guy was trying his hardest out there."

"So I take it he eventually improved?" Dawn asked.

"Eder dat, or he ended up payin' for da ruined trees." Ada said with a chuckle.

"He eventually got the hang of it." Qali smirked as she returned to her position lounging on Vanna's thigh. The fox now leaning her face against her paw. "Before I knew it he was trimming trees like a pro. He was almost as good as me by the end of it." Qali raised her eyebrows playfully. " Well, almost."

"Alright, alright we get it." Ada chuckled. "Youse are super good at cuttin' trees. Now can you get to da point?" The hyena crossed her arms.

Qali let out another giggle, raising a paw up toward the hyena defensively. "Okay, okay. Calm down Chuckles." Qali shook her head dismissively. "You were the one who asked in the first place."

Ada sneered slightly at the diminutive fox. "Only because you were-!" Ada shook her head, letting out a derisive snort. "Just get on wit it already!" 

Qali placed her other paw on the side of her face, now leaning on both of her paws as she faced the group. "Alright, so it was the last day before the farm was supposed to open right?"

Dawn nodded for the fox to continue. Out of the corner of her eye, she could she Vanna had more or less done the same.

"Between Trenny, my sis, and me we had been working to the point of passing out." Qali said, taking a moment to blow the drooping coif of fur out of her eye. "But we were cutting it so close we really had to hit it hard. We still had one field to go and it was about two hours until sundown."

"You couldn't cut them after sunset?" Dawn asked.

Qali decisively shook her head no. "Despite a fox's keen sense of night vision, the change in lighting tends to lead to us making more mistakes." Qali shrugged. "And on top of that we were all exhausted by that point. Even I could have ended up trimming a stump like Trenny under those conditions." The fox said with a giggle.

"So I'm practically fallin' asleep standing up by the time were half-way through the field." The vixens head dipped slightly as she began to pantomime just how exhausted she had been. "The last thing I remembered was Trenny askin' me if I was feeling okay, and then pomf!" The vixen slapped a balled paw into the other.

"Pomf?" Dawn asked, slightly confused by what the diminutive fox was implying with her strange turn of phrase.

"I must have konked out." Qali shook her head. "I was so tired I just passed out in the field."

Ada let out a hyena-like cackle. "Whadda youse a narcoleptic? You got some of dat goat gene in yas?"

Qali let out another giggle. "No, no, I'm no fainting goat!" The fox replied, covering her muzzle with a paw. "I was just so tired I couldn't help it. Heck, we all were."

"So you passed out? What happened next?" Dawn asked, leaning in slightly as her interest peaked.

"Next thing I knew, I woke up back in the house." Qali shrugged. "I was on the living room couch, wrapped up tightly in a blanket with a mug of hot cocoa sitting on the coffee table in front of me." Qali brushed her hair free of her eye, only for it to slip right back into place. "It was night by then."

"Wait so, how did ya'll get back?" Malcolm asked.

"And where did the cocoa come from?" Dawn added, quirking an eyebrow curiously.

"Well..."Qali trailed off slightly, a warm smile crawling across her muzzle. "That's when I heard my sis let out a laugh." Qali's head lolled lazily on the balls of her paws. "She was sittin' on the armchair across from me, wrapped up in a blanket of her own. She thought I was never gonna wake up with how out of it I was." Qali gestured a paw lazily toward the other girls. "So the first thing I asked her is 'what happened?'"

"And what did happen?" Vanna asked.

Qali chuckled. "She pointed a paw next to me, and when I looked up I saw Trenny." Qali let out a warm and pleasant sigh as she leaned more onto her paws. "The poor lug was passed out, his muzzle pointed up to the ceiling as he was just snorin' away, and one of his arms was draped around me and I hadn't even noticed." Qali smiled widely. "Turns out, when I passed out Trenny hoisted me over his shoulder and finished my trees before taking me back to the house." Qali's arms slipped out from beneath her head, bringing her face against Vanna's leg as she let out another, more romantic sigh. "He took the time to wrap me up in my favorite blanket, and make me some nice hot cocoa before finally passing out himself."

The diminutive fox stretched her arms out, her tail lazily flopping from side to side as she let out a pleased grunt. "Looking up at his big goofy muzzle as I sipped the cocoa he made for me, I just knew." Qali sighed warmly. "Even if we had only been together for about two months, I knew I was in love with the big guy." Qali chuckled. "I was ensnared by that handsome Snowdrift, and I knew I was going to be in it for the long haul, even if he wasn't sure of it yet."

"Aww..." That had come from Malcolm. The chubby wolf had clasped his paws together, leaning them against his was as he cooed warmly. "Ain't that just the sweetest thang."

"Yes, that was a lovely story." Dawn added as she adjusted her glasses. "It's also nice to know I'm not the only one here who fell in love with their mate so quickly." 

Qali practically beamed at Dawn's words, giving the ewe a playful swat on the arm as she giggled. "Clearly we know good fellas when we see them, eh Puffy?" 

"Ugh, Puffy?" Ada scoffed. "That sounds like da symptom of an illness, we can't use dat one."

Qali frowned, her ears sagging as she eyed Dawn apologetically. "Oh geez, you're right. I wasn't thinking." Qali sighed.

Dawn chuckled, giving the vixen a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "It's all right Qali. No offense taken."

"Y'know..." That had come from Malcolm. The large, chubby red wolf rose to his feet, making his way toward Vanna's bed. With a brief waiving of his paws, he gestured for Qali to move before joining the rest of the group on Vanna's bed. Leaning on his stomach, the russet wolf leaned a paw against his cheek. "Your story kinda reminds of my own." Malcolm smirked. "The day I realized I loved my lil' Xavey somethin' fierce."

Qali let out another giggle, before sweeping a broad paw toward the rest of the group in a grand gesture. "Well then, by all means." Qali smirked. "The floor is open."

Malcolm let out a comfortable sigh, smacking his lips together appreciatively before drifting lazily into his own tale.

"Welp, ya'll probably know I run a diner out in San Francisgoat." Malcolm said with a nod. "Ain't the fanciest place in the world, but it's popular enough."

"I remember you mentioned a diner." Dawn said, tapping a hoof to her chin.

Malcolm flashed the ewe a smug smirk. "You might also remember how I told ya'll that Xavey can't cook worth a damn." The russet wolf chuckled heartily. "In fact, that's more or less how we met."

Malcolm let out a pleasant hum as he rolled to his side, idly scratching his stomach with a free paw as he leaned his head against the other. "Not bein' able to cook meant Xavey was forced to dine out every day, from breakfast to dinner." Malcolm smiled warmly. "And one day he finally stumbled on my humble little establishment, and welp...he never left!" Malcolm said with a laugh.

Malcolm gave Qali a playful nudge with his elbow." He came fer the food, and stayed fer the 'excellent service'" The wolf bobbed his eyebrows suggestively, drawing a fit of giggling from the tiny fox.

"But in all honesty, once he started coming to my place, he never ate anywhere else." Malcolm rolled his eyes slightly, letting out a dreamy sigh as he tapped his fingers against his muzzle. "And seein' that handsome hunk every day just made me pine fer him more and more."

"Did you ask him out?" Dawn asked.

"Eventually." Malcolm winced, drawing a paw behind his head as he looked away from the ewe. "It took me a while to sorta...muster the courage to ask him if he was interested." The red wolf bobbed his head back and forth slightly. "I mean, I wasn't even sure he...played fer my team so to speak."

"Really?" Ada grinned smugly. "You couldn't figure out dat prissy wolf was inta boys?" The hyeness let out a laugh. "Rut me, he's da only mammal I know who puts a napkin on his lap before a meal!"

"Polite and sophisticated fellas do that too." Malcolm chided, waving a finger lamely at the hyeness. "'Sides, San Fran is fulla business mammals with cleanliness issues Darlin', they ain't all gay."

"Dat's not what I hoid." Ada retorted, her grin widening as she eyed the wolf. At that point, Malcolm let out a scoff.

"Anywho..." The wolf rolled his eyes as he tried to change the subject. "Eventually I did ask him out, and he said yes much to my delight!" Malcolm's lids hung low, a grin crawling across his muzzle. "As long as I was cookin' that is." The wolf sniggered.

"Sounds like he was already in love with you by then." Dawn said with a giggle. "Or at the very least, your food."

Malcolm nodded, joining the ewe with a hearty chuckle of his own. "Ain't a clean win, but I was happy to take it just to get into that handsome hunk of wolf's life." The red wolf said with a wink. "And once I had my in, he fell just as much in love with me as he did with my culinary skill!"

"But that begs the question..." Vanna asked, drawing the attention to the large tigress. Her eyebrow raised slightly as she eyed the chubby wolf inquisitively. "When did you fall in love with him?"

Malcolm let out a warm sigh as he rolled back onto his stomach, resting his head on his paws as he returned his gaze to the group at large.

"I'd say it was about..." The wolf trailed off, tapping a claw to his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe eight months in?" The wolf nodded briskly. "Yep, about eight months. We were still livin' separately then, that's how I know." The wolf continued to nod.

"I had gotten sick with a terrible flu." The wolf furrowed his brow, letting out a slightly annoyed huff." Sneezin', hackin' and coughin', the whole messy thang." Malcolm waved a paw dismissively as he prattled off the symptoms. "It knocked me right off my feet, ran me through the damn wringer."

"Oh my." Dawn uttered, placing a hoof to her muzzle. "That sounds awful."

"Darn right." Macolm replied, balling a paw into a fist and swinging it slightly in emphasis. "Worst two weeks of my life I'd reckon."

"That must have really hurt your business." Dawn added. "Not being able to work for two weeks."

Malcolm shook his head softly. "Thankfully the diner is big enough that I got more than enough staff around to cover fer me." The wolf shrugged. "O'course when customers see the head chef ain't workin', it certainly doesn't do all that well for sales." Malcolm rolled his eyes slightly, offering a playful smirk to the group. "Let's just say 'Malcolm's Eats' ain't nothin' without Malcolm." The wolf chuckled as he pointed a thumb at himself.

"Alright, enough boastin' Buddabuns." Ada snickered. "Dere was a point to dis story, rememba?"

Malcolm smirked, shaking his head in amusement." Fine, fine..." The red wolf chuckled quietly. 

" So the point bein' I was real, real sick." The husky canine continued. "And Xavey, well, naturally he was frettin' somethin' feirce." Malcolm grinned widely. "When I told him about how lousy I was feelin' over the phone he rushed over right after work with two suitcases full of his clothes and a buncha cold remedies from the pharmacy." Malcolm leaned his chin on a paw as his smile grew deeper, and the wolf let out a warm sigh. "He was tellin' me how he wasn't leavin' until I was fit as a fiddle again. And until then he'd be waitin' on me paw and foot." Malcolm began to laugh heartily. "He was going to be 'Mr. Super Boyfriend'!" The wolf puffed his chest up proudly as he aped Xavier's general posture. "I won't stand to let you want for anything while I'm taking care of you!'" The wolf laughed as he slipped back into his natural drawling tone. " That's what my Fluffybuns said."

"Aww..." Qali cooed, the fox now facing Malcolm. The arctic fox was sitting upright, her legs folded neatly as she pressed her paws against her muscle.

"And he was true to his word." Malcolm paused, biting his lip as his muzzle began to twist into a wince. "Well, that was until he tried to make me some old-fashioned chicken soup."

"Chicken huh?" Ada raised an eyebrow curiously. " I thought Francisgoat was too...progressive to let ya cook wit what most prey see as pets?"

Malcolm leaned a paw against his hip, furrowing his brow. "It ain't illegal, just frowned upon among city folk." The wolf grinned. " And my restaurant is one of the few places that offer fresh fowl, so there ain't no shortage of stock at the Hackett house."

Dawn suppressed the slight feeling of nausea at the sheer notion of chickens being used as a source of meat. Like Ada had noted, most prey had come to see them as pets, as well as a steady supply for eggs when it came to the basic building blocks of most recipes. And despite the fact that most urban predators had long since worked fowl out of their diet aside from the eggs they laid, rural preds still commonly ate chicken and various other types of birds. From what Vernon had told her during their time together, his family rarely used chickens other than as a source of eggs for his Mother's pies. But occasionally they prepared a chicken or turkey for a family get together or holiday, and the wolf would seek out a restaurant that served chicken to get a fix from time to time. Although the wolf never brought any back to their shared apartment. It was something Dawn had come to accept when it came to the cultural gap between their respective species, but no matter how much time had past her repulsion at the thought of chicken being consumed never seemed to grow any weaker. It was much the same as how Vernon would often recoil when the ewe offered him a bite of one of her Turf Tart breakfast pastries.

"So he wouldn't cook for you then?" Dawn asked, trying to move away from her internal cultural distaste. 

Malcolm let out a loud chuckle, giving his knee a slap. "Wouldn't?" Malcolm shook his head sharply. "The problem was he wouldn't stop cookin'!"

Dawn muzzle twisted in confusion, but only for a moment as she recalled something Malcolm had mentioned earlier. The playful yet disparaging nickname the red wolf had dubbed his mate in response to his pitiful attempts at cooking. 

"The Anti-crust?" Dawn murmured softly.

Malcolm let out a hearty laugh as he gave the ewe an affirmative nod. "The Anti-crust struck again and again as pot after pot of soup was burned off, er' boiled to tastelessness, or just burstin' into flame!" Malcolm placed a paw over his muzzle as he tried to stifle his laughter.

Vanna quirked an eyebrow curiously. "Soup doesn't burst into flame."

Malcolm gave another hearty chuckle. "It does when someone mistakes a bottle of my wine with cooking oil." The russet wolf snickered.

"O-one batch he, he even forgot to pluck the feathers outta the damn bird!" The wolf sputtered. "I-It looked like someone was given' a moltin' bird a hot bath by the end of it!"

By now Ada was cackling along with the wolf, seemingly tickled pink over Xavier's terrible cooking disasters. Her hyena laugh nearly drowning out Malcolm's own.

"H-Hell..." Malcolm continued to laugh. "The f-first batch Xavey put the noodles in after he was done cookin'!" Malcolm's muzzle had grown red as the wolf continued to wheeze out his story. "Th-thought they were supposed to just soften as soon as they hit broth!"

By now the other girls had joined in laughing with the hysterical wolf, all of them aside from Dawn who's own laughter was weak and timid by comparison. She was merely trying to laugh along, despite not being able to share in something she assumed was more of a predator problem when it came to cooking.

"By the gods, when I crunched down on the first spoonful I nearly threw up on the spot!" The wolf shuddered slightly as his laughter began to trail off. 

"Ahhh...." Malcolm sighed, wiping a stray tear from the corner of his eye as the other girl's laughter began to fade. "It was the saddest thing ya'll could ever see. Not a single batch was fit to eat."

"Musta been a lot of wasted boid." Ada said with a chuckle.

Malcolm gave a soft, affirming nod. "I can't tell ya'll how much he had to dump down the drain." The red wolf gave a mournful sigh. " And each failed batch just broke Xavey up more and more."

"He was upset huh?" Vanna asked.

Malcolm shook his head. "He was tryin' to hide it, but I could tell every mess up was eatin' at him somethin' awful." The wolf frowned. "I tried to get him to stop, to try to calm him down and tell him it wasn't that important. But with him flyin' in and out of the room constantly, and me bein' bedridden and all, my pleas were fallen on deaf ears." Malcolm shook his head sadly.

"So what did you do?" Qali asked, her tail swishing idly as she listened to the wolf intently.

"At some point I lost track of all the batches he made, what with bein' in and out of sleepin and all." Malcolm scratched his chin idly. "But I remember the last batch he made was real slimy and luke-warm. And when I couldn't bring myself to eat any of it poor Xavey just completely broke down." Malcolm's sullen frown seemed to deepen as he recalled the memory.

"He just slumped down against the bed, graspin' on one of my paws and cryin' up a storm." The red wolf continued. "Sayin' he 'was the worst boyfriend ever' and how 'what kind of mammal can't take care of their mate when they're sick' and all." Malcolm sighed. "He was a blubberin' mess, so unlike his usually composed and stoic self. All because he couldn't cook me a dang meal. He was that upset over it."

At that point a warm smile crawled across Malcolm's muzzle, the russet wolf's eyes twinkling slightly with the gleam of burgeoning tears. 

"He wanted nuthin' more than to just take care of me. And not bein' able to cook was like he was failin' at that." The wolf let out an amorous sigh. " And it was something he just wasn't willin' to accept. He had to do right by me in his mind, even if he burned down the kitchen in the process."

"And that's when you knew?" Vanna asked, raising an eyebrow.

The wolf gave an affirmative nod.

"I grabbed my Fluffybuns by the collar, and gave him a smooch on the cheek." Malcolm said, leaning his head on his paw with a goofy grin on his face. "And then I looked him right in the eyes and said, 'Darlin' you ain't me, and I ain't askin' you to be!' " The wolf chuckled. "'I like you fer bein' you, and just havin' you here is helpin' me feel better Xavey.'" Malcolm continued. "So sit yer butt down, curl up and watch some movies with me, and we can just order in some damn soup!" Malcolm laughed.

Dawn smiled as the other girls laughed along with the husky wolf. Despite the smattering of humor in the wolf's retelling, the story really tugged at Dawn's heartstrings. The ewe found herself slightly envious in that moment, only because the last time she had been seriously ill was during her time in prison. Even though she had Polaraski to help her through it, and a cell all to herself, it was still a nightmare to suffer so in a place like that with no mate of her own to truly care for her. She wished she had been with Vernon back then. Of course, she also wished she hadn't been in prison either. But even so, it was all in the past now. And now that her devoted Puppy was by her side, she imagined she'd never have to suffer through another flu without him to dote over her as Xavier had with Malcolm.

A sudden, light nudge drew the ewe from her quiet self-reflection. And the ewe looked up to find Vanna smirking down at her. It was clear the tigress had noted the ewe's lack of laughter, and was playfully checking to see if she was alright. The ewe responded with a giggle as she nudged the large tigress back. It didn't do much to move the stone wall that was the massive tigress, but it was enough to draw a wider grin from the feline.

"That was a lovely story Malcolm." Dawn said, adjusting her glasses slightly as she returned her focus to the chubby wolf. "I trust Xavier listened to you?"

Malcolm smirked. "He smiled, then sat his butt right down and snuggled up to me. And that's how we spent pretty much the rest of my recovery." The wolf shrugged. "I mean, he did have to go to work o'course, but he always came home with a heapin' bag of soup from the local Pandese place and some new movie rentals." Malcolm let out a pleasant sigh. "Despite feelin' like death, it was probably the most fun I've ever had in mah life."

"At least he listened." Vanna chuckled. "With Zach, getting him to sit down and actually hear me can be a chore sometimes." Vanna rolled her eyes. "Especially when we were first partnered up."

"Doesn't help dat you ain't big on talkin' in da foist place Kit Kat!" Ada said with a laugh.

Vanna furrowed her brow at the hyeness, shaking her head dismissively. Dawn however, was immediately drawn in, tugging slightly at the tigress' pajama shirt to get her attention. 

"Speaking of..." Dawn trailed off slightly. "You are the only one who hasn't shared their story." Dawn rolled her eyes slightly, trying to hide her excitement at the prospect of learning more about the enigmatic tigress' love life. "I have to admit, I'm dying to know exactly when you figured out that you loved Zach."

Vanna chuckled quietly, glancing around briefly at the rest of the group. Out of the corner of Dawn's eye, she could see the others leaning in expectantly, clearly as eager as she was to hear the tale. Even Ada seemed rather curious, her usual smug expression now one of heightened interest.

Vanna crossed her arms, leaning back against her pillow as she appraised the group around her. The large tigress smirked.

"Our relationship was more of a slow burn to be honest." Vanna glanced at Dawn, giving the ewe a slight nod. " Sort of like with you and Vernon Dawn, I said as much earlier."

"I remember." Dawn affirmed with a nod, still eagerly focused on the tigress as she began her tale.

"I had never thought about dating outside of my species before." Vanna continued. "And when I got brought on to the North Meadowland's Police Department, my first impression of Zach certainly didn't do anything to feed into that sort of mindset."

"It was bad den?" Ada asked.

Vanna sighed, shaking her head dismissively. "I had transferred to the Meadowlands seeking a more quiet life, something to help me soften up and develop less of a..." Vanna winced slightly, her voice growing quiet. "Intimidating personality."

"Woiked like a charm." Ada said snarkily, earning a giggle from Qali and a soft huff from the large tigress.

"So when I found out I was essentially going to be playing babysitter to what I assumed was a dumb wolf who's Father had gotten him his position at the station, I was...less than ecstatic." Vanna frowned. "And needless to say, Zach was far from pleased with the arrangement himself." Vanna chuckled. "And he was certainly more vocal about it than I was."

Dawn was quiet as the term 'babysitter' left Vanna's lips, the tigress inadvertently touching on what Dorian had mentioned earlier in his screed aimed at the ewe. Zach's near-death experience, and Vanna's subsequent forced partnership caused by the painful echo of the ewe's actions. She wondered for a moment if the feline knew exactly what had happened before she arrived. Surely by now she and Zach had discussed it, and yet Vanna hadn't brought it up in her earlier talks with Dawn about what drove her away from Zootopia. Perhaps she didn't see the connection to Dawn like Zach hadn't before Dorian had talked to him. Or perhaps she had made her decision on it already when she had chosen to embrace the ewe as her sister. Even so, Dawn knew she couldn't bring it up now lest she be forced to reveal her private talk with Dorian, and his hate-filled words. Dawn could feel her stomach turn slightly, and the ewe did her best to shake the thoughts away.

"Don't tell me he was chewin' you out?" Malcolm asked.

Vanna bobbed her head slightly. "Mostly snarky comments, I imagine most of his complaints were saved for the privacy of the Hunter Ranch post shift." Vanna winced slightly. "I had heard as much from Dorian after the fact."

"So youse two hated each udder's guts den?" Ada chuckled. "Not da best way to start a relationship."

Vanna chuckled a deep, thrumming laugh. "I wouldn't say we hated each other, but we certainly weren't friends." Vanna rolled her eyes. "Zach saw me as what I thought I was, a babysitter who would only get in the way of his police work. And I saw him as a spoiled, nepotistic hire who told terrible jokes and made stupid calls."

"Ouch." Qali said with a pout. "That's blunt."

"Dat's Vanna." Ada said with a grin.

"Naturally it took us a while of working together to grow to understand each other. For me to see the good cop in Zach, to see in him what had earned him his place on the force regardless of Papa Hunter's position." Vanna scratched the back of her head awkwardly. " And for Zach to start chipping away at my inflexible attitude and cold personality."

"You sure he really did?" Ada asked with a grin. "Cause I can't reall-"

Vanna held up a paw in the hyeness' direction to stop her.  
"Do you want me to open up or not?" Vanna scoffed. "Because you aren't helping."

Dawn glanced at Ada just in time to see a small pillow slap against her head, causing her to flinch.

"SHHH!" Qali hissed, scowling slightly at the dazed hyena. "I want to hear this!"

Ada sneered, grabbing the small pillow that struck her and hucking it back toward the diminutive fox missing her by inches.

"Alright, geez Snowball!" Ada growled. "Chill out!"

"Are you done?" Vanna asked, sweeping her gaze across the group. Dawn watched as the other Hunter girls gave a meek affirmative nod before joining in with her own.

"By about six months in we were friends more or less..." Vanna said, a warm smirk crossing her muzzle. "And coming up on a year I was starting to...well...feel things." Vanna raised a paw to her mouth, biting down gently on a finger as she looked away from the group. "Confusing, romantic feelings."

Dawn smiled knowingly, remembering her own burgeoning feelings for Vernon and the struggle to make sense of them. It seemed more than any of the other sisters, that Vanna and she had more or less been through the same experience when it came to confronting their feelings.

"Of course, I had no idea if Zach felt anything like that for me." Vanna sighed. " I mean, we were officers of the law, supposed to be married to the job above all else. Wanting that sort of relationship would have been highly unprofessional."

Vanna chuckled, shaking her head softly. "And I was supposed to be the professional one." The tigress mumbled.

"I don't tink dere's any rule about datin' your co-woikers and bein a cop." Ada shrugged. "Least dats how it is at Yuri's precinct." 

"Well there was in Zootopia." Vanna sighed, placing a paw to her head. "And aside from that, I was an entirely different species. I wasn't some petite she-wolf that could bury herself in his chest and snuggle. I was nearly two feet taller than he was."

"Wait..." Dawn paused. "O-officers can't date each other in Zootopia?"

Vanna simply shook her head 'no'. 

Dawn bit her lip slightly as she thought back to Judy and Nick, worrying for a moment if they were aware such a rule was in place.

"So how did you find out he felt the same?" Qali piped up, pulling Dawn away from her thoughts. "Did you have to drag it out of him?" The fox bounced on her paws slightly as she awaited Vanna's response. The large tigress simply chuckled, looking away from the group as she let out a wistful sigh.

"When I was growing up, some of my favorite memories of life back in San Furnando was spending lazy Summer evening catching fireflies in the park." Vanna smiled, a nostalgic twinkle shining behind her eyes as she stared off and away. It was as if the tigress was looking at a scene the others could't see, a warm memory playing before her eyes as she continued. "I would catch them in jars, and watch them flicker in the dark of my bedroom until I drifted off to sleep."

Vanna let out a pleasant chuffing. "Come the morning, I would release them just to catch a fresh bunch the next night. I found them so fascinating and wonderful." The tigress cooed. Unlike her usual flat and stoic tone, Vanna's voice had become filled with warmth. It had a soothing sweetness to it that dawn had yet to hear the tigress speak in, and until now, wasn't sure she could even produce. 

"My room was filled with firefly related trinkets and pictures during most of my teenage years. They were in essence, my favorite insect in the whole world, and they still are."

"Well that sounds lovely." Malcolm said. "But if you'll beg my pardon, what does that have to do with knowin' Zach loved you back?"

Vanna smiled warmly, letting out an affectionate sigh.

"At some point I had mentioned as much to Zach during one of our patrols." Vanna said, placing a paw to her lip. "It was just idle conversation, something I said and forgot about for the longest time. I didn't even remember mentioning it to him when..." Vanna trailed off.

"When what?" Dawn asked eagerly, her focus now unflinchingly trained on the wistful tigress. 

"It was the end of our shift." Vanna spoke, her voice remaining as smooth as velvet. "We were supposed to head back to the station and clock out for the day, it was our usual routine." Vanna shrugged. "It was usually boring, uneventful, and practically second nature to us by then."

Vanna's eyes developed that familiar nostalgic twinkle again as she stared off toward the bedroom ceiling.

"But that warm August night, Zach said he had to make a pit stop before we clocked out." Vanna sighed. "It was unusual, yes. But it didn't strike me as something to be suspicious about."

"So what was the pit stop for?" Qali asked, her ears perking up as she leaned closer to the tigress.

Vanna's chuffing returned as the tigress ran a paw over her throat. 

"I-I started to get curious when he seemed to be taking us out to the middle of nowhere." Vanna raised an eyebrow. "I mean, the both of us knew the roads around the Meadowlands by this point, so at a certain point I became acutely aware that we were on a dead-end road that lead nowhere."

"Ah, I see!" Ada piped up. "Takin' you somewhere secluded so he could put the moves on ya!" The hyeness cackled. "What a nautty boy!"

"Please, Vanna could break that boy in half if he tried to pull anythin' uncouth." Malcolm chuckled. "Unless she was hopin' he would." Malcolm raised an eyebrow suggestively at the tigress, causing Vanna to develop a fierce blush in response.

"H-he was a gentlemam'!" Vanna stuttered slightly as she clasped her paws to her muzzle in an effort to hide her blush. "Just like you'd expect from a Hunter."

"So then, what did he do?" Dawn asked curiously.

The thrum of Vanna's unusual chuffing grew louder as the tigress' smile widened. "We had pulled up to this wide, empty meadow when Zach stopped the car and turned off the ignition." Vanna said. " I was going to finally ask him what this was all about when he shut the headlights down and I finally saw them."

"Saw what!?" Qali chirped, the fox now standing on the bed, clasping her paws at Vanna's shirt excitedly.

"Fireflies..." Vanna said wistfully. "Thousands and thousands of them."

Qali squee'd in delight, rolling back onto the bed as she released her grip on Vanna's PJ's. "No!" Qali barked.

Vanna nodded softly." The meadow was full of them." Vanna sighed. " And not only that, but they were floating in the air all around the car." The tigress placed a paw over her muzzle, seemingly trying to hide her ever-widening grin from the rest of the girls. "It was as if were surrounded by a sea of flickering candles, dancing in the evening sky."

The large tigress glanced down at the rest of the girls, flashing them a sheepish grin. "He remembered everything, every little detail of the stories I had told him about my childhood, about the fireflies I had become so enamored with growing up." Vanna cooed. "It was why he had went out of his way to pick that meadow as his backdrop when he finally confessed his feelings for me. Because he wanted me to know how much I had come to mean to him, and that he wanted to see if I shared his feelings." Vanna smiled. "If I had grown to feel the same way about him, if I could love a wolf."

"Aww...." Qali cooed sweetly. The fox had returned to laying on her stomach, leaning her head on her paws as she stared up at Vanna in admiration.

"How did you react?" Malcolm asked, his invested interest causing him to lean closer. "How's ya'll tell him?"

Vanna placed her paws on her muzzle, blushing bashfully as she looked away from the sea of focused eyes now fixated on her.

"I-I..." Vanna murmured. "I wrapped my arms around him, and pulled him into a really hard kiss." 

Vanna covered her eyes despite her widening smile as the collective laughter and giggling of the Hunter girls filled the room. Even Dawn found herself giddy with laughter at just how adorable Vanna's silent confession had been. No matter how many times Dawn's mind repeated the words the tigress had said, the ewe still found it hard to picture the large feline being so passionate and emotional. Yet watching her now, seemingly starting to swoon as she recalled her treasured romantic memories, it was almost as if the ewe was staring at an entirely different mammal. One she had just barely caught a glimpse of the night before during their karaoke session. A strangely soft, mushy big cat with the heart of a smitten young girl. A tigress without claws, without teeth, her defenses drawn back by thoughts of the one she loved. The one mammal who saw her for who she truly was, just as Vernon had seen the ewe.

"I take it he liked that..." Malcolm wheezed between laughs.

Vanna nodded briskly. "He certainly was eager to return my kiss with equal fervor."

"And did you guys...?" Qali trailed off, her eyebrows bouncing up and down suggestively.

Crimson returned to Vanna's muzzle as her paw returned to her lips in a poor attempt at covering her nervous smile.

"N-No!" Vanna protested. "I-It took us a while to work up to that." The tigress bit at her claws slightly. "W-we wanted to take it slow, to make sure we knew it was right." 

"But you already knew it was, didn't you?" Dawn asked, a knowing grin crossing her muzzle. Vanna kept her paw over her mouth, and simply extended her left paw out to the ewe. As the open face of her pad came into Dawn's line of sight, the ewe immediately noticed the crimson contrast of the strange half moon marking against the pinkish flesh. It was one the lamb recognized from her studies in regards to Norwulves, and their history regarding tithing rights. The modern seal of the sacred mating contract, one half of the whole, the other she was certain Zach carried on his opposite paw.

"In that moment, that kiss, I knew he was the one." Vanna sighed pleasantly. "Waiting was more of...a formality I guess. To feel out how Ma and Pa felt about us, to try not to scare them."

By now Qali, Ada, and Malcolm had all leaned in around Dawn, all of them staring at the tigress' exposed palm in awe. Qali was quick to grasp at her large paw, clutching it tightly as she stared up at the feline.

"I-Is this?" Qali asked, seemingly too awe-stricken to finish her sentence.

Vanna nodded softly in response, her wide smile practically beaming.

"The ceremony was in August, in the same meadow that Zach and I had confessed to one another how we felt. Surrounded by the fireflies that had sealed our fates just years before." Vanna let out a nostalgic and wistful breath. "I will always remember that evening as one of the happiest of my entire life."

"I rememba." Ada chuckled softly. "You was shakin' like a leaf when they had to do dat tattoo." The hyeness grinned. " I remember bein' shocked such a big kitty was so afraid of a little needle."

Vanna scoffed. "I'd never gotten a tattoo of any kind before. It's not exactly something those of us with fur tend to do."

"You looked great dough." Ada offered a warm smile. "You was glowin' sis."

Vanna's blush returned, the tigress placing her free paw over her muzzle.

"T-thanks." Vanna sputtered, clearly embarrassed at the surprise compliment.

"Make me wish Yuri would Alpha up and ask me already." Ada said with a sigh. "He's kept me waitin' long enough."

That earned a deep chuckle from Malcolm. "Good luck Darlin'."

"I hope he does." Vanna said softly, her eyes shimmering as she turned her attention to the hyeness. "I may not be a fan of my Brother-in-law, but I want you to be as happy as I was when I got this mark." 

With that, Vanna turned her attention back to the group at large. "And that goes for all of my sisters." The large feline offered the group a warm smile. 

Dawn felt another nudge, looking up from Vanna's palm to find her staring back down at her. Vanna flashed her teeth. " Especially you Dawn."

"Hey, why her?" Qali pouted.

"Because she's my favorite." Vanna asserted bluntly.

"Woah, woah now we ain't supposta' have favorites!" Ada chuckled.

"That's when it comes to your own kits!" Malcolm laughed. "It don't extend to general family members.

"I thought you was suppos'ta be Miss Professional!" Ada whined. "You can't just drop a bombshell on us like dat!"

"Well I did, so deal with it." Vanna retorted, the large tigress sticking her tongue out in the direction of the hyeness playfully.

As the other girls devolved into bickering Dawn turned her attention back to the mark on Vanna's paw. Despite the sweet sentiment behind the tigress' words, Dawn could feel the knot in her stomach begin twisting as she continued to stare into the crimson mark on Vanna's palm. She didn't know, she couldn't. That despite the tigress' hope and well wishes, Dorian had firmly established himself as the blockade between the ewe and a legitimate mark of her own. That as long as he drew breath, the ewe would never be able to proudly wear such a symbol that represented her place in the Hunter pack. Because simply, she had no place among them. Despite Vernon's love for her, and vice versa, Dorian would see to it that the family would be fractured for her past transgressions. Dawn could feel tears begin to well behind her glasses as Dorian's painful tirade began to replay in her mind.

'No, I can't.' Dawn thought, forcing a fake smile to her muzzle as she fought the tears away. She had to keep up the facade, she had to hold out. It was just two more days, and then she would cross that bridge with Vernon in the privacy of their own home. She was not about to cause an all-out war among the Hunters over Dorian's declaration.

"T-thank you." Dawn managed to stammer out, her voice only wavering slightly as the others around her and Vanna continued to argue around them. 

The tigress offered a warm smile, placing the marked paw on the ewe's shoulder.

"No need to thank me, we're sisters." Vanna said.

Despite the overwhelming pain now burning inside, Dawn smiled through it.


	29. Boys Night

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Twenty Nine: Boys Night

With a harsh clack the faded green door of the Hunter porch found itself thrust open only for a beleaguered looking wolf to stumble into the frame. Vernon leaned himself against door frame, letting out a tired sigh as he lamely wiped his eyes with his free paw. Vernon hadn't realized just how much of a toll the day's events had taken on him. From shortly after waking up the wolf had been firing on all cylinders to make the day the best he possibly could for his mate. And with every miss-step and confrontation, the wolf had done his best to swiftly work around them in an effort to salvage the whole affair. But between his Father, Yuri, Ana and an assortment of other fights and arguments throughout the day, the wolf's resolve had simply been worn down. Like water flowing over a stone, each incident eroded more and more of Vernon's sheer force of will. And that didn't even account for having to contend with his mate suffering from the sudden onset of her 'heat' all day. Between the mental strain of dealing with aggressive and ignorant mammals all day, on top of having his senses overwhelmed by the constant barrage of pheromones from Dawn the wolf's mind had grown far beyond weary.

Vernon reached his free paw behind his head, bracing his neck as he leaned his head back. As his gaze titled toward the ceiling, the wolf heard a gritty, internal pop as the pressure of the muscles around his spine released. Vernon let out a tired groan as he let his head lazily flop back into place. It was clear his mind had not been the only casualty resulting from the days' events. His legs ached from the marathon of walking that the couple had done at the fairgrounds. His throat burned from all the shouting and snarling each confrontation had forced out of him. His soggy paws and forearms throbbed from the repetitive washing and rinsing of a seemingly endless pile of dishware, and his back continued to spasm from the various boxes he had just come from rifling through in the barn. The wolf was dead tired, in body and spirit, and if it weren't for the pep-talk Dawn had given him in the yard, he would already be packing their bags and dialing up a Zoober to get them back to the train platform as soon as possible.

Vernon still found himself a little surprised that his mate had managed to remain so optimistic despite everything that had happened so far. That she had been the one to pick up his spirits. 

When it came to their relationship, Vernon was the optimist between the two of them. It was no secret, and the wolf had been quick to assert his way of thinking during their talk while on the picnic. But Dawn was generally a pessimistic mammal, something she was readily aware of. The kind of life Dawn had been forced to endure growing up, and the whole 'Night Howler' fiasco had shaped the ewe into approaching every situation with a 'glass-half-empty' outlook. It made sense to the wolf, and it was something he had come to accept about the love of his life. Vernon simply saw it as an act of fate, the two mammals having been built to compliment each other.

Yet the ewe had been the one to help him hang on just a little longer. Keeping the smallest fragment of his resolve alive with her sweet reassurances, and the warmth of her touch. She had pulled the wolf back from the brink and made him see reason again. And for all her trouble, his attempt at helping her had only managed to make things worse for the two of them.

He was thankful at the very least that the rift he had more or less caused between Dawn and his Mother had managed to have been resolved so quickly. Even if he had to endure two hours or so of washing dishes and returning the picnic equipment to its 'proper places' his Mother had specified, for his mate's sake the evening had ended on a rather positive note. For all the trouble the wolf and his inability to resist howling under the sensual duress of his mate's warmth had caused the pair, at least his mate would no longer have to suffer the agony of her 'remnant estrus' or his Mother's cold shoulder. Audrey had even gone so far as to practically force the couple to attend tomorrow's fair and work the stand despite his Father's declaration. And while some might consider something like that yet another punishment, Vernon knew that it was his Mother's way of reaching out in an effort to get even closer to Dawn. And by the ewe's reaction, she had seemed delighted by the prospect.

Vernon smiled warmly as he recalled seeing the ewe manage to crack a genuine smile while his Mother doted over her. Just thinking of her smiling made the strain on his weary bones and tired mind seem to fade away in the basking glow of its warmth. There was nothing that made his heart swell quite like seeing his mate smile, and every one he managed to earn out of the ewe he reveled in. And after everything they had endured so far, to see her smile like that managed to reignite the wolf’s determination to turn the whole weekend around. He would do anything to protect his Honey Lamb’s smile, and with the prize he now held, he’d reckoned he’d have her grinning ear to ear for the rest of the weekend.

As the wolf slowly eased his way down the hall, he reached a clumsy, grasping paw toward his breast pocket. He stopped only for a moment, to steady his hand before carefully removing the precious artifact from the safety of its temporary resting place. 

The wolf smiled, letting out a pleasant sigh as he ran his eyes across the cluster of worn beads now resting on his paw pad. It was these now scrambled beads that the wolf had spent an extra forty minutes stumbling through a darkened barn for. Searching and scrambling for his old box of assorted personal trinkets that his brother had told him had been placed there, the remnants of an old friendship bracelet that had once read ‘Floofy’s Best Friend’. 

The lettering on the beads had faded slightly, and the twine had practically disintegrated into fibrous powder, but despite no longer being bound all the necessary letters still remained. It would be a simple fix, requiring little more than some replacement twine to look almost brand new. It would take less than a minute to restring the beads, and Vernon wagered he could easily do it before Dawn even woke up the next day. It would make for the perfect surprise to show off to his Honey Lamb at the fair in the afternoon. Finally, after over two decades, they would be wearing their friendship bracelets together again.

The laughter of his brothers drew Vernon down from his dreamlike state. He was just shy of the bedroom door now, having strolled through the hall mostly on mental auto-pilot. Vernon's stopped just short of the door, his smile dropping as he recalled the night's events again, specifically those that had taken place in the cornfield. At this point, his Mother had been the only one to confront him over it, and he had been so busy doing chores that he had yet to suffer the misfortune of having to face his brothers over the whole affair. Yuri alone was guaranteed to spend the rest of the night raking him over the coals for his little ‘howlgasm’. 

Dawn was lucky, in a sense that Vernon knew that his Sister-in-law's teasing of her would at most be playful. Friendly and reassuring banter that was sure to keep the ewe smiling despite the embarrassment of Vernon broadcasting their deed to the entire Hunter Ranch. At its worst, it would do little to damper the ewe's surprisingly positive approach to what remained of their holiday. But the sheer embarrassment of facing his brothers, and the nastiness that Yuri probably had waiting for him was enough to freeze the wolf outside of the bedroom entirely.

Slowly the wolf braced the frame of the door, drawing slow, deliberate breaths as he began to brace himself for what might lie ahead. Vernon leaned his head against the door softly, careful not to open it further as he tried to build the courage to enter. He knew the second he opened the door, Yuri would be the first to announce him. He could already hear the loud and boastful wolf prattling on just beyond the last protective barrier between him and his brother's barbed tongue.

"So I grabbed that little vermin by the scruff of his neck and dangled him over the edge!" He could hear Yuri say with a barking laugh. "He was squirming and twitching and trying to get away, that little thug was terrified!"

Vernon scoffed slightly. It sounded like the usual prideful police story Yuri was prone to tell, with all the embellishments of your standard action film. Not surprisingly, he could already hear his other brother's objections.

"And you wonder why you get suspended half the damn time?" That was Trent's voice. The delivery was dull and dry.

"He was withholding time-sensitive information regarding a big drug bust!" Yuri retorted. "What should I have done, taken him back to the station where they would spend hours trying to sweet talk the information out of him? I'd miss my window of opportunity waiting on those lazy pigs at the precinct."

“But hanging him off the edge of a building? Really?” That sounded like Zach. “It’s not like lives were on the line.”

“Pfft…” Yuri scoffed. “You guys are just jealous you don’t get wild cases like that out in the Burrows.”

“I work in Zootopia.” Vernon could hear Wade argue. “The biggest city in all of Animalia! And even I don’t have to resort to the kind of stuff you do.”

"Seaotter's a shithole," Yuri added. "Zootopia is squeaky clean by comparison." The wolf could be heard chuckling. "Unless you count what the little evil mastermind upstairs got herself up to, the biggest thing you guys have to deal with is what?" The wolf paused. "One murder a month?"

Vernon grit his teeth at the ‘evil little mastermind’ remark he knew was directed at Dawn. Although it was a decidedly light jab, the wolf knew that was probably the nicest thing Yuri had to say about his mate.

“Vernon?” 

The wolf practically jumped out of his pelt, knocking his head into the door slightly before rapidly turning toward the source of the voice. His Mother was now standing in the door frame of the Kitchen, her muzzle twisted up into a concerned grimace.

“Ya’ll right Vernon?” Audrey uttered. “You were out in that barn fer a while. It can’t have taken ya that long to put the grill away.”

Vernon shook his head briskly in an attempt to chase away the look of exhaustion that was tugging at his features. The wolf ran a paw through the hair on his scalp as he tried to stand as straight as possible.

“W-well, ya’ll said it was the last thing I had to do fer the night.” Vernon replied. “And since I was out in the barn, I figured I’d take a little bit of time to dig somethin’ of mine outta storage.”

Audrey flashed the wolf a curious glance as she approached. Sidling up next to the large wolf before her eyes shifted downward. Audrey let out a quiet, surprised gasp as she placed her paws on her cheeks. For a moment Vernon was confused, that is until he followed the she-wolf’s eye line downward to the beads still resting in his free paw.

“Ain’t that…?” Audrey queried, slight awe in her voice.

Vernon gave a simple nod. “The bracelet Dawn made me as a Pup.” Vernon said with a sigh. “Well, what’s left of it anyway.”

In a flash, the beads seemed to vanish from Vernon’s paw. The wolf quickly turned his head to find his Mother now tightly clutching the plastic clumps with a gleeful look adorning her muzzle.

“Ma!” Vernon barked in a raised whisper. “What are you doin’?”

"Well I take it you need ‘em fixed dontcha'?" Audrey chuckled, cocking an eyebrow as she placed her other paw on her hip. "They ain't exactly in any condition to show off at the moment."

Vernon furrowed his brow in irritation. “Well o’ course Ma.” The wolf replied. “But I was gonna do that on my-“

“Now hush.” Audrey chided playfully, tapping a finger on the tip of Vernon's nose. The wolf recoiled slightly, shaking his snout. "Let yer Momma handle this one, ya'll have done enough fer now."

“But Ma!” Vernon protested. 

"Vern, I've got a sewin' kit with actual comfertable materials in it." Audrey chuckled. "What were you plannin' to use, twine?"

Vernon winced, his ears sagging slightly as he shifted his eyes away from the she-wolf. “N-no.” Vernon muttered weakly.

“I have some nice satin strips that would make fer a perfect bandin’.” Audrey said, inspecting the beads now lying in her open palm. The she-wolf periodically poked at the various lettered cubes. “And some paint and enamel fer where the letters are wearin’ down.” Audrey nodded decisively as she tightly closed her paw around the beads. “It’ll look brand new when I’m done with it.”

While the prospect sounded somewhat enticing to the wolf, Vernon remained reluctant to hand his treasured possession over so easily. He wanted it ready as soon as possible, and the picture his mother was painting sounded like it was rapidly becoming an immense project.

“I need it fer tomorrow mornin’!” The wolf whined.

“And ya’ll will have it.” Audrey tutted. “But just leave it to me fer now.”

Vernon let out another uncertain whine, earning a chuckle from the wolfess. Audrey gave the wolf a playful pat on the cheek as she began to walk away from him. “Now you best hurry and get yer butt in bed, or else you’ll be too tired to help with the stand tomorrow!” The wolfess turned back to flash him a wide grin. “And I ain’t willin’ to hear any excuses in the morning!”

“Bu-“

“And stop yer frettin’ about the bracelet.” Audrey chided as she moved down the hall. “It’ll be ready in the mornin’, but ya’ll won’t be ready to show it off if you don’t get some sleep!”

Vernon let off another weak whimper as he watched the she-wolf continue her way down the hall.

":J-Just don't change it too much!" Vernon let out a final cry as Audrey disappeared up the staircase at the end of the hall. Vernon let out a soft, defeated sigh. It seemed that no matter how big the wolf managed to grow, or how mature the rest of the world had come to perceive him, his Mother always managed to make him feel like he was little more than a pup. And any argument the wolf could come up with, regardless of how strong and pointed, she easily wore him down without fail. He knew he wasn't alone of course, it was the same power his Mother seemed to wield over all of them, the power of parenthood. And the rest of his brother's arguments, even Xavier's best efforts, could not withstand Audrey's unflappable maternal aura.

‘His brothers.’ Vernon thought, turning his attention back toward the bedroom. The door was slightly more ajar now that he had banged his head against it, but what was worse was that the room had grown silent. His Mother checking on him had more or less exposed his presence to the rest of the Hunter pack. Through the now widened slit in the door he could see Zack looking back at him, a somewhat nervous expression on his face. 

For a brief moment, sleeping in the barn or basement suddenly felt like the more hospitable option rather than the comfort of his own bed.

The wolf let out a long, exhausted sigh as he placed his paw on the door frame. It was time to face the music. With a reluctant push, the door slowly swung open.

“Well looks like the Runt finally decided to grace us with his presence!” Yuri said as the door met the end of the frame with a soft clack.

Vernon did his best to ignore Yuri, simply choosing to press past the wolf as he made his way to the far end of the bedroom.

“Vermin Runter…” Yuri continued. “Or would you prefer Caprine Humper?”

“Shut it Yuri.” Vernon growled as he rounded the corner of his bed. Despite how exhausted the wolf was feeling, he was moving about his bedside at a rapid pace. Vernon was eager to simply get into his pajamas, and get to sleep as quickly as he could. The sooner he got into to bed, the easier it would be to try to shut Yuri’s stupid statements out under the heavy veil of slumber. The wolf quickly slid his suitcase out from beneath the bed, pulling the zipper along the track harshly before popping it open. Reaching into the mess of clothing the wolf had already worn, Vernon pulled a fresh pair deep green plaid PJ’s from the bottom of the case. The wolf rubbed a thumb over the garment affectionately as he let out a sigh.

“Aw, what’s a matter Runt?” Vernon turned to find Yuri was now standing over him, the large dark wolf leering down at him with a smug grin. “Already running back to Zootopia in shame like at Zach’s tithe?”

Vernon scoffed as he rose to his feet, lightly pushing the wolf aside as he made his way over to the room divider.

“I’m sure you would love that.” Vernon muttered. “ But I’m sure Zach would have loved it if you had been the one to leave instead of me.”

Yuri laughed as Vernon slid behind the room divider. For a brief moment the wolf could pretend he wasn't there, the paneled screen shielding him from Yuri's hateful gaze and menacing grin. But unfortunately, it was unable to shield him from Yuri's barbed tongue.

“Well good, good.” Yuri continued as Vernon switched his shirt for the comfortable plush feeling of his button up nightshirt. “Because if you think you’re leavin’ without payin’ me back for Ada’s bail you’ve got another thing comin’.”

Vernon let off an irritated sigh as he buttoned up his shirt. “Of course, of course.” Vernon grumbled. “Now do I make the check out to ‘Ass’?” Vernon chuckled.

“Check?” Yuri hissed. “No, I’m draggin’ your runty ass down to the bank tomorrow, and you’re payin’ me cash. Or else-“

“Or else what?” Vernon grit his teeth as he removed his jeans. “You gonna sit on me again to remind me who is boss?” The wolf spat. “We ain’t pups no more, try it and-“

“And what?" The wolf was quick to retort. “You'll design a real fancy porch fer me to pin you against?”

“Alright Yuri, knock it off.” Vernon could hear Trenton grumble as Vernon slid on his matching pants. “’Sides Vernon don’t owe you a dime. Ada acted of her own volition and paid her own bail.” 

“Which was a pittance according to Pa.” Wade added. “What with Ana not having Loupon there to push for higher charges.”

“Did I ask any of you!?” Yuri huffed.

With a final flick of his leg, the wolf had his pants on. Vernon took a moment to adjust the buttons on his fly and tail banding before cobbling up his day clothes into a messy clump in his arms.

“I will apologize to Sis in the morning, and we’ll be square.” Vernon said coolly as he strolled out from behind the room divider. Yuri hadn't moved far from where he stood before Vernon had gone to change, only now he stood with his arms tightly crossed, his muzzle twisted into a hateful sneer.

“I would have apologized already if-“

"You weren't busy skewering that little grazer of yours?" Yuri flashed the wolf a smug grin.

Vernon simply pushed passed the wolf again as he made his way back to his bedside. The wolf could already feel the anger beginning to broil up under his pelt as Yuri continued with his little show. With a thrust Vernon haphazardly tossed his old clothes into his open suitcase, slapping the case shut tersely before shoving the bundle back underneath his bed. 

“Is that why you didn’t have dinner with the rest of us Vermin?” Yuri continued in a gleeful tone. “You were hungry for some juicy la-?”

“Yuri, for Owldwin’s sake must you be so vulgar?” Xavier interjected. “I swear you have the most repugnant vocabulary out of all of us.”

“Oh!” Yuri said in mock-horror. “I’m sorry my words are so offensive.” The jet black wolf let out a terse huff. “But seriously, what is worse? A couple of bad words or rutting like feral animals out in the field?”

“I gotta admit though…” Wade muttered. “ Doin’ that outside was askin’ fer trouble.”

“Yeah, I mean every wolf in the county must have heard that howl.” Zach chuckled. “You’d have been better off tryin’ fer the basement. At least then we probably would have been the only ones to hear ya.”

“Did you end up just doing it on the ground?” Wade continued his line of questioning. “I can’t imagine that made for a very pleasurable experience.”

“Sounds like he had a good enough time to me.” Yuri chuckled darkly. “I’m just surprised his little Gimmer survived the whole thing.” Yuri sneered. “I figured you were just playin’ with yer food before eatin’.”

Vernon was seething now. He had been doing his best to keep his anger inside; remaining crouched on the floor for fear that if he stood he was liable to strike Yuri. The wolf exhaled sharply, breathing out as much of his irritation as he could before finally rising to his feet. Vernon stood, turning sharply to face his brother and stabbing a claw at him.

“I rutted my mate okay!” Vernon hissed. “She was sufferin’ and she needed help!” The wolf jabbed his brother in the chest with his claw harshly, pushing the black furred wolf back.

“And you made it clear to everyone at breakfast exactly what she was sufferin’ from!” The wolf turned to glance at the rest of the pack. “You all know what yer girls go through when that happens! And you can’t tell me ya’ll wouldn’t have done the same!” The wolf flashed the remaining wolves an accusatory glare. “In fact I know most of you have.

“You can’t peg me with that excuse Ru-“

“Like you haven’t been trying!” Vernon cut Yuri off as he turned his attention back to the dark wolf. Yuri remained unfazed, his smarmy smirk remaining firmly plastered across his muzzle. Vernon let out a ragged and tired sigh.

“Look, I’ve had a long, tirin’ and agonizin’ day alright?” The wolf ran a paw through the fur on his scalp. “I’ve been doin’ everything I can to show Dawn a good time!”

Yuri opened his mouth, only for Vernon to preemptively cut him off.

“Don’t.” Vernon sneered. “Just don’t Yuri, or I swear…”

Much to Vernon’s surprise, the black furred wolf closed his maw. But his malice filled grin remained.

“I’m just too tired fer this, I can’t take it right now alright!?” Vernon huffed. "So if we've said all we needed to say, I'm going to go to bed!" The wolf asserted. "If ya'll really want to rib me over it, save it fer the Barbeque tomorrow alright!?"

With a final huff, Vernon turned away from Yuri before immediately dropping on to his bed with a heavy thud, the springs making several popping noises under the sudden heft of his impact. With a terse yank, Vernon pulled the faded green comforter loose from the fitted sheet underneath him before scrambling it around his frame and turning away from the other wolves. The wolf nestled his head harshly against one of his pillows, burying his head as deep into the padding as he could before forcing his eyes shut and praying that the rest of the bedroom simply faded away around him. 

Much to Vernon’s surprise, the room did fall silent. But not for very long, and soon enough one of his brothers broke the awkward pause.

“Still, I mean outside though? Really?” It was almost a whisper, but it was distinctly Wade’s voice. 

Vernon let out a whine, wrapping another of his pillows around his head as he buried his face deeper into the other.

“Arrgh!” The wolf yelped through the downy cushioning of his pillow. “Just go back to your boring police stories! Leave me alone!” Vernon groaned aloud.

Unlike Yuri’s harsher remarks, Vernon’s reaction had managed to earn a few chuckles from most of the wolves present.

"Alright, alright," Trenton said coolly. “You heard Puppy, back to the boring police stories.” Vernon could hear the playful sarcasm lacing Trent's words, and it was easy to picture the wolf rolling his eyes to emphasize the word ‘boring’.

“Well…”Vernon could hear Yuri continue, the soft sound of trailing steps indicating that Yuri had elected to walk away from Vernon’s bedside. “I doubt any of you country boys have anything that can even come close to the cases I’ve worked on.”

Vernon let out a quiet sigh of relief as it appeared that by the grace of the gods, Yuri had chosen to let him off. The wolf may be the only one of his brothers to take him up on the offer to mock him the following day, but Vernon was more than happy to cross that bridge when he came to it. 

“I suppose that depends on how many of those tales you told us are real, and how many you just ripped off from lousy cop movies hopin’ we’d never look ‘em up.” Zach said, earning a few more laughs from the other wolves. Vernon stifled a chuckle of his own by burying his muzzle deeper into his pillow as he continued to try to fall asleep.

“You wanna see the articles?” Yuri protested. “I can get out my Carrot Phone right now and bring up all the stories I’m in!”

“Yeah…” Xavier added in a bored tone. “And just how many of those articles start with the phrase ‘rogue cop suspended after…’” Xavier chuckled.

“Rut you Lord Prissyfur!” Yuri retorted. “You shouldn’t even be talkin’, ain’t like you ever seen a crime scene outside of photographs!”

Vernon rolled over in his bed, pressing the pillow he had wrapped around his head tighter against his ears. It had been a while since he had been forced to share a bedroom with his brothers, and he had unfortunately grown far too used to nothing but the comforting sound of the soft, quiet bleating of his Honey Lamb as she slept by his side. The back and forth between his bickering brothers was only driving the wolf further away from the warm embrace of slumber.

"So?" Xavier replied. "Just because a courtroom is restrained doesn't mean I haven't had my fair share of harrowing cases."

“But you’ve never put yourself on the line have you Xave?” Yuri snapped back. “Do you know what it’s like to be starin’ down the barrel of a gun? Huh?” The black wolf raised his voice. “Knowing that if you aren’t fast enough on the draw, it might just be your hide the forensic team is cleaning up after?”

The room fell silent, giving Vernon a momentary reprieve in his quest for a peaceful sleep. With the lapse of the back and forth din between the brothers, Vernon tried to focus his mind on more pleasant thoughts. He tried to imagine the look on Dawn’s face the following morning when he revealed to her his newly repaired bracelet. Trying to picture just how big that lovely smile of hers would be when she got to read the inscription on the beads she had once spent time putting together for him all those years ago. The wolf let out a pleasant sigh, certain that at the very least tomorrow was slated to start off on an amazing note.

"Well, I-I mean if we're talking danger then…" Ulric piped up, his voice sounding weak and uncertain. "I mean, Zach has you beat right?"

“Oh c’mon now, you’re not goi-“

“Zach is the only one of us who actually took a bullet Yuri.” Xavier cut him off. “Unless you have a new story we have yet to hear?” 

The room grew quiet again, and Vernon continued to try to ignore the other wolves. Yet despite it his train of thought drifted from Dawn’s happy face to the topic at paw, Zach's most notable battle scar. It was something Vernon had barely given that much thought over since shortly after it occurred, but the wolf recalled that it had been a pretty serious close shave.

“Hey Zach, you wanna tell it again?” Wade asked with growing interest. “I always kinda forget the finer details; it has been a while after all.”

Vernon could hear Zach let out an uncomfortable whine. Odd behavior, considering the wolf practically reveled in retelling his most heroic exploits. Vernon continued to struggle to recall the entire ordeal.

‘He saved a kid right?’ Vernon thought to himself, the gears in his mind working to dredge up the faint memories. ‘Jumped in front of some crazed mammal with a gun’.

“I don’t really feel like talkin’ about it right now.” Zach uttered quietly.

“Don’t feel like talking about it!?” Trenton said with a laugh. "That was like, your go-to proudest moment story a few months ago wasn't it?"

"Yes, we had to beg you to stop telling it." Xavier said with a laugh. "Especially Dad, seeing as how he was none too pleased at how the whole affair went down."

“Yeah, dumb ass just had to jump in front of the shot instead of, ya know, disarming the suspect.” Yuri said with a snort. “How you got to deputy with instincts like that I’ll never know.”

Vernon had given up on the prospect of sleep as his ears now turned in attention toward the conversation. He had released some of the pressure of the pillow around his head to better hear Zach’s uncharacteristically reluctant responses. It was then that it began to come back to Vernon just how serious the accident was.

“It just missed your heart.” Vernon said, slowly rising up into a seated position and turning to face the others. The rest of the Hunter brood had turned its attention to Vernon aside from Zach. Vernon could see the clearly uncomfortable look on the russet wolf’s muzzle as his eyes darted away from Vernon’s gaze. “It grazed that little what-sis around yer heart, that sac or somethin’ right?”

“T-that’s right!” Ulric chimed in, sounding as though Vernon had jogged his memory in an equal manner. “I remember now. It grazed the pericardial sac, causing it to flood with blood and stop your heart from the pressure!” Ulric laughed an awkward laugh. “You were technically dead for two minutes right!?

Zach let out another whine as he looked down at his paws. The wolf nervously wrung his hands together. It was so odd seeing his usually boastful and jovial brother seeming to shrink in the face of his own heroic deeds. He was acting much like he had earlier in the day, when Vernon had thoroughly chewed him out for siding with Pa in regards to the fair. But Vernon had already let him off the hook, making his evasive behavior that much more confusing.

“Please, I…” Zach scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “ I mean ya’ll have heard it enough times as it is. We don’t need to go over it again.”

"Yer probably the only one besides Xavey who could even pronounce that Ully." Trenton said with a chuckle, the conversation going on without any regard to Zach’s response.

The twitchy wolf's chest swelled with what appeared to be pride as he flashed the others a confident smirk. "Any forensic specialist worth his pelt knows medical terminology like the back of their paw. You think they just let anyone handle a body to determine the exact time and cause of death?"

“I would think they shouldn’t let you handle a body either, all things considered.” Wade chuckled.

“Especially a sheep, lest you try to prove they are aliens by digging around for foreign organs.” Xavier added with a dry chuckle of his own.

Ulric’s muzzle twisted into a sneer. “Hey! Sheep already have weird organs!” Ulric retorted. “Not that anyone outside the internet cares to hear me out on how that’s just another piece of proof at how all those caprid types are from space!”

“One o’ D.C.’s top forensic scientist ladies and gentlemammal’s.” Trenton said with a laugh, gesturing a broad outstretched arm toward their dusky, grey brother. "Why they keep you at that precinct I'll never know."

“At least I can see those grazers for what they are!” Ulric barked, clearly flustered as he stared daggers at Trenton. His angry stare shifting from brother to brother suspiciously. 

“I’m not the one going around dating one!” Ulric said, his stare leveling at Vernon briefly before shifting to Zach. "Or would ever risk taking a bullet for one of those wooly skin-walkers like you!"

"Sweet sawgrass Ully, it was a little girl!" Zach suddenly chimed in, the reservation and reluctance seeming to fade as the wolf gave him an angry glare. "What was I gonna do!? Let that crazed, angry wolf just kill her!?"

The more snippets Vernon absorbed, the more he came to recall what happened. He remembered his Mother calling from the ranch. It had been hard to understand her through the frenzied sobs, but it quickly became clear that something terrible had happened. But by the time Vernon had made it out to the ranch the danger was long over. Zach was recovering just fine, even laughing about it despite lying on a hospital cot with his chest wrapped up like a mummy. It had made the whole affair so easy to forget though, almost as if it never happened. The family moved on, with Zach occasionally retelling the story from time to time, but otherwise, everything seemed normal. Then again Vernon had been busy with his own life during most of the years since. With working through school, and his shifts at the Bug-Burga he felt increasingly removed from the events of the Hunter Ranch, and the family members that still congregated so closely there.

‘What was I doing that day?’ Vernon struggled to recall. He could remember he had already been having a tough time himself before Zach’s little incident, yet he struggled to remember just why that was. 

“I did the right thing! And I don’t need to have it flung in my face anymore alright!? Zach huffed. “I already heard enough about it this mornin’!”

In that moment Zach froze, his features twisting up in an expression of pure horror as he turned his attention to Vernon. Zach’s ears stood tall and alert, as if he were suddenly fearful that he had spoken some forbidden utterance. Vernon stared at him in confusion briefly before it finally all slid into place.

The dam in Vernon's mind seemed to break as the missing memories came flooding back in an instant. Every minute detail that had been occurring in his life up until Zach's accident suddenly flashed into his mind, and soon the cause of the wolf's odd behavior became clear.

“Dawn…” Vernon muttered softly, raising his paw to his lip as he began to process the lost information.

“Your accident…it was five years ago wasn’t it?” The wolf continued, asking questions he was certain he already knew the answer to.

Zach gave a soft, simple nod. The wolf frowned sharply, his ears hanging lamely against his head.

“Right after Dawn was caught.” Vernon continued.

The room was quiet as the wolf waited for his brother’s response. It seemed like an eternity before Zach gave another reluctant, affirming nod.

Vernon remembered everything now. He could remember just what the city, and he had been going through just before Zach’s accident. The weeks of terror and fear in regards to the ‘savage plague’ that grew worse with each passing day. The Zootopia University campus was in an uproar, with protests expressing anti-predator sentiments and predator-rights counter-protests going on daily. Vernon hadn’t cared to get involved in either way, simply choosing to keep his head down and his focus on his work. The wolf had been certain it would all blow over soon enough, and in time things would simply return to normal. But as the crisis worsened, the campus environment became un-livable for many of the pred students. Assaults by mobs of prey and attacks on predator dormitories were quickly becoming the norm. And when the professors had offered those students the ability to take classes at home until the crisis waned, Vernon was more than willing to take the out rather than face the increasingly large crowds of angry, anti-predator assemblies. 

The wolf had been away from campus for two weeks when the ‘Night Howler’ plot had finally been revealed, as well as the shocking arrest of the Mayor that at the time the wolf had failed to recognize, the little bespectacled ewe that he now proudly called his mate. At the time, Vernon's only thought had been one of relief at the prospect that all the anger and calls for violence would come to an end. But as the coming days would prove, that would be far from the case. Overnight the burning pyre of anti-predator sentiment had evaporated, and in its place erupted a maelstrom of anti-sheep sentiment. 

Vernon could clearly recall the sheep effigies they had burned in some of the highly predator populated areas following Dawn’s arrest, the attacks on sheep owned businesses, and the handful of the assaults he would hear about on ZNN. The kind of ideas his brother Ulric held about sheep, those long-held conspiracy theories about trying to take over modern society, or running a secret powerful global cabal spilled from the festering pockets hidden in the fringes of society and briefly gained traction among even some arguably more level-headed mammals. 

And that same hysteria had easily oozed over into the neighboring Meadowlands area, with its high sheep and wolf population. The rural Native wolf descendants added their bigoted beliefs about pred supremacy to the mix of madness surrounding the now vilified sheep-folk.

It was those wolves, Vernon now recalled, that were responsible for Zach’s injury. While by the time Vernon had arrived at the Greater Meadowlands Hospital Zach had been all smiles and boasts when it came to his near-death experience, the wolf could remember his parents hadn't shared his enthusiasm. Dorian was livid, the white wolf was absolutely furious at Zach for failure to follow police protocol. Although Vernon suspected it was that much more amplified by just how close a call Zach’s injury was, the anger a mask for his fear for the safety of his son. His Mother on the other paw, had been a weepy, incoherent mess that was still practically fused to Zach’s bedside by the time Vernon had arrived. Audrey refused to leave the hospital until Zach was discharged.

Vernon didn’t share his Father’s view when it came to Zach’s selfless act. While the wolf was in-experienced in day to day police work, the wolf felt that it would have been riskier for the lamb if Zach had tried to disarm the crazed wolf instead of protecting her. The struggle might have caused him to fire anyway, or perhaps fire at the crowd, Vernon saw too many dangerous variables when it came to subduing the mad wolf first. It was a rare instance where Vernon would side with his brother when it came to the russet wolf acting on instinct. But his Father would never agree, his stubbornness remaining firm and unyielding. Vernon had always suspected that the entire reason Vanna had been brought on was simply to police Zach, the close call having scared their old mam’ to the point of finding someone to keep Zach in-line on the job. Although Vernon would never express that to his brother, he was certain Zach had his suspicions.

But Mother Hunter was able to move on, to get to a point where Zach’s boasting about his ‘badge of honor’ didn't send her into a weeping fit. But it was clear that Dorian had never forgotten, and what's more, he must have seen Dawn as the catalyst for the incident. If the ewe hadn't caused the Night Howler Scare, Zach would have never have been put in such a position. That their Father had brought it up this morning in his private talk with Zach to force the wolf to see his side of things, and worse yet, bring him over to his way of thinking.

“I didn’t agree with him Vern, I swear it!” Zach protested. It was as if the wolf had read Vernon’s mind, answering the wolf’s question before he could ask it.

"She didn't put the gun in that wolf's paw! She didn't make me jump between him and that lamb! I ain't never saw it that way!" Zach asserted, his eyes still filled with worry.

“Wait, what is going on?” Trenton asked in clear confusion.

Zach let out a whine as he scanned the other brother’s faces, all seemingly as puzzled as Trenton was, before turning back to Vernon. The russet wolf seemed to be looking to his brother for permission to continue, as if whatever he had to say would draw Vernon's ire. Vernon gave an affirming nod, more than interested to hear his brother confirm what he now already was sure took place.

Zach let out a tired sigh, scratching the back of his head awkwardly as he seemed to be trying to will himself forward.

"Pa took me aside this mornin'…" Zach muttered. "Before we all left fer the fairgrounds."

Trenton nodded, the wolf already having some idea of what was discussed based on Vernon and his conversation.

“Pa wanted me to tell Vernon not to bring Dawn to the fair, that it was better if they just stayed home.” Zach whined. “He wagered they would cause a scene, maybe threaten the stand…”

“Well, well, well…” Yuri chimed in, his tone returning to his usual smarmy, teasing demeanor. “I guess the Old ‘Mam called that one, wouldn’t you say?”

“Yuri, shut up.” Xavier sneered at the black furred wolf.

“Why should I?” Yuri protested. “It’s just another classic case of the ol’ Runt puttin’ his own selfish needs before the rest of us.” Yuri spat. “Lil’ Puppy gets to just do whatever he wants, and the rest of us pay for it, and ya’ll go ahead a pat his ass fer it!”

“What the rut is that supposed to mean!?” Vernon hissed. 

“You heard me Runt!” Yuri continued, allowing himself to flop gracelessly onto his mattress. “Pa tells you how things are gonna be, lays out reasonable, sane reasons why ya’ll shouldn’t do it, and you go ahead and do it anyway just like always.”

“Ha!” Vernon scoffed. “Ain’t that the pot calling the kettle black consderin’ the way you handle yerself on the job! Let alone yer life!”

“It doesn’t matter if Pa turned out to be right!” Xavier interjected, furrowing his brow. “Vernon and Dawn did nothing to deserve what happened at the fair, that scene was on those bigoted, fearful townies!”

“Pa knows it wasn’t lawful to let that mob drive us out like that.” Trenton added.

“There you go rushin’ in to save poor defenseless Puppy for his stupid mistakes!” Yuri spat. “Everyone in this family just coddles Vernon! Just bends over backwards to-“

“I’M TRYING TO TALK HERE!” Zach said loudly, his previously nervous expression replaced with anger and irritation. The russet wolf gave the other brothers a sweeping glare before coming to a stop at Yuri. The black wolf opened his mouth, only for Zach to sharpen his gaze.

“Don’t make me pull seniority on yer ass Yuri!” Zach hissed. “Now shut that stupid muzzle before I shut it for you!”

Yuri closed his muzzle, twisting it into a hateful sneer before crossing his paws and letting out a terse scoff. The wolf was clearly livid, but thankfully for Vernon, had seemed to back down. With Yuri quiet again, Zach turned his attention back to Vernon, his ears drooping slightly as the worried look returned to his face.

“That is the only reason I even asked ya Vernon.” Zach continued with a sigh. “I was worried for you and Dawn getting caught in a scene.” The wolf ran a shaky paw through his tuft of head fur. “I know ya’ll probably get flak in the city fer bein’ together, but I didn’t want you guys to have to deal with that out here.”

“And I ain’t gonna lie, I was worried fer Ma too.” Zach added, placing a paw over his eyes. “The gods know why, but she loves runnin’ that stand. And I didn’t want her to hurt herself fightin’ the whole town over ya’ll.”

Trenton chuckled, shaking his head softly. “Yeah, Ma would fight the whole town wouldn’t she?”

“Anyone who ‘wrongs’ her ‘pups' Mom will more than happily go claw to claw with, even if they are three times the size of her.” Xavier chuckled. “Remember when she was on the PTA, and got into that knock down drag out fight with Mrs. Ziraph because she called Ulric a ‘mongrel’?”

Vernon stifled a laugh as he recalled the whole ugly scene that Ulric had told him when they were little, shortly after the whole debacle. “I never thought a mammal could technically wring a giraffe’s neck, but Ma found a way.”

The boys erupted into a hearty laugh, Yuri excluded as they briefly reminisced about their Mother's fighting exploits. It was memories like that which made it easy to see why the boys all easily cowed under their Mom's disapproving glare. 

As the laughter died away, Zach let out a soft sigh.

“Dad was the one who brought up my accident.” Zach continued, his smile falling. “He was fixed on trying to get me to see how Dawn was responsible for it, as indirect as it may have been.”

The russet wolf wrung his paws nervously, letting out another soft whine.

“But I never saw it that way Vern.” Zach looked at his brother with pleading eyes. “I still don’t.”

Vernon flashed his brother a small smile. It was clear that despite letting him off the hook earlier what he had done was still eating at him. With a grunt Vernon eased off the bed, shuffling his way over to Zach before plopping down next to his brother. The wolf slung an arm around the rusted wolf's shoulder, pulling him into a side hug.

“I already told you we was square at the fair Zach.” Vernon said with a chuckle, shaking his brother slightly. “Now stop frownin’, it’s weirdin’ me out.” Vernon said with a laugh. Zach managed to muster up a smirk, more or less returning Vernon’s hug as he let out a laugh of his own.

"Alright, alright…" Zach said, his normal jovial countenance seeming to return. "But I'm retirin' the story if it's all the same to you."

Vernon nodded. “It’s yer choice. You do what makes ya comfortable big brother.”

With that, Vernon released the grip he had around his brother, using the newly freed paw to run through his mop of hair. 

“Still though, it pretty much clears up the mystery as to what exactly crawled up Pa’s butt when it comes to Dawn.” Vernon said with a sigh. “Not that I didn’t have my suspicions.”

“The grazer nearly destroyed the biggest city in the world, what did you think was gonna happen?” Yuri snorted.

“So what now?” Trenton said, ignoring Yuri’s off color comment.

Vernon let out a tired sigh. “Well, I suppose I’m going to have to confront the Old Mam’ tomorrow.” The wolf wiped at his eyes with a paw before pinching the bridge of his muzzle in annoyance. “Most likely after the barbeque, since there’s no way I’m catchin’ him before he leaves fer work tomorrow.”

“What are you going to say?” Xavier queried, leaning intently toward the other wolves as he adjusted his spectacles. 

Vernon shrugged. “I’m not really sure. I’m more concerned about cutting through that stubborn shell of his.” Vernon groaned. “I feel like I’m just gonna end up shouting at a wall fer an hour or somethin’.”

“Well thankfully most of us inherited that same stubbornness from him, so you should be able to hold your own.” Xavier said with a laugh.

“And if ya’ll need back up, you know you can count on the rest of us to stand with ya Vern.” Trenton added, reaching a paw out to place on Vernon’s shoulder. The icy wolf stared into Vernon’s eyes. “You know I’ve got yer back.”

Zach, Wade, and Xavier were all quick to utter varying words of agreement, but Ulric and Yuri chose to remain silent, Yuri going as far as to let out another irritated huff in response. Vernon simply rolled his eyes.

“Ully, you reall-“

A sudden loud sound came from the room above the wolves, drawing Vernon's attention upward. It sounded like very faint, muffled shouting that went on for several seconds. The wolf did his best to pick up any semblance of the words being said, tilting his ears and craning his head closer to the source, but in the end, the only word the wolf managed to discern was something that sounded like ‘Aunties' before the shouting finally abruptly stopped. Vernon was quick to turn his attention back to the other wolves, to find they had all more or less reacted the same, most of them still listening for the shouting coming from the girl's room.

"H-heh, heh." Zach stammered, earning Vernon’s attention. “I uh…I wonder what they are talking about?”

“Probably embarrassing things regarding the lot of us and our bedroom prowess." Xavier was quick to interject, the wolf giving the others a half-lidded stare. "Considering the evenings...previous events."

Trenton let out a tired groan. “Sweet sagrass…” The wolf sighed, placing a paw over his eyes. “If I know my Qails she’s probably talkin’ up a storm about that time we got caught messin’ around in the closet.” The wolf lamented.

The other brothers laughed, Vernon included as the white wolf let out another tired grumble. 

“Well I ain’t worried.” Zach said, swelling his chest with pride. “My Kitten ain’t one to talk about that sorta thing.” Zach gave Vernon a playful nudge. “She’s too much of a reserved type.”

Trenton lowered his eyelids at the wolf, a smug smirk crawling across his muzzle. “Really, cause that shouting sounded a lot like Vanna.” Trent’s grin widened. “And I could swear I heard the word ‘panties’ in there somewhere.”

Zach's ears were quick to flatten against his head, and for some strange reason, the wolf brought his paw over his mouth.

“Panties!” Vernon exclaimed. “I thought they said ‘Aunties’, but panties make much more sense.” The wolf slapped his knee as he laughed.

Trenton grinned widely as he leaned closer to Zach. “Somethin’ you wanna share Zach?”

The russet wolf seemed to be sweating now, his muzzle flushed red as his panicked stare darted from brother to brother. Vernon was quick to join in on the playful ribbing, nudging his brother back with a playful elbow.

"Yeah, you get into some trouble with yer girls panties 'Goofball'?" Vernon teased.

Zach sneered, giving Vernon a playful push away from him. 

"Like you should talk 'Puppy Love'!" Zach tried to remain serious despite laughter periodically breaking through his glum expression. “Besides, now that you got a mate you get to worry like the rest of us!” Zach exclaimed, jabbing Vernon with a claw as a smug grin crawled across his muzzle.

"Ah, that's true." Xavier added with a smirk of his own. "Welcome to the club 'Puppy Love'." The wolf chuckled.

Vernon rolled his eyes. “Please, I made my peace with that when my little Honey Lamb told me she wanted to write a book about us.” The wolf laughed. “I don’t think a little bedroom talk is going to amount to worse than that kind of exposure.”

“A book you say?” Xavier quirked an eyebrow, the wolf now leaning far off of his bed in apparently keen interest. “Fascinating.”

“About you two?” Trenton asked. “Ya’ll mean about yer relationship?”

Vernon shrugged softly, raising his paws. “Eh, sort of.” Vernon replied. “It’s about us bein’ a pred and prey couple, but its also about our families and their history and so on.” Vernon added. "Dawn did some deep diggin' to give the readers as much of an understandin' as to where we are comin' from as possible. She wants it to be accessible to whoever wants to read it even though she says its largely a solidarity thing fer other pred/prey couples out there."

“Wait, you’re telling her about our family history!?” Ulric suddenly chimed in, the wolf practically falling off of his bed as he scrambled to make his way over to the other brothers that were now more or less huddled together. Ulric sat down harshly next to Vernon and Zach, causing the mattress springs to groan under the sudden impact. The dark grey wolf leaned in uncomfortably close to Vernon, his face one of grim seriousness.

“You can’t do that! Who knows how a member of the Blackwool bloodline could use that information!” Ulric whined. The wolf quickly grasped Vernon’s shoulders, forcing the wolf to face him. “Don’t you know it is the duty of the Düclaw line to defend against the Illubaahnati!?” The dark grey wolf pleaded, shaking Vernon tersely.

Vernon rolled his eyes before pulling Ulrics’s paws off of him and pushing the twitchy wolf aside.

“Ully, what secrets am I keeping’ that ain’t already somethin’ anyone can look up online?” Vernon shook his head. “Fer cripes sake we learned most of this stuff in gradeschool.”

“Maybe that’s why she tricked you into bringing her here!” Ulric protested. “So she could get into Pa’s library!”

Vernon let out a long, exasperated sigh.

“She’s writin’ about her family too Ully, so she’s puttin’ herself out there just as much if not more.” Vernon said, placing a firm paw on Ulric’s shoulder in an attempt to reassure him. “She’s not keepin’ any secrets, from Archibald Bellwether to Moira Blackwool she’s bein’ totally open.”

The grey wolf quirked an eyebrow curiously.

“Moira Blackwool?” Ulric asked, his eyes flashing with keen interest.

Vernon gave a simple, albeit uncertain nod.

Ulric’s panicked and fearful demeanor seemed abruptly shifted to one of shrewd curiosity and trepidation.

"She's going to cover the tryst thing then right?" Ulric asked, his eyes shifting around as if he were keeping a vigilant watch for eavesdroppers despite being surrounded by the entire Hunter brood. "The secret affair between Blackwool and Düclaw?"

Vernon rolled his eyes at the dark grey wolf. Vernon had never been one to put too much stock into that rumor, especially seeing as anything that Ulric latched onto was usually patently false. Dawn's more concrete research on her family had done little to prove to the contrary, and thus the ewe seemed to be largely in agreement with him.

“Please, we want this book to be as grounded as possible Ully.” Vernon chided. “ No one will take us seriously if we come out flinging around baseless accusations.”

Ulric glared at Vernon, a dead seriousness in his eyes. “They ain’t baseless accusations!” Ulric spat. “I have concrete evidence! The Schotts just don’t wa-“

“Okay, okay…” Vernon sighed, shaking his head dismissively. "If you have the evidence, then you are more than welcome to show Dawn yerself." The wolf chuckled. "Just don't bother me with it."

Ulric stabbed a claw at Vernon, a wild and crazy smile crawling across his muzzle. “M-maybe I will!” The wolf asserted. Standing, Ulric made his way back over to his own bed, flashing Vernon another crazed and curious glare. “Maybe I will.” And with that, the wolf crawled back into his bed, turning away from the other Hunters as he pulled his blanket up around his shoulders. 

Vernon let out something between a laugh and a scoff, his brother's behavior making him torn on exactly how to respond. He always had a hard time understanding Ulric and his fixation with rumors, conspiracies, and hearsay. At the end of the day, the wolf had always found the easiest thing to do was to write it off as Ulric being Ulric. And while the prospect of Ulric embarrassing himself in front of Dawn was the last thing Vernon would wish on his mate. He was certain Ulric was far too afraid of her at this point to ever speak to her.

“You guys are really that serious huh?” Zach asked, bringing the conversation back to something closer to sane. “I mean puttin’ out a tell-all book together…well…” The russet wolf laughed awkwardly. “I mean, that’s big step to take all things considered.”

Vernon laughed. “That lamb is the love of my life Zach, my soul mate.” Vernon said with a wistful sigh. “I told Trent as much this morning.”

The white wolf nodded in affirmation, flashing the russet wolf a smile. “He’s over the moon fer her.”

“And if you think that’s serious well…I got bigger plans than that I assure ya’ll.” Vernon continued.

Xavier adjusted his glasses slightly, quirking a brow as his focus remained fixed on Vernon.

“Oh do tell, I must know!” The wolf’s tone was practically gleeful and dripping with excitement.

“Well, I-“

“Vernon’s fixin’ to tithe Dawn.” Wade cut him off, the wolf’s tail wagging excitedly.

“WADE!” Vernon growled, staring daggers at the now shrinking grey wolf. Wade let out a soft whimper, a meek smile forming on his muzzle as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

“S-sorry…” The wolf replied meekly. “I-I didn’t mean to…uh…”

Xavier practically let out a squeal as the usually well-mannered wolf sat up on his mattress. The wolf was grinning broadly at his brother’s announcement, even if it had been stolen away by Wade’s enthusiasm. “Oh tell me this is true!”

Vernon let out a sigh, flashing Wade another glare before pressing forward with the details of his surprise.

“WAIT!? YOU’RE TITHING HER!?” Ulric yelped as he shot upward, staring back at the brothers in disbelief. Vernon rolled his eyes, letting out an exhausted sigh.

“I’m workin’ on it…” Vernon muttered, crossing his arms as he gave the deep grey wolf a dull stare. "I take it you've got some objections."

"Yeah, is it mind control?" Zach interjected with a laugh. " Is she gonna steal Vern's soul and sacrifice it to Cervidwen?"

A mixture of emotions flashed across the wolf's face, ranging from horror, confusions, revulsion and disappointment before finally settling on something akin to shock. Ulric opened his muzzle for a moment before slowly bringing it to a close, the wolf seemingly at a loss for words. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of silence from the wolf, he spoke.

"Mam'…" The wolf shook his head dismissively. " They've totally pulled the wool over your eyes." Ulric sighed. "Especially you Vern.”

Vernon found his eyes rolling again as he shook his head before turning his attention back to his more sane family members. Indulging Ulric with any further argument was a rabbit hole the wolf was simply far too tired to go down. 

“Anyway, the main reason I pressed to come out here for the family reunion was that I wanted to get Pa’s permission for a tithe while everyone was there to hear the announcement.” Vernon said with a disappointed sigh. “That’s why this visit was so important to me, and why I’ve been runnin’ myself ragged tryin’ to make everything go as perfectly as possible.”

Vernon scratched the back of his head, his eyes darting away from the rest of the Hunter brood as his muzzle flushed red with embarrassment.

“I figured if everyone was here, then we could work out a good time fer everyone to come back fer the ceremony.” Vernon muttered softly. “I wanted the whole family to be there.” 

The wolf glanced over his shoulder at the indifferent Yuri and the now seemingly despondent Ulric. "Even you fellas, against my better judgment."

Yuri let out a scoff, turning his head away from Vernon’s while Ulric responded by muttering something incomprehensible. 

“Pa’s never going to agree to that.” That had come from Zach, and Vernon turned to find the wolf’s muzzle had returned to its previous somber state, his ears flat against his head.

“Y-you know how Pa is. Once he’s fixed on somethin’ he…” Zach paused, seemingly unable to finish his sentence.

“That I don’t get.” Trenton interjected. “Pa always believed in rehabilitation, and givin’ mammals that were really tryin’ a chance to turn their life around.” The white wolf shrugged. “So Zach’s vague connection to all this justifies never givin’ the little miss her shot?”

“As much as I don’t want to defend the mammal…” Xavier trailed off, the bespectacled wolf seemingly uncomfortable as he rubbed the back of his neck. “It does make sense that it would be hard for him. While Father tries his hardest to live by the law, we are his family.” Xavier adjusted his frames. “ No matter how strong ones personal beliefs are, it is hard to resist the bias of a personal connection. And what stronger connection does one have than the bonds of blood?”

“Well, hopefully after our talk I might be able to bring the old wolf around to the idea.” Vernon said with a sigh. “I’m not proud of it, but if need be I’ll get Ma’s help.”

Wade chuckled. “Yeah, Ma’s purty good at getting Pa to…ahem…” The wolf coughed harshly into his paw before flashing the other wolves a grin. “Listen to reason.”

“But what if he doesn’t?” Zach added, his features still laced with concern. “What if he refuses to change his mind?”

“Then Vernon doesn’t get his way, simple as that.” Yuri said with a snort. “Fer once.”

“Yuri how can you be so cruel!” Xavier hissed. “This is love we are talking about, do you think Vernon would treat you the same way if he were in your sole-pads?" 

Yuri scoffed. “Pfft, I’m never getting tithed.” The black wolf flashed a wide grin. “Me and Ada have an arrangement.”

“Does Ada know that?” Trenton asked, flashing a smug grin.

Yuri scoffed again, turning his muzzle away from the other wolves.

“Well, Dawn and me are already making the arrangements to have a caprid ceremony. Somethin’ small with a few close friends and her Ma to honor her side of the family.” Vernon muttered. “Gus is a licensed caprid officiator, so we won’t have a problem finding someone willin’ to do a pred/prey ceremony.”

“And I take it you plan to file partnership documents?” Xavier asked.

Vernon gave a nod. “As soon as were back in the city we’ll have the papers drafted up. With our connections in city hall, we shouldn’t have a problem getting’ approval over it.”

“But the tithe?” Zach asked, the worried looking wolf said with a whimper.

Vernon let out a tired sigh. He had been keeping his most drastic backup plan rather close to his chest, but the wolf supposed if he couldn't tell his brothers, who could he tell? 

“In the unlikely event that Pa…well…” Vernon shook his head. “Sticks to his guns…then I’m afraid I’m gonna have to pull somethin’ drastic.”

Xavier pursed his lips, the bespectacled wolf furrowing his brow in concern. “Drastic?” The wolf pressed. “Vernon, what are you thinking?”

Vernon let out a shuddering sigh as he placed his paws on his knees. 

“Look…” Vernon placed a paw to his temple, rubbing it gently. “It ain’t no secret that most of us don’t take too much stock in our whole…native wolf ancestry.” The wolf muttered uneasily. “Aside from Yuri, we don’t even throw around pack terminology.”

“That’s because it’s all bunk.” Trenton muttered.

"Yes, that isolationist attitude and superiority complex has done nothing but drive them to the point of self-extermination." Xavier added.

“Believe me, I’m far from a fan of their traditions either.” Vernon huffed. “I’m with our great grandma when it comes to Native Wolves, which is where I got the idea…”

“Great Grandma?” Wade asked, the wolf seemingly clueless.

Xavier looked equally as confused for a moment before a sudden flash of realization flickered behind his eyes. In mere moments the wolf’s expression turned to one of aghast horror.“W-wait, you don’t mean..?” The wolf trailed off, placing a paw to his muzzle in shock.

Vernon gave a soft nod, taking a deep breath in order to steel himself for what he was about to say. While Xavier had clearly caught on, the others seemed to remain in the dark about what the wolf was implying. It was an option the wolf really didn’t want to think about, let alone have to use. But where his Honey Lamb was concerned, the wolf was willing to do anything.

“If Pa says no, then I’m givin’ up the Hunter name.” Vernon said with a sad sigh.

The room fell silent as the other brothers exchanged unsure and confused glances. Xavier however looked as if he had taken ill, the wolf’s acute horror seemingly confirmed by Vernon’s words. 

“Wait, old Runty’s gonna be out of the family!?” Yuri chirped in a gleeful tone. “Well it must be my birthday!”

“Vernon, YOU CAN'T!" Xavier whined, his voice fraught with concern. "It's absolutely preposterous! Just because our Father sai-"

"If he won't give me permission fer the ceremony...if he refuses to embrace Dawn as one of our our own then..." The wolf paused, finding thew words somehow difficult to say. His throat seemed to tighten as he managed to press onward. "Then I have to opt fer expulsion from our pack.” Vernon said, crossing his arms defiantly. "That way I won't need his permission to make Dawn a part of our pack. We'll just make our own."

“Vernon’s gonna be a real Omega!” Yuri laughed aloud. “Oh ‘mam, looks like I was right about you all along Runt! Glad you’ve finally come to accept it!”

“SHUT UP YURI!” Xavier snapped, the wolf seemed to be beside himself with worry.

“So what, yer gonna have no last name?” Trenton asked.

“I’ll be tithin’ as a Bellwether.” Vernon said confidently, but there was a hint of sadness in his voice. 

Yuri had descended into cackling, the black wolf now rolling around in his bed.

“Oh this is perfect! PERFECT!” The jet black wolf laughed. “ Instead of her wiping her slate clean by hiding behind the Hunter name, old Vermin will be stuck as a Bellwether! What a proud family lineage to be a part of!” The wolf continued.

Vernon had long since stopped paying attention to Yuri’s antics. The gravity of the conversation keeping him focused on the reactions of the brothers who actually cared. Between Zach, Wade, Trenton, and Xavier, the brothers looked absolutely crestfallen.

“B-but that means…” Wade muttered sadly.

Vernon nodded. “Means I won’t be allowed to come to the Ranch anymore. That this place won’t be my home anymore.” Vernon sighed. “And you fella’s well…”

“We won’t be considered your brothers anymore.” Zach said somberly.

The wolf gave a sad, meek nod as the group fell silent. Looking at his brothers now made the concept of self-elected expulsion that much more stomach-churning to Vernon. Trenton, Wade, Xavier and the rest of them were the first friends he had ever had, and outside of Dawn, they were the mammals he was closest to. And while pack expulsion was simply a concept, more or less upheld by those involved with it privately, and not from a legal standpoint, Vernon would have to enforce it as if it were law. If his actions were to mean anything to his Father, to his family, the wolf would have to be the one to stand by his own decision without faltering.

Dawn deserved the ceremony, they both did. Its symbolic importance was something tantamount to those of Norwulff ancestry. Even if it was something that remained privately observed among the pack, with little more to prove it had been performed than the tattoos on their palms, it was the deepest expression of love one wolf could show to his mate. Denial was not an option for Vernon, and while they could go on without Dorian's approval, going so far to get their marks and lie to those outside the pack about the true nature of the ewe's status, Vernon would know. He had to make a statement, to stand against his Father as strongly as he could to force the wolf to budge. And if he refused to relent, than Vernon was prepared to accept the consequences. One way or another Dawn was getting that 'tithing' ceremony, even if Vernon had to toss away his name to give it the meaning it deserved.

“Well…” Wade muttered. “W-we can still see each other right?” The wolf whined.

“If, the gods forbid, it came to that?” Trenton added.

Vernon managed a soft smile.

“Well, our home is always open to ya’ll if you’d be willin’ to visit.” Vernon said hopefully. “And it would mean the world to us if you would come to our tithin’, even if it ain’t Hunter ordained.”

Xavier shook his head, the wolf seemed to be trying to hold back tears as he grit his teeth.

“Of course Vernon, Malcolm and I will be there.” Xavier managed to smile. “Regardless of the circumstance.”

“Me and Qali too.” Trenton added, placing his paw on Vernon's shoulder again.  
"You can count on it."

“And you know Vanna and I will be there.” Zach added, placing his paw on Vernon’s remaining shoulder. The russet wolf flashed his trademark grin. “And you know that you’ll be welcome in Vanna and my home once it is finished. Even if I have to build the thing without that grizzled old greyfur’s help!” Zach gave a weak laugh.

“And you know Giselle and I will stand with you” Wade added. “ I mean heck, you two are the reason I even was able to muster the courage to ask that giraffe out.”

The room fell deadly silent again as Wade’s words passed loudly into the ether, Vernon and the others practically freezing in place as they each registered the dusky grey wolf’s statement. Vernon simply blinked in shock, his mind desperately double checking with his muzzle that he hadn’t been the one to reveal the secret Wade had begged him to keep. Trenton, who had been the only other wolf in the know, seemed to be doing his damnedest to force down a bemused smirk, but he was failing miserably. Meanwhile, Xavier and Zach were seemingly lost in a haze of confusion, as if their minds were failing to parse exactly what species Wade had said his mate was. 

Vernon turned slowly to face Wade, the wolf still smiling stupidly at the others as if he hadn’t said anything out of the ordinary. Vernon wanted to speak, to say anything to Wade, but words failed him as he continued to blink dumbly at the grey wolf. For a moment Wade stared back in confusion, before slowly succumbing to abject horror as he slapped his paws against his muzzle. The wolf’s now panicked eyes darting around from brother to brother as the realization overtook him.

"So…Giselle is a giraffe?" Zach asked, quirking an eyebrow as a wide grin crept across his muzzle.

“B-B-“ Wade stammered, the wolf was blushing madly now as he struggled to find his words. “I didn’t, I me-“ Wade dragged a paw down his face.

“Oh ho ho…” Zach laughed. “So we got another prey chaser in our midst!” The russet wolf laughed.

Xavier placed a paw to his muzzle as he tried to stifle the laughter rising in his throat. "My…" Xavier snicker. "How…exotic."

Wade seemed to be sweating profusely now. The wolf opened his maw for a moment, but all that managed to escape was a strange squeaking noise before he clamped his muzzle shut with his paws.

“Oh I have so many questions…” Trenton said, his grin widening to almost chesirin proportions.

“How does that even work?” Zach asked. “Like mechanically?”

“Exactly.” Trenton nodded at the russet wolf in agreement. “I can’t even begin to imagine.”

Wade looked back to Vernon, his eyes pleading for help has his muzzle failed him. Vernon let out a soft chuckle. “Sorry bud, I can’t help you outta this one.”

"So, when you two are in bed…" Zach trailed off, his voice almost sing-song in its teasing tone. "Do you need like, an elevator to move around to the different areas? Or do you just run it like a marathon?"

“Oh my, that sounds exhausting.” Xavier chuckled darkly.

“I-well…I…” Wade stuttered weakly. 

“Are giraffe tongues as big as they say?” Trenton asked. “Because I’ve heard quite a few…lurid tales.” 

Wade let out another squeak, the flush on his muzzle growing more crimson by the second.

"And flexible." Yuri joined the conversation again, the dark wolf laughing as he glared back at the rest of the pack. "Must give a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘Deep Throat’.

“SHUT UP!” Wade whined, grasping his pillow and wrapping it tightly around his head. With a heavy ‘Whump’, the wolf crumpled into his mattress, seemingly trying to bury himself as deep as Vernon had been earlier in the evening. Vernon had reached his limit at that point, joining the rest of his brothers as they broke into a fit of laughter.


	30. Girls Night: Self Reflection

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Thirty: Girls Night: Self Reflection

"I was completely bare from the waist up." The ewe continued, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke." I was shaking like a leaf, shivering with every breath as I stared back up into those shimmering deep green eyes of his. His looming form just shuddering as his hungry eye's scanned over every inch of me." Dawn sighed, the blush on her muzzle growing deeper. “He was breathing just as heavy as I was, and every few moments I could see his tongue just…tracing his muzzle…” Dawn cooed. “Lapping at the edges of his maw as he watched over me…”

The other girls were practically surrounding Dawn now, the ewe cocooned between the massive tigress, the chubby wolf, and the diminutive fox all. All of them squeezed tightly up against her as they focused their attention on the ewe. They were each sporting light blushes of their own, with Qali burying her muzzle into a pillow she was clutching for dear life as she watched Dawn intently. Dawn had been weaving quite the tale, and by now, all the Hunter girls had become ensnared by her lurid retelling of her first time with Vernon.

Ada, while not on the same mattress, was practically hanging off of her own bed as she listened intently, a satisfied grin never leaving her muzzle as she watched.

“And I felt like I was on fire…” Dawn continued, rubbing her upper arms with her hooves. “Like there was electricity just shooting through me, burning a hole through me. I wanted him so badly I could barely stand it.”

The ewe adjusted her frames slightly, a smirk crawling across her muzzle.

“Yet despite everything, all the rushing hormones and emotions, I had this one…ridiculous nagging thought.” Dawn shook her head dismissively.

“What was it!?” Qali chirped, practically leaping forward as she spoke.

“Despite everything, now that my top was off, a part of me couldn’t help but be worried that my breasts were too small…”

The girls erupted into uproarious laughter, Qali practically rolling off the bed as Vanna pounded a paw against her pillow. Ada’s trademark hyena cackle was out in full effect as the large hyeness rolled onto her back, howling with laughter. And Malcolm held his stomach in pain as he wheezed out laugh after laugh. 

Dawn was kicking her legs wildly as she erupted into a giggle fit of her own, the ewe delighting in just how hard she had made her new found sisters laugh. So far, aside from the picnic, the impromptu slumber party with the Hunter girls had quickly become the highlight of her night. It was certainly doing wonders in regards to keeping her thoughts away from the argument she had with Dorian earlier that evening. The wolf’s bitter, hateful screed still weighed on the ewe certainly, and Dawn knew it would be impossible to fully shake the decisive and hurtful decision regarding her place among the Hunter pack from her mind for the remaining portion of the trip. But for now, the joy and revelry had easily drowned it out, keeping her thoughts about the icy white wolf down to little more than a muffled whisper in the back of her mind. 

“Oh gods, I know just what you mean!” The fox attempted to cut through the groups giggling. Qali did her best to stifle her own laughter as she struggled to add her two cents to the conversation. The diminutive fox managed to right herself while keeping her arms fastened tightly around the pillow she was holding, turning her gaze back toward to mass of mammals at the head of the bed. 

“The first time when Trenny and I were…you know…” Qali let out another giggle as a blush formed on her muzzle. “Intimate.” The fox bobbed her eyebrows suggestively, speaking the word in a hushed and secretive tone before returning to her usual chirpy candor. “I felt exactly the same way!”

Dawn smiled widely at the petite fox. “Really?”

Qali gave a brisk, rapid nod before leaning back in closer to the other girls. Now lying on the pillow she had previously been strangling, the fox rested her head on her paws.

"Oh yeah." Qali continued. "We had been seeing each other for about a month when things just…escalated," Qali said with a smirk.

“’Escalated huh?” Malcolm said, forming a wry grin of his own.

Qali giggled. “We had just gotten back to his apartment after dinner, and just pounced on each other!” The fox wrapped her arms around her pillow again, squeezing it as tightly as before. “Well…more like I pounced on him and felled him like a Fraser Fur!” 

“I’m surprised dat fella can even keep up witch youse.” Ada said with a laugh. “Is dat why he always seems so worn out?”

“That’s just Trenton's personality," Vanna interjected, emitting a low chuckle of her own. 

Qali rolled her eyes slightly. “Oh believe me, that wolf has no problems keeping up. I think Trenny could put a hare in heat to shame if given the chance.” The fox flashed the hyena a smug grin. “And thanks to all that training for his job he’s…well he’s got the muscles to back it up.” 

The fox let out an amorous sigh, fluttering her eyelids as a dreamlike stare overtook her features. It was short lived however, as a wince quickly replaced her pleasant smile, and her ears sagged mournfully. "And that's when I started to get nervous."

“Oh?” Dawn asked. 

Qali gave a sluggish nod, seemingly uneasy as she recalled her emotional state from that night. “I remember I had finally managed to claw his shirt off.” Qali chuckled weakly. ”I had to practically crawl up him to do it, but I had finally managed to get it off of him.”

“That’s better than my first attempt," Dawn said with a laugh. "Vernon had to take his own shirt off; he was just too tall for me to manage it on my own.”

Dawn’s admission elicited another short burst of giggles from the group.

Qali seemed to squeeze her pillow tighter as her blush deepened. “Now I had never seen Trenny with his shirt off, so I was super eager to unwrap that candy bar.” Qali smiled warmly. “And when I finally got a look at what was underneath…well…”

“How was it?” Vanna asked.

Qali waved a paw at herself, as if fanning away a building heat. “Whew…” Qali panted softly. “That wolf was cut.” Qali lapped at her muzzle slightly as the dreamy look returned to her face. “Like, I could just make out the muscles under his fur. It was better than I could have possibly imagined.” The diminutive fox raised her paws, clasping her fingers repeatedly as if she were grabbing the air. “Part of me just wanted to run my pads up and down those abs for the rest of the night!”

“So when do we get to da bad part?” Ada said chuckling. “Cause youse are startin’ to confuse me here, are you complainin’ that your mate is jacked?” 

Qali sat up, briskly shaking her head no and waving her paws out defensively. “Oh no! Not at all!” Qali asserted before slumping back down against her pillow. “I definitely loved what I saw, believe me!” The fox flashed a weak grin. “I was practically drooling.”

"I don't know about that..." Vanna muttered.

Qali let out a slight huff. "Please, I'd like to think I have some kind of self-control."

"Was huh?" Ada asked with a smirk. "Sure you wasn't literally droolin'?"

Qali opened her mouth seemingly to retort, but Dawn was quick to interject.

"But it made you self-conscious about yourself?" Dawn asked, seeming to pick up what the arctic fox was getting at.

Qali clutched the pillow close to her chest, squeezing it as if she were trying to cover herself. 

“I-I’m not the most voluptuous vixen out there…” Qali sighed. “I don’t have plump swaying hips, and I’m flat as a board.” The petite fox frowned. “I felt like I didn’t have anything to…” Qali paused, seemingly trying to find her words. “Really offer Trenny in the physical department.”

The little fox sat straight up; releasing the pillow she had been holding and allowing it to fall into her lap. The usually jovial and peppy fox seemed to take on a rather serious expression, something the ewe would have had a hard time picturing on her if it weren't for the fact she was seeing it. 

"I don't know how much you guys know about foxes," Qali said. "I mean about how most mammals tend to see them.”

“Sneaky, shifty, sly, sweet-talkin’ types dat are neva to be trusted," Ada said sarcastically. “You guys have it pretty rough.”

“And that's just the boys," Qali said sadly. "I mean, it's something all foxes deal with when it comes to how other mammals see us. But those are usually the first thoughts that come to mind when most mammals think of your average tod."

Dawn nodded knowingly. She had heard and accumulated her own poorly thought out misconceptions in her early years with foxes, just as she had with wolves. Of course, with her rehabilitation, as well as her reconnection with Judy she had developed a greater understanding as to the pressure those ideas place on the species at large. Judy had a second-paw account of just some of the struggles that foxes had to go through in their day to day life, and how Nick had folded under the cruelty of others to resign himself to accepting the role that society had decided for him with gusto. But when it came to vixens, the ewe knew less of what struggles they faced. Val was the only vixen Dawn could say she somewhat knew, and the vixen remained enigmatic to pretty much everyone around her.

“For all the flak foxes get, vixens experience a different sort of stereotype.” The diminutive fox lolled her head as she began what almost seemed like a well-rehearsed list. “Where tods are always sneaky and agile, vixens are expected to be svelte and graceful. Where tods use their charisma to get by, vixens use their charm and beauty.” Qali raised her paws up. “Vixens have practically become the standard of beauty when it comes to the canid society. The pinnacle of predatory grace and style."

The diminutive vixen’s paws flopped to her sides lamely.

“I can’t even count how many vixen actresses there are, and models?” Qali rolled her eyes. “Forget about it, they practically dominate the fashion world.”

The tiny fox put her hands on her hips, letting out a huff of air in order to shift her draping fur coif out of her eye.

"The public expects vixens to be these busty, curvy, and infectiously charming mammals." Qali huffed. "And we aren't built like that. Our species was built to be thin, lean and agile!" The arctic fox waved a paw toward herself, gesturing down her tiny form. "Barely any body fat to spare!"

“Well, I don’t think its any secret that all that glitzy stuff is all Howlywood hocus pocus and airbrushin’," Malcolm said reassuringly. "Out where I'm from it's hard to find a mammal that ain't had some form o' plastic surgery."

"And that's the problem," Qali muttered, her ears sagging as she slackened her stance. "The way other mammals see us feeds back into fox culture, and puts pressure on us to conform to that image, with other vixens looking down their snout at those who aren't as svelte and voluptuous." The fox sighed. "We end up policing ourselves, forcing each other to live up to this stupid image that vixens like Maid Marian, Veronica Leash, Marilyn Murrnroe unintentionally cut out for us."

Qali dragged a finger around the edge of her coif, once again trying to shift it out of her eye only for it to quickly slip back into place.

"When my sisters and I were little kits, growing up and seeing these other vixens on TV, we were mesmerized.” The fox let out a sad sigh. “I know I was." Qali placed a paw on her forehead. "They were so elegant and so pretty, and I would think ‘Wow, I can’t wait to grow up and be just like them.

Qali slumped back down against her pillow, hugging it tightly against herself as she let out a soft whine.

“Then I grew up and realized that I was never going to look like them.” The fox buried her muzzle into the pillow, hiding her face. “That almost all vixens don’t look that way without extensive surgery, and yet that’s what most mammals just ‘expected’ me to look like. That's what most other foxes 'thought' I should look like."

Vanna reached a paw out toward the diminutive fox, placing it gently on her back and rubbing it softly. 

“I’m sorry Qali.” Vanna cooed softly.

"Me too," Dawn added. "That sounds like a terrible precedent to live under.”

The fox poked her head up slightly from its resting place deep within the pillow, eyeing the nearby mammals with sad, glossy eyes.

"I-its fine," Qali muttered. "I mean I-I try not to think about it you know?"

The girls shared a nod at the fox’s question.

“But when I was suddenly staring down Trenny’s delectable, sculpted body…” Qali uttered with a smirk. “Something that was supposed to be exciting and titillating…” The fox chuckled weakly. “and yet suddenly I was feeling scared because I realized he was going to see me naked too.”

“So what didja do?” Ada asked, the hyeness leaning off the edge of her bed as her attention remained fixed on the fox.

“I tell you, I’ve never moved more slowly in my life.” Qali laughed. “I did everything I could to delay taking my shirt off, and when it finally came down to Trenny being forced to do the job for me I quickly covered myself up with my arms and refused to move them.” Qali shook her head dismissively. “Trenny had to spend five minutes trying to convince me to stop covering my chest.” Qali chuckled. “I wanted to keep going, but at the same time I didn’t want him to be disappointed.” 

“I find it hard to believe he’d be disappointed.” Malcolm chuckled. “I mean, it ain’t like you were stuffin’ yer bra, he must have had some inkling of what to expect.”

“I know it made no sense!” Qali chirped, sitting back up. The fox pulled her pillow close to her again. “But I couldn’t help it! I was so nervous! I wanted Trenny to like what he saw!”

"Irrational fears are just that," Dawn added, recalling some of her therapist's wisdom. "Even if you know there shouldn't be anything to fear, you can't help yourself."

Qali nodded briskly. “Exactly!” The fox let out a soft whine. "I was so worked up I had to close my eyes and grit my teeth before I was able to muster the strength to force my arms to my sides," Qali said, dramatically forcing her arms to her sides as her pillow fell back into her lap. The room fell silent briefly in the wake of the fox's sudden gesture, her eyes snapped shut as if she were reliving the moment.

“So…” Ada broke the silence, quirking an eyebrow.” How was the reveal?”

The diminutive fox developed a sudden fierce blush, and soon enough she had buried her muzzle back into her pillow. Her eyes darted from mammal to mammal as she wiggled her muzzle against the fabric as tightly as she could, seemingly too bashful to retell exactly what was said. 

“P-perfect…” Qali cooed softly.

“What was dat?’ Ada asked, placing a paw to her ear as she leaned over the gap between the beds.

"He said they were perfect," Qali muttered loud enough to hear before burying her face completely into her pillowcase.

That managed to draw a chorus of ‘Aww’s’ from the collective group of girls, forcing the fox to bury herself deeper into the pillow.

Dawn placed a hoof to her heart as she felt it skip a beat. Vernon had said the same thing when she had been lying bare before him, with nothing but pure love and adoration in his eyes. 

“T-that’s what Vernon said to me…” Dawn sighed warmly as she recalled their first night.

The fox perked up from her hiding place, flashing the ewe a look of shock before developing a warm smile of her own. 

Another chorus of pleasant sighs rippled through the Hunter girls, Malcolm going so far as to clasp his paws to his chest in admiration of the two mammals similar romantic tales. 

"Boy, looks like doze boys been reading from da same playbook huh?” Ada said with a chuckle.

Vanna let out a chuckle of her own. “Well Dorian may be as stubborn as an Ox, but he did manage to raise some real Gentlemammals.”

"Yuri excluded," Qali said with a grin. 

Ada grimaced sharply. “Hey, I told yas, he can be a real sweet guy!” The hyeness protested. “Ya just don’t see trew him like I do!”

"Maybe I need a better prescription," Dawn said, taking her glasses off and pretending to inspect them with a chuckle. Dawn’s little act managing to earn a few laughs from the other Hunter girls.

Ada let out a scoff, crossing her arms defensively. “Alright fuzz butt, watch yourself or I’ll make sure you’ll end up needin’ more den glasses!”

Dawn chuckled, taking a moment to inspect her glasses before reluctantly sliding them back on to her face.

“Please, these are bad enough to have to deal with," Dawn muttered, letting out a soft sigh as she slumped back against her pillows.

Ada chuckled softly. “I take it yer bust ain’t da only ting you ain’t happy wit?”

Dawn rolled her eyes. “Take your pick.” The ewe said, gesturing up and down her body with her hooves.

“I’m probably half the size of your average ewe.” The ewe grumbled. Dawn raised an arm, flexing it slightly before gesturing at the pitiful display with her other hoof. “And I’m extremely frail and weak because of that.”

“I don’t know about that…” Malcolm chuckled. “I mean, if yer matin’ with a wolf without bein’ broken in half, I’d say yer stronger than you think.” The red wolf bobbed his eyebrows suggestively at the ewe.

Dawn placed a hoof over her muzzle in order to stifle a rising giggle, giving the wolf a playful swat with her free paw.

"I'm trying to be serious!" Dawn said, a few stray laughs escaping as she tried her best to remain firm in tone. The wolf let out a chuckle of his own.

"Alright, alright..." Malcolm snickered. "Carry on Darlin'."

Dawn let out a sigh as she re-adjusted her frames, doing her best to shake off the lingering giggles before pressing forward.

"I mean, I'm not really built as well as other sheep tend to be." Dawn shrugged. "I mean, ewes can be dainty and soft and all, but I'm not even as strong as your average ewe."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Vanna interjected. "There are plenty of other ways to be strong."

"Says da eight-foot tall tigress built like a brick wall," Ada said with a dull chuckle.

Vanna rolled her eyes slightly before placing a reassuring paw on Dawn's shoulder.

"Trust me, it isn't all it's cracked up to be," Vanna said with a sigh. "Being an officer of the law requires me to stay fit and in-shape. But when it comes to tigers it doesn't take a lot of work to build your muscles up." Vanna grimaced slightly. "Our species were built for power, built to be strong and quick."

"Dis was supposta make Dawn feel bedda how exactly?" Ada flashed the tigress a smug smirk.

Vanna placed a paw over her eyes, dragging it down her muzzle as she let out an annoyed huff.

"The reason I mention it is because there is a trade-off for that power." Vanna threw the hyeness a dull glare before continuing. "You see, much like Qali, our species was built to be lean. So our females naturally have a smaller bust size than most other species."

"Ah, so it's ya bust size too eh?" Ada said with a laugh. "Why are all of yaz so obsessed with ya boobs!? Most boys are more den happy to take anyting dey can get!"

"I don't care about my breasts!" Vanna declared with a snarl, wrapping her arms tightly against her chest as if she were shielding them from Ada's prying eyes. She held herself that way for a few moments before noticing her own involuntary action, and quickly dropping her arms back to her sides. "I mean, that's not the issue..." Vanna continued.

"Then what is it?" Malcolm asked, the husky wolf quirking an eyebrow.

Vanna let out a terse and tired sigh, and Dawn could see a red tinge forming on the fur beneath her muzzle.

"Look, the thing is..." Vanna shook her head briskly. "With the already small bust size, a fit female tiger becomes a bit...harder to discern from a fit male tiger."

"OooOOOoooHHhhh...." Qali cooed, realization apparent on the little fox's face as she leaned over her tightly clutched pillow toward the massive tigress. "So everyone thinks your a boy?"

Vanna placed a paw over her face, her muzzle tightening into a frown. 

"I imagine if I took my shirt off in public, nine out of ten mammals would confuse me for one of Gazelle's dancers." Vanna grumbled. "It doesn't help that I'm big for my species to begin with."

"Oh my..." Dawn murmured, placing a hoof on Vanna's arm reassuringly. "I'm sorry Vanna."

"Hmm..." Ada placed a paw to her chin as she leaned closer toward the group on the opposite bed. The large canid squinting her eyes as she inspected the tigress carefully.

"I can see it," Ada said with a smirk.

Vanna let out a weak, defeated groan as she hunched over in shame.

"Aw lay off Ada." Malcolm chided, placing a paw on the tigress and joining Dawn in her attempts to reassure the big kitty cat. "I'm sure it's hard enough fer Vanna to open up about this as it is without ya'll addin' to it."

Ada lolled her head back as she rolled her eyes. "I'm just playin' geeze!" 

"No, she's right, and that's what makes it so insufferable," Vanna said sadly. "I'm so tall and I have such a broad, flat upper body that at first glance almost everyone assumes I'm a male. I can't tell you how many times I've been addressed as 'sir' while doing my duty." Vanna raised her paws sharply. "So many of the locals, even several of the other officers assumed the same when first meeting me!" Vanna's paws flopped lamely back to her sides as she let out a long, exasperated sigh.

"Hearing that, day in and day out...It just makes me feel so..." Vanna shook her head dismissively, placing a paw over muzzle as she shut her eyes tightly. "So un-feminine."

Dawn rubbed the tigresses arm in an attempt to reassure her. It was true, even gazing at Vanna now that, in contrast to a mammal like Qali who was very visibly feminine despite her concerns, the large feline looked considerably masculine. In fact, had Dawn not heard Zach preface meeting the large tigress with the fact that she was female, Dawn might have at first assumed the wolf to be in a similar relationship to that of Xavier and Malcolm's. But upon meeting her, it was fairly easy to see the big cat's feminine side. Despite her cold exterior, the tigress carried herself with a distinctly feminine air. And if Dawn had needed any more proof, their embarrassingly girlish duet the night before easily proved the cat to be as feminine as the rest of them.

"Aw, who cares what anyone else thinks Vanna girl." Malcolm chimed in, giving the large feline a playful pat on the arm. "We love you, and Zach loves ya, and we all know yer just another one of the girls."

Malcolm had more or less taken the words right out of Dawn's muzzle, aside from adding his distinctive drawl. Vanna however, seemed just as down about her predicament as before.

"I know...I just.." The tigress dragged a paw down her face as she let out a weak groan. Vanna turned her head up toward the ceiling, looking up and away from the others.

"I just sometimes worry that I'm not...pretty enough for Zach." The tigress mumbled uncomfortably. "I mean there are plenty of attractive tigresses out there, and even more attractive mammals if he wasn't looking for a tigress specifically. I just..." Vanna's head drooped into her waiting paws, the large feline now sporting a sharp frown as she buried herself deeper into her paw pads.

"I sometimes wonder if Zach settled for less when he 'tithed' to me." Vanna whimpered. " Not only did he 'tithe' a mammal outside of his species, but someone who is regularly confused for a male. He could have easily gone for any girl he wanted with his job, his looks, his personality, but now he's stuck with me."

"Hey," Dawn said firmly, giving the tigress' arm a firm jostling to draw her attention. Vanna pulled herself from her paws in order to glance towards the tiny ewe staring back up at her. Dawn could see what seemed to be the start of tears in her eyes, something she had thought the tigress was beyond capable of.

"He loves you." Dawn said in a serious tone. "That's why he 'tithed' to you Vanna, because he loves you."

Vanna let out a soft whimper, something uncharacteristic of the large feline. "I know, but-"

"But nothin'!" Malcolm chimed in, the wolf clutching the felines arm tightly as he spoke. "Has he ever said anythin' about yer looks botherin' him Darlin'?"

Vanna offered a meek, seemingly forced smile. "W-well no. I just worr-"

"Well, what does he say!?" Qali chirped, the fox clasping her pillow tightly as she focused keenly on the tigress.

Vanna blushed slightly, the small smile on her muzzle forming into something more genuine as she tried to hide her face. "T-that I'm beautiful." The blush on her muzzle deepened as she tried to cover her muzzle with a paw. "That I'll always be his big beautiful kitten."

"See, Zach loves ya for who you are!" Malcolm chirped happily. "Just like Xavey loves me despite my little bit extra." The wolf said, patting his stomach as he let out a laugh.

"But doesn't it ever bother you?" Vanna asked, turning her sights to the red wolf. "On a personal level?"

Malcolm frowned slightly. "Well I mean, o'course it does somewhat." The wolf glanced down at his stomach, giving it an appraising rub. "No fella really wants a spare tire and big ol' love handles. But with what I do fer a livin' that was purty much unavoidable." Malcolm laughed. "I can't keep my paws outta the pot fer more than a few seconds at a time when I'm cookin'."

Vanna sighed. "So how do you deal with it?" 

Malcolm scratched the back of his head awkwardly, the wolf seemingly trying to choose his words carefully before speaking.

"Well, I mean...Xavey loves me, and so does my family." Malcolm said with a soft smirk. "'Sides, I figure I'm happier bein a lil' chubby and eatin' good food than dietin' all the time and bein' miserable." The wolf let out another laugh.

"I..." Vanna paused, her expression remaining an uneasy one. "I'm not sure that advice really helps in my case."

"Like snowball said, dere's always surgery," Ada interjected with a barking laugh.

"Oh hush up!" Malcolm retorted. "Vanna is fine the way she is, same as me, Qali and Dawn."

Dawn shifted uncomfortably in place, the ewe's thoughts returning to her own shortcomings as she subconsciously touched her frames.

"Well...surgery isn't always an option..." Dawn muttered quietly, drawing the groups attention back her way.

"You thought about getting a procedure done?" Vanna asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

Dawn gave a meek nod as she shifted her body deeper against the pillows. The ewe clasped her upper arms, rubbing them uneasily as she glanced at the other Hunter girls.

"It wasn't a big deal...I just had a consultation with my optometrist about corrective surgery before my campaign work." Dawn sighed. "I figured I'd stand a better chance at bringing in more votes if I wasn't wearing these giant, goofy glasses of mine."

"I like your glasses!" Qali said, reaching a paw toward Dawn's frames before stopping herself. The diminutive fox quickly retracting her paw as she shrunk into her shoulders.

"S-sorry..." Qali muttered quietly.

Malcolm chuckled. "So touchy-feely girl, you gotta stop that."

"I know, I know!" Qali huffed, burying her muzzle into her pillow.

"I think they suit you Dawn." Vanna added, flashing the ewe a reassuring smile.

"Dough dey do kinda remind me of my grandma's, so I can sees what you was goin' for." Ada said with a smirk. 

The other Hunter girls flashed the hyena a scowl, however, Dawn simply nodded in agreement.

"That was my fear when it came to the voters. That my glasses would scream 'old nan' despite the fact that most sheep have some form of corrective lenses." Dawn sighed.

"Why is that?" Vanna asked.

Dawn shrugged. "Poor depth perception. I read somewhere it was a genetic defect leftover from ancestral sheep, although it is more common in North Mammalian sheep rather than Roaropean sheep." Dawn removed her glasses, neatly folding them on her lap before turning toward Vanna's direction and opening her eyes as wide as she could. The ewe pointed a hoof carefully toward her iris. "It has something to do with the fact that Roaropean sheep have round pupils like mine that generally gives them better vision on average." 

With a sigh the ewe opened her glasses and slid them back onto her muzzle.

"Unfortunately it seemed to skip over me and then some..." Dawn muttered. "I'm as blind as a bat without these things."

"But you decided against getting the procedure?" The large feline queried.

Dawn's head drooped slightly as she let out a soft laugh.

"I didn't even have the option." The ewe replied.

"Why not?" Malcolm asked.

Dawn rolled her eyes slightly. "The doctor told my corneas were much too thin for corrective surgery. There was simply no way around either being stuck with glasses or settling for contact lenses."

"Why dincha' get da lenses den?" Ada questioned the ewe as she continued to hang off the side of her mattress.

"And have to put little bits of plastic in my eyes every day?" Dawn shuddered, clasping her hooves against her upper arms and rubbing them briskly. "Ew, no thank you!"

Another fit of laughter rippled through the Hunter girls, Dawn doing her best to stifle her own giggling by clasping her muzzle with her hooves. 

"I hear that!" Qali giggled, the fox squeezing tightly against her pillow as she rolled in place. "It always creeps me out when anything gets near my eyes."

"I have a habit o' squirmin' myself when my eye doctor has to get up real close to my eyes durin' a check up." Malcolm chuckled. "Ain't exactly the most comfortable position to be in."

"I am at least thankful I was able to get my teeth taken care of though, even if it wasn't really my choice," Dawn said as her laughter trailed off. "It didn't make high school any easier to get through though."

"I take it ya'll had braces then?" Malcolm asked with a smirk.

Dawn rolled her eyes, flicking a hoof playfully toward the wolf as she let out a laugh. "Braces? I had full on headgear." Dawn giggled. "Complete with the straps and everything to keep my adult teeth from coming in skewed."

"Geeze..." Ada said, the hyena cringing slightly as she spoke.

"They called me 'metal mouth' pretty regularly in high school for that," Dawn said sadly. "But it's not as if they weren't calling me plenty of other names by then. It was merely another one for the pile."

"Y'know I heard a ting or two about sheep teeth," Ada said with a soft smirk. "Mostly jokes about sheep never havin' heard of a dentist, or carin' more about dere horns bein' smooth and straight radder den dere molars."

Dawn nodded affirmatively. "Oh certainly. Sheep having terrible teeth is a well-known stereotype, although the basis is not entirely untrue."

"Cause ya'll are heavy grinders right?" Malcolm asked. "The whole prey 'needin' strong flat teeth' to ground down hard to digest stuff?" 

Dawn blinked at the wolf in surprise. "Y-yes, actually." Dawn uttered. "How did you know that?" 

Malcolm flashed the ewe a wide grin, placing his paw to his chest and puffing it out proudly. "I get a lot of prey customers, and knowin' how to make food suited to how they eat it is part of the job."

"Well, these days we sheep and other herbivores don't have to spend as much time chewing or using rumination to process our food considering how most of it is pre-processed." Dawn was quick to continue. "Unless you're set on preparing food the traditional way in prey circles, there is considerably less use for grinding your teeth nearly as much." 

The girls remained attentive despite the ewe's fears of being boring, nodding along as Dawn prattled off more facts about sheepfolk. Despite their seeming intrigue, Dawn was keen to push through as fast as she could to get back to the topic at hoof.

"But that doesn't mean we don't still do it. Especially when we sleep, which is why so many sheep have dental issues." Dawn shrugged. "That's why you see so many rams with their front teeth jutting in several directions. All that back and forth grinding skews them while they are coming in during their teenage years."

"I see a lot o' rams wit jacked up teeth..." Ada interjected. "Especially back in the city, dough not as many lady sheeps."

Dawn nodded affirmatively. "That's because it's less socially acceptable among caprids for the females of their species to have skewed teeth." Dawn rolled her eyes slightly. "It's not considered an 'attractive look'." The ewe said with a giggle.

"I can see why ya'll picked up with Vernon then." Malcolm said with a chuckle. "I mean if you gotta choose between pointy, sharp teeth, or jagged, flat teeth, at least one of 'em is straight."

Dawn giggled, covering her muzzle with her hooves as she kicked her legs at the wolf's joke. 

"Lamb Sakes!" Dawn choked through her laughter. "You don't know how true that is!" Dawn lifted her glasses slightly, using a hoof to brush a stray tear from her eye as she tried to suppress her laughter. "I have yet to cut my tongue on Vernon's teeth, but I have on at least two of my ex's!" 

Dawn collapsed back into her giggling fit, now joined by the rest of the Hunter girls. Vanna did her best to cover her muzzle as she chuckled, while the others laughed wildly. It took a few moments for the clamoring din of joy to finally die away, as one by one the girls managed to get a hold of themselves.

Dawn took her glasses off completely now, rubbing her eyes free of the lingering tears that had formed during her cackling fit. The ewe let out a few more laughs before trailing off into a pleasant sigh.

"I suppose despite all the hazing, the braces ended up being worth it." Dawn smiled broadly, making sure to flash her perfectly straight, albeit slightly crowded teeth. "And thankfully I've never been a chronic sleep grinder."

"No complaints from yer Pup?" Malcolm asked, flashing the ewe a sly grin.

Dawn rolled her eyes, letting out a dismissive chuckle. "Well, I do sleep with a night guard just in case, but even if I didn't have one it's fairly easy to tell if you've been grinding for a while."

"How?" Qali asked, tilting her head aside as she stared back at the ewe curiously.

Dawn nibbled at one of her hooves as she thought over how best to explain the tell tales signs of a ewe who had a bad case of sleep chewing. The ewe briefly glanced up at Vanna, earning a curious glance from the large feline before she turned her attention back to the other girls. Dawn wasn't entirely sure how to describe exactly what to look for without touching on a subject she had just learned Vanna was somewhat sensitive about. But now that she had brought up the subject, she couldn't exactly just drop it.

"Well..." The ewe scratched her chin. "It's really easy to pick up on if you know what to look for, especially when it comes to ewes."

"Whaddey got like a bad ovabite or sometin?" Ada asked, leaning her head against one of her paws.

"Oh no, nothing like that," Dawn replied, shaking her head dismissively. "It's just well...those ewe's that have a chronic grinding problem usually have..." Dawn tapped her hooves together. "Very well defined jaws."

Ada's smile widened as she seemingly picked up on the ewe's implication.

"Ahh, so dey got boy jaws den?" Ada said with a chuckle. 

Dawn shrank into her shoulders at the hyenas words, quickly shifting her attention Vanna's way to see the large felines reaction now that Ada had carelessly blurted out the subject she was trying to dance her way around. The tigress had a slight frown on her muzzle, and despite her obvious efforts to appear unphased by Ada's blunt statement, the large feline had unconsciously brought her paw up to her chin. Vanna let out a soft whine as she attempted to glance down at her own lower jaw, rubbing at it worryingly.

"Ah not dis again!" Ada said, having clearly noticed the tigress' distress. "What, we can't talk about stuff bein' masculine now because youse a sensative about it!?"

Vanna ears pricked up as she drew her attention to Ada before quickly tearing her paw away from her muzzle. 

"What? I didn't- I mean..." Vanna glanced down at her paws, a look of discomfort on her face as she twiddled her fingers. She was quiet for a moment, only to suddenly glance back Ada's way with concern lacing her features.

"My jaw isn't like a males? Is it?" Vanna asked worryingly, a quiet whine escaping her muzzle.

Ada placed a paw over her face as she leaned backward on the bed for dramatic effect.

"Geeze, I don't believe dis..." The words had come from the hyena, but Dawn couldn't see her face now that she was laying backward on the bed.

"Ada c'mon now!" Malcolm chided, waving a finger toward the large mammal's direction. "Now ain't the time to be makin' fun." The wolf said, now sitting up. Malcolm crossed his paws, furrowing his brow at the hyena sprawled out across from the rest of the group. 

Dawn could hear Ada chuckling, but it was odd. It didn't sound as if it were mean-spirited, or as if she were laughing at a joke, but rather the tired and feigned laughter of someone who simply couldn't believe what she was hearing. The hyeness' weak laughter trailed off into a sigh as Ada rose from her bed. The canid taking a seated stance on her mattress as she stared back at the rest of the Hunter girls. The look on her face was oddly stern and serious.

"Vanna, trust me...youse are fine." Ada said, shaking her head. "Youse goils are all beauts, and as femmy as dey come. Right odda da box." Ada grinned weakly. "I know a ting or two about comin' off masculine, let me tells ya."

"You do?" Qali asked, the fox now pressing herself off the pillow she had been clutching, her rapt attention now focused on the hyena across the way.

Ada rolled her eyes. "Ain't none of youse eva heard anyting about spotted hyenas before?"

Dawn glanced around to find the rest of the girls more or less shared the same blank expression that she was wearing. Despite being quite the studious mammal growing up, the ewe knew very little about the species. The Hyena population in North Mammalia was considerably small, and even more so in Zootopia proper for reasons Dawn didn't really know. So information about the species was not something the ewe had spent a great deal of time absorbing.

"N-no, not really..." Dawn muttered, tapping her hooves together nervously.

"Not even da jokes!?" Ada spat, her voice a mixture of disbelief and what sounded like unease.

Dawn gave a meek, simple nod, only to get a long and tired sigh in response.

"Well, foist off." Ada smirked. "Udda mammals always got us pegged fa canines."

"You mean, you aren't?" Qali asked, tilting her head slightly allowing her ears to flop from one side to the other.

Ada rolled her eyes as she let out a barking laugh. "We'se our own species o'course! But we ain't related to canines at all!"

"I don't understand," Dawn muttered, squinting at the hyeness slightly. "I mean, I don't want to be rude but it's just-"

Ada held her paws out to stop the ewe. "I know, I know, I look like a canine and make noise like 'em, but I ain't. Not even way back on da evolutionary chart." 

"Well, if ya ain't related to canines then what are ya exactly?" Malcolm asked.

"Well, hyenas like me are actually closa to cats den dogs." Ada said, flashing Vanna a smirk. "So technically me and Kit Kat ova dere are closer genetically den Snowball."

"Oh, thats bull." Vanna retorted, crossing her arms.

Ada closed her eyes, smiling widely as she shook her head from side to side. "Believe what yas want, but it's true." The hyena laughed. "Aldough I like to see it as bein' da perfect inbetween point between yous and Qails, a little of both mammals."

"Fascinating," Dawn said, adjusting her glasses. It was hard to parse, staring at the large...erm...feline before her, that despite how much more she closely resembled the Hunters rather than a mammal like Vanna, that she was indeed closer to the big cat family. Dawn was sure to make a mental note to be careful not to mistakenly refer to the hyena as anything other than feline from now on.

"But dats da fun one..." Ada said, her usual jovial expression seeming to fall as she slipped back into a more serious tone. "I seriously can't believe none of youse eva hoid da jokes. Not one?" Ada asked.

Dawn gave a decisively negative shake of her head, assuming the others more or less had followed suit as the hyena let out another tired sigh. Ada pinched the bridge of her muzzle for a moment, seemingly trying to steel herself for whatever she was going to say. It was surprising to the ewe to say the least, seeing the hyena so serious. It seemed like something she was incapable of, much like Vanna showing any sort of insecurity. Then again, the night had already proven to be full of surprises.

"Well...ya see..." Ada pushed the sagging coif of hair away from her face as she continued. "Ancient spotted hyenas were sorta...unique." Ada grimaced. "Particularly da ladies."

Dawn raised an eyebrow curiously. "How so?"

Ada rolled her eyes, letting out a shuddering breath as she seemed to struggle with her words. 

"Well...dey...I mean..." Ada broke her gaze, looking down at her lap. With one of her paws she grappled her upper arm, rubbing it awkwardly. "Dey was packin' somtin' extra..." Ada raised her head slightly, making eye contact with Dawn only for a moment before looking away again.

"Downstairs..." Ada muttered.

The ewe was confused to say the least. She couldn't imagine what 'extra' thing Ada was hinting at. She had heard that some females of differing mammal species sometimes developed stray teats and so on below the belt line, but such things were easy to remove, and most didn't talk about such things with such gravity. They were a common condition that was easy to fix and usually removed at birth.

Dawn glanced at the other girls, all seeming to be just as confused as she was. Their eyes scanning each other for any inkling of reasoning as to what Ada was getting at. They must have remained that way for some time, as the hyena seemingly tired of their silent deliberation.

"A PENIS okay!" Ada snarled, blushing fiercely as she spat the words. "Ancient hyenas goils had PENISES!" Ada yelped before clasping her paws against her face in shame.

Dawn was frozen, her mouth agape as she tried to process what Ada had said. It simply didn't make sense, and her mind refused to process the information. The ewe tried to think of a response, a question, a word of reassurance, but all fell away under the utter confusion and the obvious contradiction.

"Wait, ya'll serious?" Malcolm asked, sounding as dumbfounded as Dawn's mind was. "How-I mean-Yeah, how would that even work?"

Ada placed a paw on the back of her neck, straining it back against her as she tilted her head back, keeping her gaze up and away from the other girls.

"I mean, it wasn't exactly a dong..." Ada muttered, discomfort heavy in her voice. "More like a uh...really long..." Ada winced slightly. "Clitoris."

"Like how long?" Qali asked, the fox now leaning nearly off the mattress in the direction of the hyena.

Ada cringed, biting her lip slightly as she struggled to continue.

"L-like seven inches sometimes..." Ada whimpered.

Dawn felt a gasp slip out of her muzzle despite herself. But fortunately, she hadn't been the only one in the room take in a sharp breath at that moment. In fact, she heard a chorus of gasps surrounding her as Ada's statement rippled through the rest of the group. 

"LOOK IT WAS LIKE A MILLION YEARS AGO ANYWAY!" Ada spat, her face flushed with ire and embarrassment. "DAT'S JUST HOW DEY EVOLVED! AND DEY GAVE BOITH TROUGH IT! BUT IT AIN'T DAT WAY ANYMORE OKAY!?"

"Lamb Sakes..." Dawn murmured softly. 

"That musta hurt sumthin' fierce." Malcolm added.

"I'm still having a hard time understanding exactly how something like that would work." Vanna muttered. The large tigress placing a paw to her muzzle, tapping a finger under her nose as she seemed to be trying to figure out the details. "I mean, if the boys have a penis, and so did the girls, then how did spotted hyenas breed?"

Ada clasped a paw over her eyes, letting out an irritated groan. It was clear the hyena was having a hard enough time navigating this bombshell of a statement without having to spend an eternity explaining the nuances of it all. But Dawn found herself far too curious to interject. Vanna had been right, it didn't make any sense from a reproductive standpoint, and that needed at least some form of explanation.

"Look..." Ada grumbled, gesturing a paw towards the rest of the group. "Millions of year ago, lady spotties had sumtin' called a 'psudo-penis' alright?" Ada's tone was a mixture of irritation and disappointment. "It ain't da same ting as a boys junk like I said, it's a big clitoris. But dat's where da boith canal was routed trew." Ada scratched her neck in clear discomfort. "So da boys had to kinda...get dere junk in dere to knock a gal up..."

"Ew..." Qali muttered softly, only to receive a soft swat by Vanna. The little fox glared back up at the tigress, clearly annoyed.

"Hey!" Qali huffed. "What was that for!?"

Vanna rolled her eyes, shaking her head dismissively. 

"Be a little more sensitive gal..." Malcolm chided the vixen. "Ada just dropped a pretty big pastry in our lap. She don't need ya puttin' her down durin' probably the only time she's bein' open to us."

Qali let out another huff as she turned her attention back toward the tongue-tied Hyeness.

"Okay...I think I understand." Dawn muttered, scratching her chin as she pondered the strange information. "But if that was millions of years ago, what makes it relevant now?" The ewe asked curiously.

"Unless you are telling us that...you...?" Vanna trailed off, the tigress wincing sharply as she seemed unable to finish her sentence.

Ada frowned, placing her paws on her muzzle as her previous blush began to reappear.

"Look, a lot has changed in a million years okay!" Ada barked, her paws remaining clasped to the bridge of her muzzle. "Interbreedin' with udda hyena breeds ,and evolution put us mostly on da same level as da rest of da worlds ladies."

"Mostly?" Dawn queried, noting the large felines phrasing.

Ada let out an uncomfortable groan, dragging her paws down her face as she struggled to press onward with her story.

"W-well ya see..." The hyena ran a shaky paw through her side-cut mane. "Da ting is..." The hyena winced. "We spotties are like everyone else now, except we still have a little left ova from da old days."

"Are you saying you have a pseudo-penis Ada?" Dawn asked candidly, trying to help the troubled mammal through her clearly painful story.

"NO!" Ada protested sharply, rising in her seat slightly as she barked at the group. The flustered hyena quickly slumped back into her seat, crossing her arms and turning her head away from the other Hunter girls.

"Like I said, does deys are gone!" The hyena grit her teeth.

"Then what are you saying Ada?" Vanna asked.

Ada frowned sharply, her lip appearing to quiver slightly.

"Deese days...most of us still have a little bit of a..." Ada's voice cracked, the discomfort around the topic appearing to be breaking her down. "Enlarged clitoris."

"Oh?" Vanna asked.

"Not anymore!" Ada was quick to add before Dawn even had a chance to question her further. "I had it surgically reduced!" The hyena whined.

"Ada." Vanna said, her voice firm yet calm. "If you don't want to talk about it, then you do-"

"No!" Ada protested, the hyena pawing at one of her eyes as if she were trying to hold back the start of tears. "I mean, I'm good. I'm fine." Ada sighed. "It helps ta get it off my chest."

The room fell silent for what felt like an eternity, and Dawn found herself unsure as to how to break the deafening silence as she stared at the deflated hyeness sitting across from her. She wanted to say something comforting, something reassuring, but the ewe found herself struggling to find the right words. Dawn had a lot of personal issues when it came to her own self-image, but her femininity was one of the few things she felt confident about. And the ewe was sure even Vanna, despite her own insecurities still found herself far away from having to deal with her decidedly feminine parts resembling the other sex. And reasons like that were probably why the rest of the Hunter girls remained just as silent as she was, leaving it up to Ada to break the silence by pressing onward.

"I chose to do it, I wanted it, y'know," Ada mumbled softly. "It just made me feel...so un-goily, so...uncomfortable wit myself, y'know?" Ada sighed. "I did it for me."

"I don't think anyone would hold that against you Darlin'." Malcolm cooed, his voice gentle and reassuring. "We all do what we have to do."

"My Ma sure held it against me," Ada muttered.

"Your Mother held cosmetic surgery against you?" Dawn asked waryily.

Ada took a slow deep breath, letting out a long and tired sigh as she placed her paws in her lap. Her muzzle remained downturned as she stared at her own paws, twiddling her fingers idly.

"My Ma and Pop were immigrants straight outta Hyenya, in Africkat." Ada mumbled. "Hyenas ova dere still have a lotta strict social and cultural beliefs, and because a dat da nation is always havin' civil wars every few years. It's why my parents ended up leavin' for Zoo York"

Ada raised her head, flashing the other girls a weak grin. "And despite leavin' because of how crazy everyting was, dey still carried some strict beliefs wit 'em back to Zoo York." Ada chuckled dully. "I guess youse can take the Hyena out of Afrikat, but youse can't take the Afrikat outta da hyena."

"What kind of beliefs Ada?" Vanna asked, stealing the question from Dawn's muzzle.

"My Ma still followed da whole, 'ladies foist' superiority structcha that half da tribes in Hyenya follow. Boys are lessa mammals, and looked down on ova da females." Ada shook her head dismissively. "Deese are mammals dat believe if yas have a litter of all boys, yas been coised unless you leave dem outside to be picked off by scavengas!"

Ada sighed. "Dat said, when it comes to relics of da past, like having enlarged genital featchas, well...My Ma considas dat a point of pride. A blessing connected to are native roots."

"But you didn't?" Dawn asked.

Ada rolled her eyes.

"I grew up in da Barx, in some of da meanest schools in North Mammalia. You had ta have tick skin." The hyeness sighed. "But even I couldn't really handle da locker room ribbin' and jokes about 'havin' a tiny pecker' or havin' da udder goils tell me 'da boys locker room was across da way. "

"You shouldn't have let that get to you Ada!" Qali piped up, the fox standing on the mattress as she held her pillow close to her chest. "Those girls just sound like big bullies!"

Ada chuckled weakly. "It wasn't just dem..." Ada ran a paw through her swooping mane, brushing it away from her face. "I mean I saw da udder goils, and I envied dat feelin' of bein' normal." Ada rolled her eyes. "Plus da rumors of my endowment wasn't exactly gettin' da boys to line up around da block to date me."

Ada let out a tired sigh. " Da last straw was when jokes and rumors got so bad dat our teachas upped dere supervisin' us in order to keep da peace. It was supposed to put a stop to da udda goils behavior, but dat just made tings all all woise!" ada grumbled, running her paw through mane. "No one was makin' jokes out loud anymore, but da looks were da same. And even da teacha was clearly just as uncomfortable. Da awkward silence in dat locka room was way woise den hearin' it out loud, and dat sealed da deal." 

Ada clasped her paws together in her lap, letting out another quiet sigh. "So toward da end of high school, I pooled my extra cash togedda from my side job and got da surgery to have it reduced."

"And your Mother didn't take it well?" Dawn asked, a worried tone in her voice.

Ada looked back at her paws, twiddling them nervously.

"Ma and Pop trew me out." Ada mumbled. "Dey didn't want a daughter who was willin' to trow away her heritage at da drop of a hat." The hyena shook her head dismissively. "If it wasn't fer my olda sister, I wouldn't a had anywhere to live. And I soitenly wouldn't have been able to go to nursin' school."

The ewe placed a hoof to her muzzle as sheer horror overcame her. She couldn't believe Ada's parents simply disowned her over something so paltry and meaningless. That they could be so cruel and heartless to their own flesh and blood. Then again, what was her life if not living proof that just because someone shares your bloodline means little in regards to how they can choose to justify treating you.

"And you still haven't...?" Vanna uttered, seemingly stopping short of whatever her full sentence was meant to state.

"I don't need 'em." Ada said with a shrug. "I made it wit out dem dis long, and I've been fine!" The hyena raised her head, flashing the girls a weak smile. "Besides, now I got Yuri, and I still got my sis Ama..." Ada's smiled widened despite visible tears rising in her eyes. "And alla youse...right?" The hyena asked, her wavering eyes pleading for assurance from her sisters.

It was a startling scene, seeing the tough, wisecracking hyena on the verge of tears. Her rough exterior slipping away to reveal her vulnerable, soft interior just as Vanna had to Dawn the night before. The hyeness was hurting, and Dawn knew she had to do what she could to fix it.

Although it quickly became evident that she hadn't been the only one of the Hunter girl to come to the same conclusion as a flash of blinding white zipped past her and wrapped itself tightly around the large hyena's chest.

Qali was squeezing the big mammal with all of her might, burying her head into Ada's chest as deeply as she could. The tiny vixen didn't say a word as Ada smiled back at her, ruffling her coif with one of her paws.

"Danks Snowball." Ada murmured quietly.

Dawn was next, making her way off the mattress and crossing the gap to meet the other two. Dawn said nothing as she scrambled her way up onto the bed alongside Ada and Qali before wrapping her tiny arms around the massive mammal and trying to squeeze as tightly as Qali was.

"After all that you've done for me?" Dawn asked with a soft laugh. "Of course I'm here for you. After all, that's what sisters are for?"

Ada tried to hide her sniffling behind a surprised laugh, the hyena flashing the ewe a warm smile before wrapping an arm around her and pulling her into a full side hug. 

"And thank you Ada." Dawn mumbled against the hyena's shirt.

The hyena quirked an eyebrow. "What for?"

Dawn rubbed her face deeper into the large mammal's side. "For standing up for me today," Dawn replied. "You really didn't need to."

"Hey..." Ada snorted hard, trying her best to suck back the tears. "I'd be happy to punch a million wolves for yas if you need it, just ask ya big sis anytime."

Dawn felt the hyena's squeeze tighten slightly.

"Besides, like youse said, dat's what sistas are for." Ada smiled down at the ewe, causing Dawn to start welling up too.

At that moment, Dawn felt the bed seem to sink sharply next to her, and soon enough she found herself sandwiched between the hyena and what she could only assume was Vanna. The large tigress' chest practically burying the ewe into Ada's side.

"Me too," Vanna said softly, her grip tightening around the pair. The ewe did her best to shift around slightly in order to escape the overwhelming pressure, eventually slipping out from between the pair while still managing to hug the hyena in the process. Although now she was practically seated on Ada's knee.

"And me too Darlin'." Came Malcolm's voice, accompanied by another set of paws carefully maneuvering themselves over Qali and wrapping themselves around the hyena's neck. 

Dawn felt a paw graze her cheek slightly, only for it to quickly retract. Turning Dawn saw that Qali had been trying to reposition herself now that they were all hugging Ada much like Dawn had. The vixen's one paw remained tightly wrapped between Malcolm and Ada, but the other paw was held as far away from Dawn as it could be, with Qali sporting a worried expression.

"S-sorry Dawn!" Qali murmured. "I didn't mean to touch, I was just trying to find my way back into the hug!" Qali whimpered.

Dawn rolled her eyes, letting out a light chuckle as she appraised the tiny fox. She had so taken Vanna's words to heart, reacting like a timid child fearful that touching Dawn's wool would critically hurt their relationship.

Dawn let out a soft, pleasant sigh as she tilted the top of her head toward Qali's direction.

The fox eyed her in confusion, tilting her head slightly.

"Go on." Dawn said with a laugh. "It's okay."

Qali looked shocked, but only for a moment as a wide, almost insane grin formed on her muzzle. The tiny fox breathed in sharply, letting out a happy chirp before digging her paw into the fluffy wad of wool that adorned the top of Dawn's head. 

The ewe could barely feel the vixens touch, but it was clear the fox was definitely feeling the texture of her well conditioned and cared for poof. Qali's ears sagged sharply, her head sinking into her shoulders as she ruffled her fingers deeper into the fluffy wool.

"SooooOOOooo Fluffy!" Qali cooed, seemingly mesmerized by the feeling of Dawn's wool between her fingers. The vixen actively shuddered as she continued to stroke the ewe's wool.

"It's like a cloud!" Qali giggled, pressing and releasing the fluff atop Dawn's head. Dawn couldn't help but giggle herself at the gleeful joy such a small gesture managed to bring the little fox, but her laughter quickly died away when she turned her attention to the other girls still wrapped around her. Vanna, Ada, and Malcolm were still locked into the hug, but their eyes were fixed on the vixen's manipulation of the ewe's wool. 

If Dawn didn't know any better, she could swear that there was longing and a hint of jealousy in their eyes. 

"You..." Dawn asked, a wry smile forming on her muzzle as her eyes darted from Hunter to Hunter. "You girls want to feel it too, do you?"

The rest of the girls immediately broke eye contact, muttering a variety of excuses and vague exclamations of feigned disinterest in an effort to play off their obvious curiosity.

Dawn giggled. "It's fine, go ahead."

Malcolm, Ada, and Vanna exchanged glances briefly before turning back to Dawn.

"Well, I mean, if ya'll are offerin'." Malcolm said, scratching the back of his head as he avoided eye contact.

As the wolf reached his paw out, Ada followed suit. "I mean, it can't feel different den store-bought stuff." The hyena muttered.

"I've always been curious..." Vanna muttered softly as their paws converged on various patched of the ewe's poof. Now that all four of her sisters were running their fingers through her wool, the ewe could easily feel it. Vanna's touch, despite being gentle and barely putting any pressure on her coif took up about half of the space on it alone.

"OOooHHH! Dat is soft!" Ada chirped in awe.

"It's like cotton candy!" Malcolm added, earning another giggle from the ewe.

"So...bouncy..." Vanna cooed, her paw gingerly prodding the side of Dawn's poof.

"That's the wool cream." Dawn laughed. "It really helps with the lift and volume."

"Do you think it-"

A sudden, loud groan emanated from the beneath the mob of mammals. The sudden creak stopping Qali's question dead in its tracks as the girls fell deathly still, their paws frozen mid-stroke in Dawn's wool as they nervously glanced at one another.

"What was that?" Dawn murmured quietly.

Another straining groan cut through the awkward silence, but this time it came with a sudden shudder that rippled through the bedding they were now sitting on. Vanna glanced down at the others with concern. 

"I-uh...I think we should mo-"

With a sudden sharp snap, the bed dropped out from under them. It only dropped about a few inches, but the sudden jerking force had caused Ada to topple backward onto the mattress, pulling the rest of the mob of mammals down with her as the plopped down hard against the bed. 

Dawn immediately noticed they were now leaning at a slight angle, the bottom of the bed now seemingly lower than the top end. The rest of the Hunter sisters all exchanged shocked and confused glances for a moment before Vanna leaned over to inspect the damage. After a few moments, the tigress rejoined the mob now splayed on the tilted bed.

"I think we broke the legs on the bottom of the bed." Vanna said, a smile trying to force it's way onto the tigress' muzzle as she tried to stifle a laugh. But the feline's efforts proved to be for naught, as the rest of the girls broke into a fit of laughter, with Vanna quickly caving and joining in. 

Dawn laughed and laughed, until her stomach muscles were aching from the spasms. The ewe kicking her legs while the others howled with laughter around her, some literally. But the group was quick to cut their laughter short as they heard the sound of hurried footfalls approaching the bedroom. The last of the lingering giggles screeching to a halt as the door swung wildly open to reveal a familiar worried looking she-wolf.

"What in Ferir's fur is-!?" Audrey stopped mid sentence as her eyes quickly appraised the scene. The Wolfess quirked an eyebrow at the furry mob huddled on the now slanted bed as the girls remained in silent surprise.

Audrey shook her head softly, running a paw through her head fur.

"Teeth to Tails, ya'll girls all right?" Audrey asked.

Quietly the girls eyed each other, Dawn's irises darting from mammal to mammal as she scanned her sisters to see who was going to step forward as the first to respond.

"Yes...?" Vanna muttered, quickly joined by the other girls giving vague mumurs of agreement now that the tension had been dissolved.

"W-we're okay Mrs. Hunter..." Dawn murmured sofly, tapping her hooves together. " Just had a little...accident..."

Audrey ran a paw through her head fur again, letting out a sigh.

"Looks like it." Audrey said with a chuckle. "Never gave much thought to warnin' ya'll about bed capicity before tonight. O'course this is the most gals we've had up here at once."

"Yes, I'm afraid we weren't exactly thinking about that either." Dawn said meekly.

"Till da bed started groanin'" Ada said, letting out a hyena laugh.

Audrey rolled her eyes. " Well I can't just leave ya'll like that." The wolfess gestured a paw toward the group. 

"Nah i'll be fine." Ada said with a smirk. "I can sleep at an angle no problem." The mammal flashed her teeth. "I mean, It can't be woise den fallin' asleep at a bus station, and I done dat more times den I'm proud to admit!"

A soft series of giggles rippled through the Hunter Girls, dying down quickly under Audrey's concerned stare. The wolfess let out a scoff.

"Nonsense Ada, I ain't gonna abide that." Audrey said in a motherly tone. "No one's sleepin' in that thing untill I can get one of the boys to drill the legs back in."

"Aw Auddy, ya don't ha-"

"Now I won't have it." Audrey cut the hyeness off. "One of ya'll gals will just have to bunk up with another till tomorrow."

The group exchanged curious glances, Dawn was certain they were equally ruminating on exactly which mammals were going to be in the same bed as much as she was. 

"I'll leave ya'll to figure that out fer yerselves." Auddrey said, dimsissively shaking her head. "Now ya'll get some rest girls." The wolfess grasped the bedroom door handle, pulling it slowly toward herself as she began to back out of the room. "Goodnight." 

The girls muttered a variety of enthusiastic 'goodnights' back to the Mother wolf as she eased out of the room.

She had nearly closed the bedroom door before squeezing her head back in the room briefly.

"'Specially you Dawn, we gotta get up early Hon." Auddey cooed.

Dawn flashed the wolfess a confident smile. "Y-yes Misses Hunter. Of course." The ewe replied.

"I told ya'll, call me Auddy." The she wolf replied with a final smirk before slipping behind the door and sealing the bedroom once more, leaving the girls to bask in awkward silence as they lay still strewn together on the broken mattress. It remained that way for some time before Qali finally broke the deafening quiet. 

"Hey, I think I finally got a good nickname for Dawn." The tiny fox uttered.

Ada raised her head from the bedding, raising an eyebrow at the tiny vixen laying in between her and the pudgy wolf.

"Oh yeah?" Ada smirked. "Let's hear it den." The hyena said with a snicker.

Qali wedged herself free of the space between the two mammals, leaning her arms on Ada's stomach as she looked over at Dawn.

"Plush!" Qali chirped happily, flashing the ewe a wide grin.

"Plush?" Ada asked.

"Yeah, Plush." The fox responded. "Cause she's so soft."

For a moment the hyena looked as though she was going to simply strike the name down like she had done all the others. She opened her mouth for a moment, only to quickly close it again.

The hyena eyes shifted over to Malcolm, then to Vanna, raising a questioning eyebrow to each as if looking for approval.

"Hmm...Plush..." Malcolm said with an approving nod.

"Certainly better than Kit Kat..." Vanna muttered, a hint of jealousy in her voice. However, the stoic tigress nodded in agreement despite it.

"Alright, den it's settled!" Ada said with a smirk, tightening her grip around Dawn and pulling her back into her side. Dawn couldn't see from her place now buried in her shirt, but she could feel the sudden noogie the large hyena was giving her through the mop of wool on her head. "Plush it is!"

Dawn writhed, trying to squirm free despite laughing at Ada's playful antics.

"Stop!" Dawn giggled, letting out the occaisional snort as she finally managed to pull away from the Hyena's grip. Dawn sat up, looking back down at the rest of the "Hunter girls" now smiling back at her.

"Welcome to da pack, Plush." Ada said with a smirk. the other girls still giggling around her. "You're a real Hunta goil now."

Dawn smiled warmly, feeling tears begin to well up behind her lenses as she simply buried herself back into Ada's chest, hugging the large mammal as tightly as she could. Slowly she felt the arms of the other girls wrap around her from behind, adding to the hug once again as she became enveloped in a blanket of love an acceptance. Her sisters loved her, they embraced her as one of their own, and now that she had a nickname she was truly a 'Hunta goil' as Ada would call it. But despite the ewe's overwhelming joy, in the following silence the nagging painful thought in the back of her head was starting to grow. The cruel and hateful words spat by Papa Hunter just hours before that ran in direct contrast to any progress the ewe could ever make with the rest of the family despite her best efforts.

"As long as I'm head of this household, you ain't never gonna be a Hunter."


	31. The Cultural Tenets of the Northern Roaropean Lamb

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Thirty-One: The Cultural Tenets of the Northern Roaropean Lamb

"Much like the wolves of old, ancient sheep as a species could be found on nearly every continent in some form or another. From the coldest mountain regions to some of the hottest climates, an ancient wandering mammal had a significantly high chance of running into a flock of sheep without even trying. In fact, sheep are considered to make up one of the largest representative species on the planet next to mammals in the canid and feline families respectively. And as you can imagine, that kind of density of species has lead to quite a few...unsavory rumors about sheepfolk in the eyes of other mammals. Especially thanks to the work of many Rams who wielded any sort of power, many of whom were in my family. But I am getting off track. The point of this entry is to discuss how sheepfolk tended to work in a society, their beliefs and social rules. More specifically those which pertain strongest to my genetic background, that being sheep of Schottish ancestry.

Now we've already discussed the general structure of early ancient sheep herds, and the system of hierarchy in place among them. Caprids have been, and remain a largely docile species that focus primarily on defending themselves rather than antagonizing others aside from a few notable exceptions. There was one key term i forgot to explain though, that being the word 'flock'. I had mostly referred to sheep as being 'herds' in the previous historical entry as it was easier to digest for most prey species and other predators. But the term 'flock' was a unique phrase that sheep's used to refer to their herds. I'm not sure exactly how common knowledge this is, but I thought it was a good idea to throw this in for good measure.

The Schotts, being herbivores in nature like all sheep relied largely upon farming and agriculture in order to sustain their close-knit communities, and thus their religious beliefs revolve largely around harvest and protection. The chief god amongst caprid kind being 'Hornunnos', roughly translating to 'he of many horns'. His multiple long, and numerous horns representative of his great wisdom, virility, and strength that came with being a well-developed ram. And on the feminine side, we have 'Cervidwen' goddess of bounty and the beauty of life. Cervidwen, roughly translated to 'hooves of grace' held sway over nature, the seasons, and nurturing the arts. It was she the Schotts prayed to for mild winters and bountiful harvests. And it was she who supposedly inspired the songs and stories that were birthed from some of sheepfolk's greatest minds. Tales of beauty, first love, and adventure. As well as tales of woe and warning to young little lambs that I will be touching on shortly.

Sheep shared a reverence for the moon, and its cycle just as wolves did. However, whereas wolves looked to the moon for guidance and prayer, it held in most sheep a powerful, paralyzing terror. A full moon was seen as a terrible omen to the native Schotts, which can be directly connected to the Norwulves preference fighting and going to war under its terrible glow. Fighting and warring that almost always found itself laying its paws at the shores of the Schottish Isles. As such a great deal of Caprid nursery rhymes and stories feature the presence of the full-moon as a dreadful set-up to a young kid or lamb being dragged off into the night by a fearsome wolf to be dined upon under the moon's sinister glow. Some going into excruciating and morbid detail about lamb's blood and pearly sharp teeth gleaming under the cursed glow of that hateful orb.

One of the most well known and shared stories that still persists to this day despite how much society has changed is the tale of 'Little Red Riding Hoof', a story originating from cervines and quickly adopted and adapted to the Schottish cannon. In it, a young doe, or in the case of the Schotts, a young ewe, travels to visit her ailing Grandmother in order to bring her a basket of goodies. But she leaves on the night of a full moon despite her parent's protest to wait till the morning, as her Grandmother is in dire need of supplies. They warn her of wolves, and their treacherous ways, but she is adamant that she can handle herself alone. Along the way she is silently stalked by a, you guessed it, hungry wolf, who eventually confronts her under the premise that he is simply a weary traveler looking for food. The fearful ewe is somewhat hesitant to even talk to the lone wolf, but takes pity on him, offering a small morsel of her Grandmothers supplies to soothe his hunger pangs. She remains firm however, that the small bit of food was all she could offer and reveals the nature of her journey to the creature. Much to her surprise, the wolf lets her go, and the ewe finds herself doubting her parent's warnings about wolf treachery.

But the wolf, now aware of the nature of her trip, and familiar with the cottage, sneaks ahead of the ewe and mercilessly devours her Grandmother whole. Once Red Riding Hoof arrives, the wolf masquerades as the ewe's ailing Grandmother. Poorly donning her ill-fitting clothes and trying his best to deceive the ewe into getting close enough to bite into her. Which the ewe foolishly acquiesces to.

To be fair, that part never really made sense to me in any iteration of the story. As a ewe, I couldn't conceive a lamb so dumb as to not immediately recognize that the mammal pretending to be her Grandmother was just that, a pretender, a fake. Then again, as a little lamb, I hadn't realized that my best friend had been a wolf until my Father had discovered the relationship. While I had heard the term wolf, the picture that had been painted for me was a snarling, drooling hideous beast, much as the story depicts. 

And so the little friendly ball of fluff that quickly became my playmate didn't exactly fit the bill when it came to my Father's description. I simply couldn't make the connection, neither there, nor with his nickname, 'Puppy'. It was the name his brothers gave him, but only I was allowed to call him. But as to the meaning or implication of that title I was still far too naive. And my Father was quick to make sure I never made that 'mistake' again.

But again, I've wandered off track. (Note: re-read this and consider revising it or shifting it to a later section.) Sufficed to say, the ewe is somehow fooled by the wolf's act. But unlike today's sanitized, family-friendly version of the tale put forth by companies like Dismurinae where the courageous woodsram bursts in at the last second and saves the foolish young ewe. The traditional version of the tale ends with the wolf simply devouring the lamb and escaping into the night, leaving her family to grieve the loss of their daughter and Grandmother. It was meant to be a staunch warning, a story that no matter how it played out it always ended the same way, death by the jaws of a hungry wolf.

As I've said, it is one of many caprid fear-mongering tales all aimed at warning young, impressionable lambs of the horrific nature of wolves. But stories like these were more than enough to force most of the Schotts to rely primarily on the sun and daylight for mapping their calendars and properly timing their harvests. And on a moonlit night, the average Schottram resident was hiding inside their home, with doors barred and windows shuttered and secure. 

Lastly, I feel it is of obvious importance to explain the inner workings of caprid marriage. While the ceremony is fairly common among a variety of prey species with little variation, it is less so with predators, many of which ascribe to their own more unique ceremonies. But again, for the purposes of this particular book, I will only go into the rules and traditions of your standard 'Schottish' wedding.

The caprid take on marriage was one of the first popularized union ceremonies in Roarope, finding its start in the 'flocks' of Schottram and Irelamb before spreading and mingling amongst a variety of other prey groups and societies. It is a simpler ceremony in organization when compared to the rigorous approval process involved in the Norwullf or Canidean wolf 'tithing' ceremonies. Essentially, any ram is allowed to marry any ewe they wish without familial approval, although it is customary as a sign of respect. And in the case of the Schotts it came with many a hefty bonus. Entitlement to land, the merger of farms, and most commonly the bride's 'dowry'.

This 'dowry' was a small sum of money bestowed to the wedding ewe by her parents. it was intended to act seed money for the budding mates new family. Although today, the 'dowry' has fallen out of favor pretty much everywhere outside of Schottram.

The ceremony is usually held by day in a meadow or field, not at night for obvious reasons. In the ceremony family and friends are expected to attend, and a caprid pastor is employed to officiate the union under the eyes of the gods. Most commonly the gods invoked to bless the ceremony are of course Hornunnus and Cervidwen, again for reasons that should be obvious to you given what importance I previously ascribed to them.

In the times of the Ancient Schotts, these pastors played a revered roll in most caprid communities. They were seen as the direct connection between the flocks on Animalia and the will of the gods, much like the 'seers' among the Norwulves. And as such their approval was tantamount to the success of any prospecting wedding couple. In order to reach the respected status of a pastor, these mammals underwent numerous trials to prove their hardship and devoting to the gods. But in reality, these were simply rites of passage that were approved over by other 'pastors' as a 'direct sign of approval' from the gods wasn't easy to provide evidence of. Most of these ancient trials have been lost to time, the ancient writings describing them varied and scattered. But the few fragments that remain describe anything ranging from lasting three days with no food or water to searing oneself with a hot iron. However, in today's society, becoming an 'official' caprid pastor is as easy as the click of a mouse, much to the relief of a great many sheepfolk.

The ceremony begins with the pastor invoking the god and goddess directly, before turning his attention to the wedding couple. This part of the ceremony remains quite traditional, so much so that the original text has barely changed in the thousands of years since its origin, and it goes as follows.

'Blessings and merry we meet, Gentlerams and ewes alike. I beseech the great god Hornunnus, whose wisdom is unparalleled, and dear goddess Cevidwen, graceful lady of plenty and merriment to lay their gifts of virility and bounty upon at the feet of the couple who stands before me.'

He would of course lead with the males name, followed by the female, announcing them both the audience as well as the gods.

'Noble (insert ram's name), and Lady ( insert ewe's name) have asked for thee to share in their joy and to declare the depths of their love for one another before you all. To be blessed by both those among us, and those above as they embark on this journey together.' 

It was then the pastor would ask the budding couple if they were certain of their choice. Fairly standard among most prey weddings aside from the wording.

'Lord (ram), are thou certain of the love? Does thou retain an inkling of doubt or fear?

If the response is 'Nay, I am certain.', then the ceremony continues with the pastor repeating the same line directed at the Lady. And with her assent marches onward.

'In as much as this Noble (mammal) and Lady (mammal) have pledged to one another to be married on this day. We call upon the gods to bless this union, and their lives together. Therefore, should there be any lamb assembled among us that can show just cause why these sheep should not be joined, then speak now, or forever be silent.'

The pastor would then hold for objections, again, another standard of most prey ceremonies aside from the archaic language. If there were no objections, the ceremony would continue.

'Great Hornunnus and Lady Cervidwen, holders of the unforeseen knowledge beyond knowing, we humbly ask of thee to bless this union. To bless their lives with merriment and plenty, and guide them through their trials and sorrows. To bless them with strong, healthy and mirthful lambs to carry on their proud name. '

Then of course, the pastor turns his attention directly to the couple.

'Do you, Noble (mammal), take unto thyself as wife the Lady?'

To which the groom should respond.

'Aye, for our lives, and into the hereafter.'

From there, the bride is asked a rephrased version of the question, and upon her agreement, the ceremony moves to a very interesting portion. At this time, the caprid pastor opens the floor to the wedding couple, offering them a chance to speak to one another in their own words. This is commonly referred to as the 'trading of vows', and it is intended for the couple to write their own speeches to one another. Professing love, and the depths of it and so forth. It's easily one of the most popular portions of romantic films involving prey weddings, leaving us with many eternally romantically quotable lines.

'It is now time for the trading of the vows, and with it, I open the floor to thee Lord (wolf) and Lady (ewe).

And of course, this is where the vows would go, but as they are generally unique, I don't exactly have anything to place here. So try to imagine the most romantic, beautiful sweeping statements delivered with passion and grace. The groom declaring his bottomless love for the bride, his unwavering trust and belief in her despite the slings and slander of others. And the bride, declaring how she is undeserving of love, yet overcome with joy to be loved, and of her lover. 

Thanking the groom for his unwavering support and love, his care and devotion, the way he seems to treasure her like a precious stone when others treated her as if she were a malformed pebble. That her love for him is eternal regardless of the pelt he wears, the sharpness of his teeth, or his rugged good...

Ahem, Well I'm getting off track I think, I'm not sure where I was going with that. I mean, you must get the idea by now. (Note to self: shorten or remove vow examples?) After the vows, the pastor continues by presenting the traditional rings to the couple to be wed. The rings are traditionally made of polished ash wood, the grooms inlaid with gold edging, and the brides with silver. Each ring contains the other mammal's name etched on the interior of the band. While rings are a common practice with prey ceremonies, only caprid and cervine ceremonies use rings made of polished wood. It is what is believed to bind them to their natural roots, the forest from which they came, and the gods and goddess that watch over.

'Gods, bless these rings which the Noble Vernon Hunter and Fair Lady Dawn Bellwether have chosen to mark themselves as to be forever unified in heart and within their spirits. As they give and receive these rings, may they testify to the world of the covenant made between them.

Then Vernon would say.

'Dawn, receive and wear this ring as a symbol of my trust, my respect and my undying love for you.

And then I would say.

'Vernon, receive and wear this ring and make me the happiest ewe in all of Animalia!'

(Note: This section needs to be revised heavily, this is supposed to be clinical, not emotional. Still, at the moment I can't bring myself to erase it. So fix it later!)

Then the pastor ends the ceremony with what most movies about prey marriages feature heavily. The kiss.

'With the recitation of the vows, and the rings you now wear, may this union be made official. With a kiss, the purity and endless depths of their love will be laid bare for all to witness and embrace. You may now kiss the bride.'

With that comes the kiss of course, followed by the usual celebration of the newlyweds in the same meadow in which their union was consecrated. A fringe benefit of having an outdoor ceremony being that you don't have to have two separate venues to hold the celebration. 

At the ceremony toasts are made, traditional food is eaten and merriment is made. Well wishes and gifts are shared and music is played and generally this part is all left up to those throwing the party. There are a few small traditions that are sometimes employed such as the tossing of the bouquet, and the removal of the garter, but otherwise, the afterparty has never been a very rigid, strict affair, and has easily adapted to the times. Even going so far as to make additions to the whole affair, adding the ever popular and the increasingly elaborate 'Honeymoon' as part of the package. All things I thought I was never going to have, and now...'

Dawn let out a pleasant sigh as she skimmed back over her previous handiwork. A smile forming on her lips as she quietly re-read the slight error in her clinical recounting of a traditional caprid wedding ceremony.

"Dawn, receive and wear this ring as a symbol of my trust, my respect and my undying love for you." Dawn murmured softly to herself, smiling warmly at the words on the screen.

'He probably wouldn't say it exactly like that...' The ewe thought to herself. 'Knowing him, he'd find something better.'

Dawn began to yawn, doing her best to quiet it with one hoof while stretching with her other arm. The other girls were all still asleep, Malcolm snoring loudly as he unconsciously scratched at his belly, and the ewe was still keen not to wake them with her own troubles.

The ewe had no intention of waking up as early as she had. It had to have been at least an hour before the first glimmers of morning light began to filter through the windows of the large bedroom. But there had been a number of factors at play to rob the ewe of sleep that night, forcing her to turn to her writing to drive them back, and Malcolm's snoring was probably the least of it.

To start with, the collapse of Ada's bed and the lack of proper spares in the room had more or less forced the group to take Audrey's advice and have two of the girl's bunk together. Naturally, or at least Dawn should have immediately assumed to be the natural solution, Ada and Vanna concluded the two smallest mammals in the room should be the ones to split a bed. They of course, quickly focused their gaze on herself and Qali to further emphasize the choice had already been made.

It made sense to Dawn, her own bed proving much too large for someone of her size anyway. But what the girls had neglected to mention, was that the diminutive little vixen was quite pawsy in her sleep. 

Perhaps they didn't know, or perhaps it had been the ewe's own fault for having invited the fox to pet her wool that night. But Dawn had spent the evening fending off the vixen's attempts at grappling the ewe's wooly poof in her sleep. 

The first two times the sleeping fox had managed to get a tight grip around her hair, Dawn had reluctantly woken the vixen up to let her know what she was doing. Qali, of course, was terribly embarrassed, apologizing profusely before shifting over to the farthest edge of the bed as she could before going back to bed. However, it didn't take long for the slumbering canid to drift her way back over to Dawn's side. And before the ewe knew it, the vixen was once again entangled in her wooly mane, letting out contented little sighs as she presumably 'counted sheep'.

Eventually, the ewe gave up fending off the impromptu cuddle session, choosing to embrace the little excitable vixen's unintentional affection in the interest of a good nights sleep. But despite the slight discomfort of having a mammal practically suction cupped to her head, it was something warm. It was an affectionate gesture the fox clearly couldn't control, and it was certainly more welcoming than what awaited Dawn in her dreams. 

Each time the lamb had managed to drift off into slumber, she found herself in that darkened study. The acrid yet sweet scent of brandy overwhelming her nostrils so strongly it caused her to gag. The dim shine of the lighting against its bronze and deep green fixtures creating a glare in all directions as the ewe struggled to find her ground. She could still see the wolf, seemingly towering over his desk now as he glared back at her with hateful eyes. Piercing grey eyes that smoldered with an unrelenting disdain for the increasingly smaller ewe standing before him. His lips curled around his gleaming, sharpened teeth as he spat bile in her direction. 

The same speech, over and over again, only now without her protests. She couldn't muster a defense, and with every hateful statement or unkind word, she felt herself shrinking smaller and smaller.

In desperation, she called to her primal self, the beast that once haunted her dreams before her encounter with her Father in that old factory on the frigid tundra night. Anything to give her the strength to stand back up, to defend herself. But it never came. It was gone after all, now a part of her that for some reason she couldn't conjure as Dorian continued his incessant berating. 

"Ya'll came out here expectin' everything to go your way." The wolf repeated, his grimace deepening as the disgust in him rose. "You were thinkin' about yer selfish needs!"

"N-no!' The ewe waivered.

"You think I'd ever accept you as one of our own? " Again word for word, the wolf's most painful barbs playing on loop for her own personal torment.

Dawn tried her protest, but each wave after wave of painful insults and untrue statements was wearing her down. Reducing her to nothing more than a heap on the floor of the dimly lit office until she suddenly found herself on the wolf's desk. The ewe now no bigger than an ant, surrounded by the various golden baubles on the now massive wolf's desk as he raised his decanter in the air preparing his final blow.

"As long as I'm head of this household, you ain't never gonna be a Hunter!" The wolf bellowed at a deafening octave as the ewe clutched at her ears in pain.

Then the decanter came down. Faster, faster and closer as the ewe found herself unable to move. Paralyzed with terror as she tried to scream out.

"NO!" 

And just like that she was awake again, dripping with sweat and gasping for breath. Thankfully Qali proved to be a heavy sleeper, or perhaps the ewe would have woken her. Instead, the slumbering fox remained gripped to her hair, hanging off of her slightly as the ewe sat up, trying to regain her composure. 

And so the evening went, and each time the ewe closed her eyes she was back in that place. The room that stunk heavily of fine brandy, the golden reflections that seemed to blind her, and the fierce and towering Dorian. It played on repeat, the same way each time. And Dawn could do little to stop it other than waking up and escaping that terrible realm of her innermost demons. And eventually, the ewe resigned herself to staying awake, rather than be forced to face it again.

After carefully prying the fox off of her head and easing her back onto her own pillow, the ewe went right to burying herself in her work. Doing her best to bury the terrible dream behind volumes of text that still needed to be typed. Losing herself in hazy visions of a blissful and beautiful caprid marriage to the wolf she loved so dearly. It was something she could still take some sort of solace in. Despite Dorian's hateful words, and outright refusal to accept her as part of the family, at the very least he couldn't deny her a caprid ceremony. At the very least she and Vernon would have their ceremony, with or without his approval. They would stand together in a beautiful meadow, before the gods and the members of their families that chose to attend and pledge their love to one another. Their devotion, their loyalty, and their honor before joining as one in heart and in spirit. 

The ewe had so lost herself in her fantasy, her safe haven, that the world around her had managed to fall away. Only managing to tear herself away from her work when then first rays of the morning brought her back to her reality. She was still in the Hunter home, still in Dorian's domain, and soon enough she would have to face the day and whatever it was set to bring.

The ewe carefully eased herself off of the mattress, doing her best not to wake the tiny vixen still sleeping peacefully as she tightly grappled her pillow in the place of the ewe's fluffy poof before cautiously rolling her suitcase out from beneath its place under the bed. With deliberately soft steps the ewe made her way across the room, carrying the suitcase to keep the wheels from rattling against the hardwood floor as she approached the room divider. Once behind the privacy of its curtain, the ewe took to dressing herself in the most worn out and comfortable set of clothes she had packed in preparation for working the stand. And old lavender blouse with flowing sleeves that she could easily roll up should she need to work with dough. And a simple, but trusty deep purple skirt to go with it that she didn't mind staining. 

Taking a seat on the hardwood floor, the ewe pulled her pocket mirror from the case, as well as her usual wool care equipment to spend a few minutes getting her wool back in order. The diminutive vixen had done quite a number to her usually solid and bouncy spherical bouffant, but it was nothing a few minutes with the wool brush and a heavy application of wool cream couldn't manage to tame.

Adding the last touches to her hair, the ewe prepared to snap her compact shut only to freeze just short of the nearly involuntary action. She stared at the weary-looking ewe staring back at her, the sadness etched into her features appearing almost permanent in the bleary reflection. With a wavering sigh, the ewe tried to assure herself that she was okay. That everything would work out. To take her own words she had spent yesterday evening telling Vernon to heart and trying to remain optimistic despite herself. Dawn forced a smile to her muzzle, and for a moment she nearly had herself convinced she could do it.

"As long as I'm head of this household, you ain't never gonna be a Hunter!"

Her smile dropped the second the words replayed in her head, the ewe letting out another weak and shuddering sigh as she felt herself faltering.

Dawn wasn't sure how to press on with this facade. With Dorian in charge, any sort of leeway made at Hunter Household with the other members of the family meant little. What sort of organic relationship could she truly hope to foster with the icy white wolf acting as a roadblock? Certainly none that required visiting the Hunter Ranch to say the least. The ewe wondered how her sisters would react to Dorian's assessment of her, or the Hunters for that matter? What about Audrey, his mate? The ewe couldn't even begin to picture the disaster that was waiting to happen should she breathe a word of her confrontation with the wolf to anyone in the family, especially Vernon. The damage done would most certainly be devastating, and the rifts that would be driven between members of the family might prove far too vast to mend.

Yet she had to endure two more days. Two more days of biting her tongue while Dorian's words ate a hole through her stomach. And in that moment, the ewe remained uncertain that she could stand it.

Then she saw it. Behind her reflection in the mirror she could see her suitcase. The purple container still left open, with notes and clothes haphazardly strewn about. But among the various bits of necessities and wool care products she could see the edge of a familiar band sticking out from between two notebooks. The bracelet she extracted with great care before laying it to rest gently in her palm.

"Puppy's Best Friend." She read softly, a warm smile forming on her muzzle.

Carefully the ewe slid the familiar, albeit childish looking bracelet onto her wrist. Dawn gave it a gentle spin, letting out a quiet chuckle as a few of the translucent bead caught glimmers of light as they spun before clutching down on the bracelet with her other hand. The ewe squeezed it tightly, holding it as if it were a sacred talisman that would protect her from her own thoughts. Drawing strength from the simple presence of it on her arm. A reminder that no matter what, she had her 'Puppy Love'. And in the end, that was all she really wanted.

Dawn could feel her confidence returning as she clutched the bracelet.

She could do it, she could get through it. And then, once they returned to Zootopia she and Vernon could start planning their 'real' wedding and put Dorian's nastiness behind them. While she loved her new sisters and brothers dearly, she could get along just fine without returning to the ranch, and would be more than happy to invite them out to Zootopia should they be so inclined to see her.

'Vernon probably doesn't even care about getting a 'tithing' ceremony.' The ewe reassured herself. 'Between the official caprid wedding and our partnership license I'm sure he'll be more than satisfied.'

As Dawn closed her suitcase, zipping it shut as quietly as possible she continued the positive mental self-encouragement. The ewe growing more confident with each soft stride she made on her way back to her bedside. With a quiet huff, the ewe slid her case back under the mattress and eased herself back onto her bed next to the slumbering arctic fox.

Gently closing her laptop, the ewe came to a final conclusion.

"I can wait to tell Vernon what happened when we get home." Dawn mused to herself. " He'll be mad sure, but with that much distance between him and his Father he'll have time to cool off and then..." Dawn paused, the next words even her more optimistic approach was having a hard time parsing. " Maybe they can talk it out like adult mammals."

Vrrt! Vrrt!

Dawn nearly jumped out of her pelt at the sudden, abrupt noise. It was a quiet droning sound, but it was close enough to startle her. The ewe's eyes began to scan wildly for the source, glancing back at Qali for a moment and raising an eyebrow. The fox was still slumbering away, her paws choking her pillow to death.

"Did you...?" Dawn muttered softly.

Vrrt! Vrrt!

This time Dawn felt it, the slight and familiar vibration trembling through the blanket beneath her. Glancing over near the side of her laptop, she spied her Carrot phone resting softly where she had left it to charge. The screen of the device now dimly lit with a message prompt. 

The ewe rolled her eyes at her moment of brief stupidity before quickly scooping the phone into her hands before it could make any more noise. With a flick of her hoof the screen came to life, the text alert now clear and visible as it hung over her home screen.

"Two new messages from Judy Hopps."

"Lamb Sakes..." Dawn uttered quietly. "I completely forgot about Judy!"

Opening the app, the ewe was greeted with both messages, each sent within seconds of one another.

"Judy: Dawn, you awake? I know it's pretty early, but I wanted to check in."

"Judy: Unless you were asleep and my text woke you up. If so, I'm sorry."

Dawn rolled her eyes, letting out a soft chuckle at the rabbit's message string. It was clear from the split seconds between the messages and the second-guessing herself the rabbit was already firing on all cylinders. Dawn's reply was considerably shorter, and what the ewe could only imagine in comparison to the rabbit, slower.

"Yes, I'm awake". The ewe texted back. 

Dawn watched the screen in silence. For a moment it remained still, but soon enough Dawn could see the ellipses denoting the rabbit was in the process of typing a reply.

"Judy: Couldn't sleep either?"

Dawn's expression shifted to a dull glare as she let out a quiet, sarcastic laugh.

"Define sleep... Dawn responded.  
Again Dawn watched as the ellipses danced below her last message.

"Judy: Yeesh, that bad huh?" Came the reply.

Dawn placed a hoof over her eyes, slowly pulling it down her face as she let out an exasperated sigh. The ewe taking a moment to release some of her previous tension before continuing the conversation. 

"Bad, is putting it lightly Judy." The ewe answered.

There was a slight pause before the rabbit began to type her response.

"Judy: You want to talk about it?" 

Dawn let out another soft, sarcastic chuckle before keying in her reply.

"It would take me hours to go over everything." Dawn texted. "It's really something we should save for discussion on a coffee meet after all this is said and done."

The pause was longer this time, leaving Dawn to imagine the rabbit was pondering her next statement with a greater degree of care. 

"Judy: You sure?" By the time the message popped, Judy was already typing a follow-up.

"Judy: How about a 'Clop's Notes' version?" 

Dawn smirked at the response. The ewe wasn't sure about exactly how to distill all that had happened to her in just the two days she had been at the Hunter Ranch, but she supposed she could try. Dawn pondered quietly, organizing and trimming her planned response in her head in order to get as much information out with the least amount of text as possible. It had to be getting close to breakfast time now, and soon enough the ewe would be far too busy to keep up with a long-running test conversation.

"Well let's see..." Dawn texted, preparing the rabbit for the oncoming info dump.

"To start with, Vernon's Father hates me." Dawn added, feeling a particularly painful sting inside her chest as she pressed send. " I mean, he told me to my face more or less, but I haven't told Vernon yet."

As Dawn continued to type, Judy gave a short and simple reply.

"Judy: Oh..." The text popped up. 

"Judy: I'm so sorry Dawn." She followed up with.

" We also got kicked out of the fair yesterday for being a pred/prey couple, the North Meadowlands Representative going so far as asking Vernon's whole family to leave." Dawn continued.

"And to top it all off I had my remnant estrus yesterday, and Vernon and I got caught rutting in the family cornfield because he howled during it." Dawn added.

Judy's response was immediate.

"Judy: Yikes... -_-* " The text popped up.

"And that's not even the half of it..." Dawn replied. "There is so much more that's happened over just the last two days. It's been a rollercoaster." Dawn shook her head dismissively as she typed. " I just gave you the 'highlights'."

It seemed like at least a minute rolled by before Judy began typing a response, giving the ewe time to make a quick scan of the bedroom to make sure she still hadn't disturbed the other Hunter girls. Fortunately even Qali, who remained tightly gripped to her pillow, coiled around it protectively.

"Judy: I hope there are some positives... :/" The rabbit eventually replied.

Dawn chuckled softly to herself.

"Oh there are, it really isn't all bad." Dawn typed a reply. " I get along well with Vernon's Mother, as well as most of his brothers." 

"Judy: 'Most', huh?" The rabbit was quick to reply.

Dawn rolled her eyes.

"Well, I suppose nobodies family is perfect right?" The ewe replied. "You can't really win 'em all."

Before Judy could finish her reply, Dawn tapped out another quick addendum to her list of positives. " I've also gotten very close with Vernon's Sister-in-laws."

The rabbit's ellipses paused, giving Dawn time to add more or less conclude her statement.

"But the way things have been going, The negatives are beginning to wear me down faster than any of the positives can help build me back up." Dawn sent, letting out a soft, tired sigh.

The ellipses on Judy's incoming message remained frozen for a moment or two, most likely waiting to see if the ewe was done with her line of thought before pressing forward with her reply. But eventually, the little dots began to move again.

"Judy: You want to talk about imperfect families?" That response forced a ewe to stifle a giggle. She could already tell where the rabbit was going.

"Judy: Not to belittle your struggle, but getting the approval of seven siblings instead of three-hundred has considerably better odds, trust me."

Dawn shook her head trying to keep the rising smirk that was desperately trying to form on her muzzle as the rabbit continued.

"Judy: The thing that really baffles me is how my Dad is acting about me and Nick." Judy added. "Well, not really baffles me, but it's certainly hypocritical."

Dawn was quick to reply, eager to hear what must have been the starting point for the doe's own weekend struggle at the Carrot Day festival.

"Oh?" Dawn replied. "But I thought you told me your Father liked Nick?"

Dawn waited, Judy seemingly taking a moment to figure out how to reply. The ewe knew from previous conversations that Nick had been on trips with her to Bunny Burrow several times over the years. Unlike her and Vernon, the family was quite familiar with the fox. And when it came to Judy's Father, he was absolutely enamored with him. The prospect of someone keeping an eye on the rabbit in her 'dangerous' line of work, and his knowledge of the inner workers of Zootopia proving to be an easy angle to charm the older rabbit. Judy had even mentioned the fact that Nick had been teaching him a variety of way to gain the upper hand in her Father's weekly poker game. Sufficed to say, all of the previous accounts from Judy had lead Dawn to believe the two mammals had a healthy and robust 'bromance' between them. After a few moments, the rabbit finally texted back.

" 'Judy: Liked' being the key word here. " Just replied, ending her sentence with a frowning rabbit emoji. "He loved Nick when he was just my partner. But now that I announced we are dating...well...you get the idea."

Dawn chuckled quietly to herself as she read the reply. 

"Judy: Now the old buck is acting like Nick committed a crime against mammality or something." The rabbit followed up.

The ewe lets out a sigh, at least she wasn't the only one suffering when it came to this issue. although she found herself wondering if the situation was just as bad as hers. Still, the ewe wanted to keep the conversation light, and trying to compare the nuances between their situation would have to be reserved for a later time. Nor did Dawn want to fall into the trap of playing the game of 'who has it worse'.

"Sounds like we both are having Father problems. :/" Dawn replied. "It feels better to know I'm not alone at least."

The rabbit was already typing a reply as the ewe hit send.

"Judy: The worse part is that Nick being Nick, is actively making it worse by antagonizing him. Bleh." Another frowning rabbit icon followed the statement. "Judy: Nick actually asked him last night if "Plowing the field was as rough for him as when Nick 'plows' me."

Dawn clasped her muzzle tightly in an effort to keep her laughter from escaping at the fox's statement. She was sure it was embarrassing to Judy, but being outside of it made it particularly hilarious.

"Judy: The two of them are starting to drive me crazy!" Judy typed back, a rabbit emoji with swirly eyes following the text. "Judy: But I'm going to settle this stupid thing once and for all today."

The ewe quirked a curious eyebrow as she read over the question. Judy was always the kind of mammal to take the initiative when it came to solving a seemingly impossible problem. It was something the ewe admired about the rabbit. But in this instance, it didn't seem like a problem one could just force a fix upon.

"How?" Dawn responded dumbly, her lips mouthing the word as she typed.

The rabbit was quick with a reply.

"Judy: We're going back to the fair today." Judy replied. "Judy: And I'm forcing them on to the Ferris wheel together."

Dawn scrunched her muzzle in confusion, the rabbit's plan seeming more baffling than her initial declaration.

"O...kay...?" Dawn replied, but the rabbit was already typing.

"Judy: I know the rabbit who runs the Ferris wheel, and he owes me a favor." Judy continued. "I'm going to have him stop them at the top, and Mom and I won't let them down until they bury the hatchet!"

Dawn stifled a chuckle out the outlandish plan, it was a classic Judy solution.

"I don't know if I could do the same thing in my case..." Dawn replied, a frown returning to her muzzle. "I feel it's a bit more complicated than that with Vernon and Dorian."

There was a momentary pause before the ellipses danced at the bottom of the screen again.

"Judy: His Father?" Judy finally replied.

"Yes." The ewe typed back.

"Judy: How so?" Judy fired back almost as quickly as Dawn had sent her message.

This comment was drawing the conversation dangerously close to treading back on having to be a three-hour discussion, something the ewe was certain she didn't have time for. Dawn tried to think of a short reply, eventually coming up with something to move the conversation along. But while she was in the middle of typing the reply, a soft knock came at the bedroom door, drawing her attention away from the screen.

"Dawn, ya'll up?" The door opened slightly, and the ewe spotted a familiar nose wiggle its way in between the crack. "Honey Lamb?" The muzzle whispered.

"Vernon?" Dawn whispered back.

The door opened wider, allowing the wolf to poke his head in the rest of the way. Vernon flashed the ewe a small smile.

"'Mornin' Darlin'." Vernon said softly, his eyes scanning the room slowly before shifting his attention back to the ewe. "Dressed already?" Vernon asked.

Dawn rapidly cleared the unfinished message from her screen, entering a quick reply before shutting the phone down and sliding it in her pocket. 'Saved by the wolf.' She thought to herself.

"I'll talk to you later, Vernon's up. gtg." The response read.

With her cell tucked away, the ewe eased off the side of the bed as quietly as she could before scrambling her way over to the wolf at the door. as she approached, Vernon widened the gap, allowing himself to slip partially inside the bedroom. The wolf was dressed in a simple grey hoodie, and a beat up pair of jeans, wearing one of his favorite bandannas around his neck. 

"So are you." Dawn replied in a hushed voice as she came up beside him.

Vernon smirked, glancing down at his hoodie.

"Takes me about five minutes er' less to get ready fer the day Floof's." Vernon chuckled softly. "It ain't like I'm the type to fuss with my looks too much." The wolf ran a paw through the tuft of fur on his scalp, letting out a soft sigh as he dragged it back.

"You sleep alright Mutton Chop?" The wolf's features took on a look of concern. "I mean considerin' the prep ya'll do in the mornin' I take it you've been up fer a while now."

Dawn looked away slightly, she couldn't really bring herself to look the wolf in the eyes, but the lamb played it off as glancing back at the other girls.

"Eh..." Dawn muttered. "I slept okay." Dawn shrugged as she brought her attention back to the wolf.

Vernon chuckled softly as he stood on the tips of his feet, glancing further back into the bedroom. Following his eye line, she could see the wolf had settled his gaze on the still snoring Malcolm. The wolf was now laying on his back, his muzzle opening and closing widely as he practically snarled in his sleep.

"Yeah..." Vernon smirked, looking back down to Dawn. "Suppose I should have told you Malcolm's a snorer."

Vernon giggled quietly as she turned back to Vernon.

"How does Xavier sleep through that?" Dawn asked.

Vernon rolled his eyes slightly. "Earplugs." The wolf said bluntly before placing a paw by his face and leaning down and closer to Dawn. "Malcolm don't know, so don't tell him."

Dawn had to stifle a laugh as the wolf rose to his feet again. 

"So, ya'll ready to get some food in ya before we head out?" Vernon asked, slipping his paws into his pockets. "Ma made 'caramel prench toast' just fer us. And trust me, it's amazin'. "

The ewe quirked an eyebrow in confusion.

"Just for us?" Dawn glanced back at the other mammals still peacefully asleep just in time to catch Malcolm scratching his gut again. "You mean, we aren't going to wake them up?"

Vernon shook his head dismissively.

"Ma thinks it's best to let 'em sleep in." Vernon replied with a slight frown. " Considerin' Pa's 'ban' and all it ain't like they'll be comin' with us, plus most of 'em are probably gonna need to help set up fer the barbeque." Vernon shrugged. " 'Sides, Ma thought it might be nice fer the three of us to have a nice, quiet meal together." The wolf flashed her a soft smile. "And I kinda liked the idea."

"But what about their breakfast?" Dawn asked, throwing another glance back at the slumbering mammals. "Surely they don't want to miss out?"

Vernon shook his head. "Ma says Malcolm's got 'em covered. He's on home cookin' duty today anyway." The wolf said with a smirk. "He always handles the barbeque cookin' after all."

Dawn nodded, taking another glance back at the sleepy mammals. The idea of a nice, quiet breakfast without the wild clamorous din of the entire Hunter family, as much as she loved them, did sound rather nice. It certainly was a reassurance that mammals like Yuri and Ulric wouldn't be there to start the day off even more so on the wrong hoof than it already had.

Dawn turned back to the wolf, flashing him a weak smile.

"That sounds lovely Vernon." The ewe whispered.

Dawn could see the wolf's tail wagging softly behind him as a warm smile curled across his muzzle.

"Excellent" The wolf went to clap his paws together, nearly making the impact before the wolf caught himself. The wolf tried to play off his mistake by quickly running one of the offending paws through his hair. "So, ahem..." The wolf cleared his throat. "Ya'll ready then?"

Dawn smiled at the goofy canine, giving him a soft assenting nod.

"Just let me put my laptop away and get my jacket, okay?" Dawn replied.

Vernon smirked, giving the ewe a nod as she turned back toward her bedside. Making her way back to the bed, the ewe slid her suitcase out from beneath the mattress once more, unzipping and opening the purple case before reaching for her laptop. The ewe gingerly rested it on top of her clothes, pulling the plug free of the wall before draping it on top of the computer.

As Dawn reached for her coat that was sticking out of the side of the bag, she felt a familiar rumble in her pocket.

Vrrt! Vrrt!

Clearly Judy had replied, but the ewe waited until she had closed her suitcase and returned it to the spot beneath the bed before pulling the phone free of her pocket.

Making her way back toward Vernon, her coat slung over her shoulder, the ewe opened the phone once more to read the rabbits reply.

"Judy: Alright, good luck Dawn."

Dawn smirked as she slid the phone back into it's resting place within her pocket before turning her attention back to the awaiting wolf. 

"Got a message?' Vernon asked. "Nothin' important I hope..." The wolf flashed her a worried look.

Dawn let out a soft chuckle.

"It's nothing Puppy, just Judy." The ewe replied.

The wolf's frown dissipated, a smile returning in its place. "Aww, rabbit cop again? Tell I said hi!"

Dawn giggled. "Later, okay. Now let's go eat." Dawn said, grasping the wolf's paw with her free hoof. "I'm famished."

Vernon chuckled softly. "Alright. Alright."

As the couple walked away from the bedroom, the wolf gingerly closing the door behind them as they stepped away, Dawn continued to ruminate on Judy's last text. The words resting in the forefront of her mind along with the other mantras she had been focusing on just moments earlier.

"Alright, good luck Dawn."

"By the gods, I hope so..." Dawn thought to herself. "I certainly need it."


	32. The Perfect Gift

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Thirty-Two: The Perfect Gift

Vernon let out a pleasant sigh as he slipped another slice of his Mother's famous caramel prench toast into his maw. With the slightest press of his teeth against the syrup soaked morsel, hot caramel sauce oozed out from its center, spilling out into his throat and dancing pleasantly across his tongue. The overall delectable sweetness causing the wolf to cringe in delight as he continued to chew the scrumptious treat.

There was nothing quite like his Mother's cooking, especially when it came to anything she baked. And while Vernon knew his favorite recipes well, and could do a reasonable job recreating them on his own, they always seemed to lack that special something that only his Mother seemed capable of bringing out in the dish. A certain flavor, an indescribable quality that Vernon could never quite pin down with his own attempts. Audrey usually referred to it as being the 'love' baked into every batch, and despite how cliché and silly it sounded to Vernon, with no hard evidence for the wolf to prove otherwise, he found it hard to argue against it.

Audrey had taken the time to teach all of the Hunter pups how to cook. It was part of her efforts to make sure that he and his brothers were fit to survive on their own when the time came. And while Vernon had proven to be leagues better than someone like Xavier, who seemed to be able to create kitchen fires at a mere glance, Vernon could only describe himself as nothing more than an 'adequate' cook. 

At a certain point Vernon had come to accept that his cooking skill would never quite match up to his Mother's abilities. It simply wasn't something he could hone as easily as someone like Malcolm seemed to be able to. Nor did Vernon have a bizarre natural skill for it like Ulric. 

How the twitchy, nervous wolf seemed able to duplicate their Mother's recipes perfectly was beyond Vernon. Perhaps it lied in the wolf's extremely analytical nature, and his impeccable attention to detail that made it easy for the wolf to cook as well as their Mother did. It was something Vernon chalked up to being yet another trade off, the gods way of making up for Ulric's complete lack of social skills by compensating for it in his other traits. Still, it made for a great question to pose to his Mother sometime. After all, Ulric certainly didn't bake a damn thing with 'love', the wolf didn't believe in it. Ulric was the kind of mammal who believed love to be nothing more than a chemical process in the brain. It wasn't that surprising, considering the wolf's line of work and way of thinking. Yet despite that belief, he could bake just as well as their Mother right down to that supposed phantom ingredient. And so it made her intangible reasoning behind Vernon's own failings make even less sense.

Still, at least it gave the wolf something to look forward to when visiting the Hunter Ranch. Unlike his Father's mood swings, or whether or not Yuri was posed to show up for a surprise visit, his Mother's cooking was something that was always an absolute good. A hot, tasty and filling meal was a guarantee, and the wolf had come to rely on it whenever he made his way home. Regardless of how difficult the day around it seemed to be, or however badly a mood you were in, Audrey's meals seemed to have the miraculous ability of making everything seem better. And for that reason, Vernon could scarcely conceive a better way to start off the morning than with one of his Mother's scrumptious breakfast delights.

Well, the wolf could think of a few thing that involved his Honey lamb, but Vernon wasn't keen on breaking the house rule again so soon. As far as he knew, he was still being punished for the previous evenings debacle. And Vernon surmised it was better simply to not bring it up in case his Mother had some how forgotten her decree. The last thing Vernon wanted was to once again find himself elbow deep in dirty dishes.

The breakfast table was pleasantly quiet, leaving Vernon to simply enjoy the first truly comfortable moment he had since arriving at the Ranch. That is to say, the first comfortable moment that involved any members of his family. The peaceful solitude of sharing a delicious meal with his Mother and his mate without the bickering and teasing of the other members of the pack allowed Vernon to fully unwind. To allow whatever nervous troubles and worries eating at him to simply slip into the recesses of his mind as he savored the moment as well as the meal.

Vernon felt oddly optimistic despite the day that lie ahead. While his Mother's plan to drag them to the fair against the wishes of his Father should have been something to leave his stomach twisted up in knots, the wolf felt a strange sense of hopefulness. Perhaps it had been Dawn's pep-talk from the previous evening. Or perhaps it had been the fact that Yuri had been more or less prevented from spending the evening mocking him thanks to his other brothers shutting him down. Followed up quickly by Wade's accidental reveal in regards to his mysterious mate becoming the dominant topic until they had all more or less tired themselves out.

But if Vernon had to pick out what had played the biggest role in renewing his confidence and optimism, it had to have been recovering the friendship bracelet Dawn had given to him as a pup. Just the sight of it, even in its broken state, was enough to leave the wolf feeling as if perhaps things were starting to turn around for the pair. Finding the ruined bracelet had been a sign, a good omen in Vernon's eyes, of things to come. And the prospect of being able to show it to the ewe later today had the wolf practically humming with delight as he took another bite of his breakfast.

His dreams the night before had been laced with visions of how he imagined the big reveal would go. Each one a different approach, a different take on how to surprise the ewe with his discovery, and how it had been restored. But regardless of the scenario it all ended more or less the same. Dawn basking the wolf in her beautiful warm smile as tears swelled in her eyes. In some of the dreams she would hug him, in others she would kiss him, in a few she managed to jump into his arms and squeeze him with all the strength her tiny little arms could muster. Despite all the terrible things that both of them had endured throughout the trip, this was something the wolf could rely on to make his little ewe happy. To try to make up in some way for the terrible shaming his Father, Yuri, Ana, and the others had put her through. After over two decades, their bracelets would be reunited. That is, so long as his Mother finished the repairs in time.

Vernon shifted his glance toward his Mother. The wolfess was looking at her plate, carefully cutting her own stack of prench toast before bringing a piece up to her muzzle. She had brought it a mere few inches from her muzzle before she seemed to notice Vernon's wide-eyed stare. 

Audrey lowered her fork, raising the wolf a curious eyebrow in response. 

Vernon didn't want to draw Dawn's attention, and so the wolf attempted to limit himself to simple facial gestures. The wolf raised his eyebrows, bobbing them decisively in regular intervals, but the she-wolf seemed perplexed by his expression. Audrey tilted her head slightly as she watched his attempts to convey his message. Vernon held back the urge to groan, instead adding a slight nod to his head in an effort to further emphasize what he thought was a rather clear message. 

Audrey only seemed more puzzled, the she-wolf now squinting at him quizzically.

"What?" The she-wolf mouthed inaudibly.

Vernon rolled his eyes at her response. Thinking on his feet, the wolf glanced down at his paw, flicking his eyes back and forth between it and his Mother's eye line. As Audrey brought her attention down, the wolf very quickly tapped his wrist with his other paw, flashing Audrey a weak grin after she caught the gesture.

Audrey let out a quiet chuckle, giving the wolf a slight affirmative nod as she returned to her meal, scooping her previously cut morsel of food back onto her fork and into her mouth.

Vernon tried to stifle his excitement as an ecstatic grin forced its way to his muzzle. The wolf had felt like leaping out of his chair with joy, but an act that dramatic would have given away to the ewe seated next to him that something was off. However, the dull thumping emanating from his chair as his tail slapped haphazardly against it was the one impulse he couldn't control. The overwhelming silence at the breakfast table only helped to make the 'twapping' noise it produced seem that much louder.

"I take it someone had a good night's sleep?" Audrey said with a chuckle, drawing the wolf's attention back her way. 

'Saved by the she-wolf" Vernon thought to himself, thankful for his Mother's distracting question. However, the wolf's excitement was still far too palpable to keep from leaking out in his response.

"Y-yeah!" Vernon yelped. The energy in his voice was obvious, despite his attempts at stifling it. His words wavering as he tried to bring his cadence back to something more 'normal'. "I mean, yeah." Vernon continued, lowering his voice as he clasped the sides of his seat with his paws to steady himself. "I slept alright."

Audrey shook her head, letting out a giggle as she turned her attention to Dawn. 

"And how bout you Darlin'?" Audrey asked.

Vernon turned to Dawn to see her reaction only to catch her looking down at her plate. The ewe seemed oddly quiet. Well, more so than usual. And Vernon could easily see the slight frown on her muzzle as she picked lamely at her food. 

"How long has she been sitting like that?" Vernon thought to himself as he appraised the ewe's cowed sitting pose. The wolf had been so lost in his own thoughts that he had failed to notice the state his mate was in. Even though their relationship had been a relatively short one, Vernon liked to think he could read the ewe's expressions pretty well by now. And as he observed the seemingly troubled ewe, the wolf tallied all the red flags in his head that the sheep was now displaying. Her slight frown, hunched posture, lack of appetite despite the sheer deliciousness of his Mother's cooking, and seeming inattentiveness told Vernon that she was lost in her own thoughts. And the frown lead the wolf to believe that those thoughts weren't very good ones. Vernon's own smile began to slip. His previously subdued worries now creeping back up in his mind as he watched his mate carefully. The ewe remained silent, leaving his Mother's question to hang in the air for several moments as the ewe continued to play with her food. 

"Darlin'?" Audrey uttered, slightly louder this time.

At that Dawn seemed to perk up, jumping slightly in her seat.

"O-Oh!" Dawn stammered, placing her utensils down. "I-I'm sorry Audrey, what did you say?"

Audrey grimaced slightly, her eyes now appraising the ewe as carefully as Vernon imagined his own were.

"I was askin' how ya'll slept Darlin'." Audrey repeated. "You get to sleep okay?"

"Oh..." Dawn muttered, her head drifting back down to her plate as she picked up her fork. The ewe stabbed a particularly soggy looking morsel onto the tines and began to swab it around on the plate idly. "I mean...I slept okay..." The ewe shrugged. " It could have been better I guess."

The wolf managed a slight smirk. "Right, she's just tired." Vernon reassured himself in an effort to push his nervous thoughts back. The wolf leaned over, wrapping an arm around the ewe before pulling her tightly against him for a hug. It was awkward bridging the distance between the two chairs, but thankfully Vernon was tall enough for both of them.

Dawn seemed surprised for a second, but quickly leaned into the hug, wrapping her hooves around the wolf as he buried his muzzle in her woolly poof.

"I'm sorry Darlin'." Vernon cooed. "I know you ain't a crack of Dawn type of mammal."

Dawn giggled softly into his chest.

"Neither are you!" Dawn retorted, giving the wolf a playful swat on the back as she continued to hug him.

"Yeah bu-" Vernon paused as his nose caught whiff of a peculiar scent mixed into the ewe's wool. The wolf took another soft sniff, burying his nose deeper in an attempt at better discerning the source of the odor. "Don't tell me her hormones are still actin' up?" The wolf thought to himself.

As the wolf took a sharper inhale, Dawn pulled herself away slightly, staring back at the wolf with a curious expression.

"What are you sniffing?" Dawn asked.

"Ya'll smell weird." Vernon said, flashing the ewe an inquisitive glance of his own.

"Vernon." His Mother said with a laugh, drawing his attention back toward the wolfess. Audrey sat with her paws crossed, a mirthful smirk on her muzzle as she shook her head in disbelief.

"Ya'll don't just tell a girl she smells bad so bluntly, 'specially yer mate!" Audrey rolled her eyes. "I raised ya'll to be a gentlemammal!"

Vernon chuckled, releasing his grip around the lamb as he slid back into his own seat.

"I didn't say 'bad'" Vernon clarified, raising a finger to accentuate his point. "I said 'weird'."

Dawn giggled, placing her hooves to her muzzle in an effort to stifle a giggle.

"I didn't think you'd be able to smell Qali on me." Dawn snickered.

Vernon raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I thought that smelled familiar!" The wolf exclaimed.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Yes, well Qali slept with me last night and-"

"She slept with you!?" Vernon asked aloud in mock shock, doing his best to suppress a rising smile as he prepared to tease the ewe.

"Vernon." Dawn tried to stifle her giggling.

"And here I was worried about my brothers movin' in on my gal..." Vernon chuckled. "Didn't think I'd have to be worryin' about my sisters too!"

"Vernon!" Dawn whined, trying her best to swat the wolf from her seat. Unfortunately for the ewe, the gap was far to wide for her to reach as easily as Vernon had reached her. Dawn's face was flushed, a red tinge now spreading ear to ear as she desperately tried to hide it with her other hoof.

"I mean Malcolm sure..." Vernon continued. "He may be into fellas, but with a ewe as pretty as you I could easily see him switchin' sides."

"Puppy StaaaAAAaaahp!" Dawn whined playfully. The ewe's tiny frame shuddered with each giggle fit that Vernon's continued teasing brought on. "I-it was, I-I me-" The ewe tried to stutter through her laughter.

"Ah, so ya'll girls bunked up after Ada's bed broke?" Audrey interjected. " I guess that makes sense considerin' yer both the smallest."

"Is that what that noise was?' Vernon asked, turning away from the ewe now trying to catch her breath. 

Audrey nodded. "I suppose I should have expected ya'll to have heard it."

"Among other things..." Vernon replied, shifting his gaze back toward the recovering ewe. 

"W-what did you hear?" Dawn asked, her tone quavering as she tried to collect herself. The dying laughter now at conflict with her rising tone of concern.

Vernon let out a soft chuckle as he rolled his eyes. 

"Relax Floofs..." Vernon reassured the ewe. "It was all too muffled to hear properly, aside from Vanna shoutin' somethin' I ain't gonna repeat in polite company." The wolf added, shifting his eyes toward his Mother briefly before bringing them back to Dawn.

"Oh..." Dawn murmured, her blush returning as she placed her hooves over her muzzle.

"Yeah, sounds like ya'll had a lot of fun up there." Vernon said with a soft smile. The wolf reached a paw out to the ewe, placing it gingerly on her shoulder. "I'm glad." Vernon offered the lamb a reassuring grin. The ewe flashed him a meek smile in return, her blush still clearly visible.

"Lil' too much fun." Audrey chuckled. "Consderin' ya'll broke the legs off a bed." Audrey pointed her fork in Dawn's direction, allowing a little bit of syrup to drip off her fork as she waived the cut of toast lazily in the air.

"So is that why ya'll slept so bad Mutton Chop?" Vernon asked. The wolf leaned toward the ewe, placing his arm on the table as he flashed the lamb a sly smile. "Ain't used to sharin' a bed with a mammal other than me?"

Dawn let out a laugh. "More like Qali couldn't keep her paws off of me!" The ewe flicked a hoof lazily in his direction. "I had no idea she was so pawsy in her sleep."

Vernon placed a paw over his muzzle in an effort to keep from laughing.

"She was cuddlin' you?" Vernon asked in a gleeful tone.

Dawn cringed, gritting her teeth mildly as she broke eye contact with the wolf. 

"She was practically fused to my head." Dawn replied uneasily. "She was all coiled up in my wool, and no matter how many times I woke her up and got her to stop, she'd just end up back in my wool again." Dawn sighed, leaning her muzzle against her hoof. "After a while I just gave up trying to pry her off."

Despite his best efforts, a few stray laughs slipped out of the wolf's maw as he imagined the scene in his head. The petite vixen tangled up in Dawn's woolly curls, happily snoring away as Dawn lay awake pondering how to deal with the situation. A part of him was sympathetic to his Honey Lamb's plight, surely. But the wolf couldn't deny just how humorous the whole thing must have been.

"Oh mam'..." Vernon chuckled. "What I wouldn't give to have been a fly on the wall fer that!" The wolf laughed. "At least to snap a photo! Think of the Furbook comments that one would get!"

"Veeernon!" Dawn pretended to whine, but the smile on her face told the wolf all he needed to know. At the very least, the playful ribbing seemed to be picking up the ewe's spirits. "It's not funny!"

"Yer right, it ain't funny." Vernon said, putting on a mock serious expression for a moment. "It's hilarious." The wolf snickered.

"PuuuUUUPPPpppy!" Dawn whined louder, her blush intensifying as she seemed to slink lower into her chair.

"Alright ya'll, that's enough." Audrey chuckled, giving Vernon a playful slap. "Settle down a might." Audrey added, lowering her paws to the table to illustrate bringing the noise level down. "Don't wanna wake anyone else up now do we?"

Vernon nodded, clearing his throat slightly as he turned his attention back to the remaining toast on his plate. The last thing he wanted at this point was the other members of the family poking their heads down here now even if they weren't going to the fair with them. The wolf was having far too good a time to risk letting a mammal like Yuri spoil it. 

Vernon cut another slim, soggy piece of toast from his stack. But as he raised the caramel oozing pastry to his muzzle, his eyes once again found themselves drifting over to his mate. Dawn had quickly slipped back into her despondent looking state, the ewe once again lamely poking at her food as she let out an uneasy sigh. Vernon grimaced as he lowered his fork back to his plate. Clearly there was more to Dawn's behavior than a simple lack of sleep. Something was on her mind, and Vernon wasn't going to feel any sort of relief unless he got to the bottom of it. The wolf opened his muzzle to speak, but he never got a chance to ask his question.

"Somethin' wrong Darlin'?" Audrey asked, stealing the query from Vernon's own muzzle as if she had read his mind. 

The sudden question had caused the ewe to jerk up from her plate again, her attention now quickly drawn to the concerned looking she-wolf.

"O-oh." Dawn murmured in surprise. "I-It's nothing, really."

Vernon could see his mother's brow furrow at the reply, a clear indication the she-wolf was dubious of the ewe's statement at best.

"Alright lil' lamb, out with it." Audrey said, her tone motherly yet playful. "C'mon now, what's botherin' ya?" 

The ewe shook her head briskly, stabbing another piece of food with her fork.

"I was just thinking..." Dawn muttered as she spun her fork in a syrupy pool. "I mean I was curious why everyone else isn't coming with us to the fair today."

Vernon raised an eyebrow as he pondered the ewe's question. It was a good one. One that Vernon had never thought to question when his Mother had told them as much in the first place. He was simply happy with the fact that he wouldn't have Yuri around to pester them all day, and thought nothing more than that. He knew in the case of the barbeque, Malcolm was going to have to stay home to prepare for it, but as for the others, it didn't really make sense. Vernon turned to his Mother with a curious expression of his own.

"Yeah..." Vernon said. "I mean you told us they weren't going, but I didn't ask why." The wolf paused, trying to formulate his next words carefully. "I mean, I know Pa...well..." 

Vernon glanced at Dawn briefly. He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence in front of her. "It just don't make sense if we're going against what he said, but only sorta doin' that." The wolf shrugged. "Y'know?"

Audrey closed her eyes, tilting her head down slightly. 

"Welp..." Audrey sighed, placing her paws against the sides of her muzzle. The wolfess was silent for a few moments as she rubbed the muscles in her snout.

"I could tell ya'll that I thought everyone else would be of better use settin' up fer the barbeque." Audrey said cooly. "But I ain't never been one to try to muddy my reasonin' about somethin', even if I ain't keen on worryin' the both of ya'll."

Audrey placed her paws on the table. Taking a deep breath, the she-wolf opened her eyes, staring back at the couple with a startlingly serious stare. It was the kind of gaze Vernon had learned to fear when he was a pup, the eyes of a mammal ready to fight.

"I know I said I wanted just the two of ya'll to come run the stand to have fun, and I meant that." Audrey said, her serious gaze remaining fixed and unwavering. "But if Dori decides to stick his big nose in where it doesn't belong, I don't want anyone getting between me and him, understand?"

Vernon blinked in surprise, the wolf still trying to parse exactly what the she-wolf was saying. He briefly turned to check on his mate, only to find that Dawn shared his shocked and puzzled expression.

"The less of the pack around to bicker if things go awry the better." Audrey continued, gesturing a paw toward the couple. "I don't need Zach, or Vanna tryin' to stand in fer me. Complicatin' things and making a bigger scene when it doesn't need to be."

Vernon furrowed his brow quizzically.  
"I especially don't need any of them tryin' to say they made the call to have ya'll back at the fair." Audrey pressed her paws together, leaning her muzzle against them as she kept her gaze leveled at the pair. "If Dori wants to try to lay down the law, he's going to be squarin' it with me, ya'll get me?"

Vernon nodded meekly as just what his Mother was saying finally started to register. 

" I made the call." Audrey said. "I want you both there, and I want ya'll to have fun." The she-wolf stabbed a finger down on the table.

"The fair is fer everyone." The she-wolf added, waving her finger. " Ain't no law that says otherwise. And that means ain't no lawmammal that has a ground to stand on!"

With that, Audrey's posture seemed to ease. The she-wolf leaned back in her chair, stretching and arm as her expression slipped into something more playful and calm.

"I don't want ya'll to worry about Dori, or the rest of them fairgoers." The wolfess let out another sigh. "I just want ya'll to relax and have a good time. Together." Audrey said with a smile. "'Side's, yer frail ol' mother can't run the stand on her own." The she-wolf chuckled.

Vernon couldn't help but smirk, flashing the she-wolf a dull and dubious glance. The last mammal he would ever describe as frail was his mother. If there was one mammal who could manage to put Dorian in his place, it was her. Sure, Dorian had made a number of decrees over the years when it came to his family. But most of the unjust calls didn't last very long under Audrey's tenacious and rebellious demeanor. It was moments like that which left Vernon to wonder exactly how someone seemingly as wild as his Mother even managed to settle down with such a button-downed, authoritarian wolf. 

But the topic at hand had managed to stir some of the wolfs nagging doubts and worries. Drawing those uncertainties up to the surface, and pressing him to mention them. 

"But what about the fairgoers?" Vernon mumbled, almost reluctantly. "I mean Ana and Ken-"

"Oh pshaw!" Audrey tutted, flicking a lazy paw in Vernon's direction. " I'm certain those two won't be showin' their face at that fair anytime soon after yesterday!" 

Audrey flashed the wolf a smirk, leaning in close to Vernon as she placed a paw near her muzzle to try to hide her mouth from the ewe.

"Considerin' the way they left the fair I doubt everything is hunky-dory in the Loupon household." Audrey chuckled softly.

"But surely Mr. Ruddy, or even some of the other fairgoers could-"

"I'm tellin' ya'll they are far too meek to speak up without that agitatin' she-wolf around." Audrey cut Dawn off. "And with me watchin' over ya'll, no-one'll dare say a bad word to ya!" Audrey said defiantly, bringing her paw down sharply against the table.

Dawn still seemed uncertain of Audrey's declaration, but the she-wolf was quick to pick up on it.

"Aw c'mon Dawn, trust me!" Auddey grinned widely at the ewe. "I ain't gonna let anyone hurt one of my own as long as I'm watchin' them, ya'll have my word!"

Vernon watched as Dawn seemed to be fighting back a smirk. It was clear she was still holding on to some reservations about the whole affair just as he was. But his Mother's unflappable optimism was an infectious sort. It was impossible to fight it off when she hoisted it on you, and she knew just how to work a smile out of even the gloomiest mammal.

"B-But Dorian..." Dawn trailed off, still trying to fight the growing smile she was hiding behind her hooves.

"But Dorian nuthin'!" Audrey spat, bringing her paw down against the table again loudly. "If he even shows his big stupid muzzle around our stand I'll bop him into next week!" Audrey grinned, raising her arm in a mock punch.

That was enough to break the ewe. The sheep burst into giggling, her hooves still clasped tightly against her muzzle despite losing her composure. There was simply no winning against Audrey's enthusiasm. 

"Alright, alright." Vernon said with a laugh. The wolf gestured his paws in a similar way to how his Mother had earlier in reference to the noise level. 

"We're gettin' too loud again." Vernon chuckled. "And I'd rather not have Yuri spoil this breakfast."

Audrey was quick to stifle herself, bringing a paw sharply to her lips as she smirked back at Vernon.

"Here I am actin' like the pup now..." Audrey chuckled quietly.

Dawn took a few deep breaths seemingly in an effort to chase off her remaining laughter as she tried to compose herself. At the very least the ewe was smiling now, her posture improving as the wolf watched her calm down. Soon enough, the ewe actually began to eat the prench toast that had been dissolving in a sea of syrup on her plate.

"So what about the others?" Dawn asked idly as she slipped a piece of toast into her muzzle. "Surely they at least want some of this fantastic breakfast?"

Audrey let out a soft chuckle.

"Malcolm's got 'em covered." The she-wolf said with a grin. "Whenever they all wake up he can fix 'em some fancy prench toast just as good as mine."

"Maybe not quite as good as yers Ma." Vernon said with a chuckle as he scooped a large chunk of the cinnamon swirled bread onto his fork.

Audrey placed a paw to her muzzle, trying to hide the slight blush as she waived her other paw in Vernon's direction.

"Oh hush now!" Audrey cooed. "Malcolm does a fine job."

Vernon rolled his eyes, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Just take a compliment Ma." The wolf chuckled.

Audrey cut herself another small slice of her toast, stabbing it with her fork before waiving it Vernon's way.

"It's true." Auddey retorted. "I mean, that boy's a real chef, not some home taught housewife like me."

"It is fantastic Mrs. Hu-" The ewe paused to correct herself. "I mean Audrey."

The wolf shifted her fork Dawn's way, dabbing it toward the ewe.

"That's right." The she-wolf said with a grin. "No need for formalities with my daughter-in-law."

The ewe seemed to frown slightly at the she-wolf's words. Dawn glanced down at her plate briefly before seeming to shake off whatever was bothering her. Returning her attention to the she-wolf, the ewe's smile returned.

"Thank you Audrey." Dawn replied. "Really."

"Yer quite welcome Darlin'." Audrey said, finally bringing the food on her fork towards her muzzle.

"So, what exactly is the plan fer today Ma?" Vernon asked, quirking a brow.

As the she-wolf slid the bite of food into her mouth, she leaned in her seat, allowing her free arm to rest on the table. "Welp..." Audrey rolled her eyes slightly, lazily waving her paw. " I figure between the three of us we can pack the van up in a few minutes." Audrey shrugged. "I mean, we did leave it sorta half loaded last night, so there ain't much work to do."

"And then?" Dawn asked. the ewe leaning over her plate as she eyed the wolfess expectantly.

Audrey looked toward the ceiling. "Well, then it's just a matter of gettin' to the fair." The she-wolf scratched her chin softly as she seemed to be mulling over the process.

"We can all take the loader truck out since that's really all we'll need." Audrey bobbed her head slightly as if affirming something to herself. "Then it's just a matter of loadin' the stand and getting to work."

Vernon watched as Dawn began to wring her hooves nervously, a slightly worried expression overtaking her as her eyes returned to looking at her plate.

"I h-hope I can help." Dawn muttered.

Audrey let out a single, sharp laugh. "You'll be fine Darlin', trust me."

Dawn looked back up at Audrey with a slight wince.

"B-but I can't really cook much of anything..." Dawn murmured, tapping her hooves together. "I know a few prey meals but honestly-"

Audrey rolled her eyes. "You'll be fine Darlin'." The wolfess said reassuringly. "'Sides I'll be there every step of the way. I ain't gonna let ya fall."

Dawn offered the she-wolf a small smile.

"Plus I know a thing or two about makin' Ma's pies." Vernon interjected, trying to add to the ewe's rising confidence.

"Between the two of ya'll yer gonna do a fine job." Audrey added, reaching a paw out to Vernon's head and ruffling the fur on top. Vernon moved away, swatting back at his Mother's affectionate gesture.

"MA!" Vernon whined.

"Oh hush!" Audrey tutted as she returned to her plate. The she-wolf cut herself another slice of bread and idly swirled it around the syrup pooled on her plate.

"After we're done fer the day, it's just a matter of packin' up and ridin' back home." Audrey continued, raising the sopping chunk of toast to her lips. "By then the rest of the pack should have the Barbeque all set to go. So ya'll can just keep enjoyin' yerselves."

"Ah, the barbeque." Vernon said with a comfortable sigh. "Now there's somethin' to look forward too." The wolf pat his stomach affectionately. "Nobody Barbeques quite like Mal-"

Vernon paused, his attention switching back Dawn's way as the ewe continued to eat her breakfast. The wolf hadn't given thought to exactly what he could offer his mate in terms of the family barbeque. It was a largely pred affair, and as such they never really had anything made up for prey aside from simple side dishes.

"Ma?" Vernon glanced back at his Mother, concern lacing his features. " What about Dawn?"

"Mhhm?" Audrey grumbled curiously as she chewed another mouthful of food.

"I mean, does Malcolm have anythin' she can eat?" Vernon added. "I mean, her diet is-"

Audrey was quick to dismiss the wolf with the wave of a paw.

"Malcolm already has a few prey specialty dishes planned fer Dawn, don't ya'll worry!" With a grin, Audrey turned her attention back to the diminutive ewe. The she-wolf quirked an eyebrow.

"I hope ya'll like surprises." Audrey said with a chuckle.

Dawn giggled in response.

Vernon let out a relieved sigh. It seemed as though everything was more or less covered as far as plans for the afternoon went. The only thing he had to worry about now was simply the outside forces that could cause those seemingly mundane activities to prove rather difficult. Vernon didn't doubt his Mother's assertions about the fair-goers, or his Father. He was sure the she-wolf would live up to her declarations should they be faced with any hardship while running the stall. But even the risk of such an encounter, regardless of how his Mother handled it still put the wolf on edge. He just didn't want anything to further ruin the prospect of Dawn having a good time. But running the stall seemed like the more favorable choice over remaining at the house all day. At least at the stall Yuri was guaranteed to be miles away from him, and thus unable to torment the couple.

"Oh!" Dawn jerked to attention, as if she had come to a sudden realization. The ewe quickly placed her utensils down, dabbing her muzzle with a napkin.

"May I be excused?" The tiny ewe asked. "I didn't exactly get a chance to go to the bathroom earlier and I-"

Audrey held up a paw silencing the ewe. The she-wolf rolled her eyes, flashing the ewe a smirk.

"Darlin'," Audrey replied. "You don't even have to ask."

Dawn gave a brisk nod, and Vernon watched as she slipped off the stack of phone books in her chair before disappearing below the table's edge. The wolf leaned in his seat just enough to catch the top of her woolly poof as it bobbed along the table, and watched until it shifted toward the Kitchen doorway before finally disappearing completely. Vernon watched for a few more moments, remaining quiet as he listened for the telltale shuttering of the bathroom door as the ewe closed it.

With a soft and familiar 'clack', the wolf knew the coast was finally clear.

Vernon turned in the blink of an eye, the wolf spinning in his seat to face his mother. The wolf practically hung off of his chair as he eyed the she-wolf expectantly. Audrey hadn't moved much since Dawn's departure, the she-wolf calmly slipping another morsel of food into her muzzle.

"Where is it!?" Vernon whined excitedly.

"Is that how you ask yer Mother fer somethin'?" Audrey tutted, not even batting an eye at the wolf's distress.

Vernon let out a quiet grumble, placing his paw to his head in frustration at his Mother's perceived teasing. The wolf straightened up in his seat, taking a moment to clear his throat in order to perfectly recite exactly what he knew the she-wolf wanted to hear without error.

"Mom." Vernon said calmly. "Do you have my bracelet on you?"

Audrey smirked slightly, but otherwise the wolfess remained unfazed by Vernon's address. The she-wolf slipped another slice of food into her muzzle, chewing it agonizingly slowly as she paid Vernon little mind. Vernon was clenching his teeth as he waited for a response, the anticipation gnawing at him relentlessly. 

Finally, the she-wolf offered the wolf a simple, soft affirmative nod.

Vernon jerked forward slightly in excitement, but was quick to calm himself. He had to keep his composure or he was certain his Mother would continue to drag this affair along. Vernon sat straight one more, doing his best to continue to appear calm.

"Okay." Vernon said with a sigh. "May I have it?"

Audrey quietly scooped up the last of her prench toast, stabbing it with her fork and swirling it within the remaining pool of syrup and caramel. The she-wolf raised it to her muzzle even slower than before, stopping just short of her lips as the wolf waited anxiously for her response. She held her fork there allowing a deafening silence to hang for what seemed like an eternity.

Finally, the she-wolf spoke, and Vernon found the food-laden fork pointed his way rather than where he had expected it to go.

"May I have it...?" Audrey tailed off, bobbing the fork slightly with each word. "What?"

Vernon groaned. The she-wolf's sudden adherence to formality was clearly just to toy with him, and the game was starting to wear thin. Then again, the wolf only had himself to blame for keeping it going. He had forgotten the most crucial part of the song and dance when it came to respectfully asking his Mother for something.

Vernon let out an exhausted sigh.

"May I have it..." Vernon offered as wide a smile as he could to the nonplussed she-wolf. "Please?" The wolf asked.

Audrey's grin grew, and the she-wolf finally turned to acknowledge her son. Placing her fork down, the wolfess reached into her breast pocket. After a brief bit of fumbling she extracted Vernon's prize. 

'thwap, thwap' Vernon's tail was already off like a shot at the mere glimpse of his treasure. And the wolf quickly reached out to snag it from his Mother's paw only for her to quickly jerk it away, her smile widening into something more mischievous.

"MA!" Vernon snapped, his patience worn through.

"Ah, ah, ah." Audrey tutted, waggling a finger at the wolf.

"First tell me that I'm the best Mother in all of Animalia." Audrey snickered. "And that without my help ya'll wouldn't know hock from yer hackles!"

"MAAA!" Vernon groaned in annoyance. 

Audrey rolled her eyes, shaking her head dismissively.

"Alright, alright..." The she-wolf sighed. "You boys are no fun anymore, I swear..."

The she-wolf gestured her free paw toward Vernon.

"Hold out yer paw." Audrey said, extending her own paw outward expectantly.

Vernon extended his paw, moving it just underneath his mother's, ready to catch the precious trinket. Once the she-wolf was seemingly satisfied, she opened her paw, allowing the beaded bracelet to fall gingerly into Vernon's grip.

As soon as Vernon felt the plastic touch his pads he immediately snapped it up, pulling it tightly against his chest before Audrey had even moved her still open paw.

Audrey rolled her eyes again.

"My little Puppy." Audrey shook her head. "It ain't a newborn baby bird, ya'll don't need to treat it like it'll break if ya'll look at it wrong." The she-wolf snickered.

Vernon met her statement with an eye roll of his own. He couldn't expect his Mother to fully understand why the friendship bracelet was so important to him. It had become the crucial lynchpin in his plan to salvage the weekend for his mate. While it now looked increasingly likely that it was going to take more than one weekend to wear his Father down to get his approval for a tithe, at the very least he could make the ewe's first visit to the Ranch a positive memory with his trinket.

The wolf carefully opened his clasped paw, keeping it pooled against his chest as he glanced down at the plastic jewelry.

Not much had changed in regards to how it looked, it was a simple set of plastic children's beads after all. But the fresh dabs of paint and enamel were easily noticeable in the places where parts of the letters had worn away. There was no mistaking what the bracelet said now. The comfortable deep brown satin banding holding the letters together just as they had been all those years before.

"Floofy's Best Friend." Vernon muttered appreciatively to himself, a warm smile crawling across his muzzle. 

"Ain't that adorable..." Vernon's attention was stolen back by his Mother. The she-wolf was now leaning both arms on the table, allowing her head to rest on her paws as she watched the wolf's expressions. "Ya'll still get that gleam in yer eye like when you were a little Pup, it's just so cute."

Vernon let out a slight scoff, more at the statement than his Mother's attitude. He certainly was grateful, and the last thing he wanted to seem was disrespectful after what his Mother had done.

"Thank you so much Ma, really." Vernon said with a soft smile.

"Seems like it was just yesterday you were still my little Puppy..." Audrey seemingly hadn't heard him, the she-wolf momentarily lost in her memories. Her voice had wavered slightly, a sadness evident in tone as she reminisced.

But the she-wolf didn't linger on it long, and with a brisk shake of her head Audrey sat straight up in her chair. The she-wolf cleared her throat, seemingly attempting to shake off her burst of motherly nostalgia.

"Anyhoo..." Audrey muttered, adding another few throat clearing coughs for good measure. "I think ya'll should just pocket that fer now." The wolfess advised, waving a finger. "Slip it on at the stall and don't even mention it."

Vernon quirked an eyebrow in confusion.

"What? Why?" The wolf was quick to respond.

Audrey rolled her eyes.

"'Cause imagine how much more of a surprise it'll be if she finds it out on her own." Audrey said with a smile. "She'll probably squeal with delight if she ain't prepared for it. Ya'll can't tell me you wouldn't love that."

In all of the dream scenarios Vernon had played out the previous evening, simply allowing the ewe to discover it on his arm without mentioning was an idea he hadn't even considered. But the way his Mother had pitched it to him easily made the idea trump every other paws down. The wolf knew that was the way he had to do it, the ultimate surprise.

Vernon nodded briskly in agreement, flashing the she-wolf a wide grin before returning to eyeing his treasure.

"Y'know..." Vernon murmured softly.

"Ya'll really are the best Mother in all Animalia." The wolf said with a chuckle. 

Vernon looked up to catch his Mother staring back at him in surprise, her paw over her muzzle as her eyes glimmered with what he could only assume was rising tears. But she quickly turned her gaze away, trying to hide the fact that he had caught her emotionally off guard.

"Aw Puppy, d-don't tease yer old Momma now." Audrey tried to sound firm, but her tone quavered with emotion, and Vernon couldn't help but smile.

The familiar clack of the bathroom door pulled the wolf away from the warm moment he had shared with his mother. The wolf fumbled with the bracelet, rushing to stuff it in his pocket as the familiar woolly poof began to trace the edge of the table once more. He finally managed to completely bury it in his pocket just in time for the ewe to begin her struggle back into he seat.

"Need help Honey Lamb?" Vernon asked coolly, doing his best to play off the frantic scramble he had been in seconds before.

"N-no." Dawn groaned, as the ewe began to surface from below the table edge. "I-I've got I-It."   
It took the ewe a few moments on her own, but soon enough the ewe was back in her seat. Dawn took a moment to adjust herself, straightening her skirt before finally turning her attention back to the rest of the table.

"That's better." Dawn said with a sigh.

Vernon chuckled. "Yeah sorry Darlin'." The wolf uttered, scratching the back of his neck. "I probably should have asked ya'll on our way downstairs if ya'll needed the rest room."

Dawn chuckled. "It's fine." The ewe replied, picking up her utensils again. "I just hope I didn't miss anything interesting." The ewe asked, raising the wolves a curious eyebrow.

Vernon and his Mother shared a brief glance.

"Nah, just more fair prep talk Floofs, nothin' serious." Vernon replied, flashing the ewe a grin.

"Yeah, I was just tellin' Vernon how he's still gonna be on dish duty at the stand." Audrey added.

Vernon turned to his Mother in surprise, only to find the she-wolf grinning at him with a wide a mischievous smile.

"What, ya'll thought I forgot about yer punishment?" Audrey chuckled. " 'Sides, someone's got to do 'em. The stall doesn't have a dishwasher after all."

Vernon let out a groan as Audrey and Dawn broke into a fit of giggling.

"Great, she did remember." The wolf lamented to himself, running a paw over his scalp as the girls laughed around him. The wolf's paws were still wrinkled from the previous evening. But Vernon supposed it was a small price to pay now that he had his friendship bracelet. The joy he knew it would bring Dawn to see it would be well worth perpetually soggy paws.


	33. Baking With Love

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Thirty-Three: Baking With Love

"You ready Floofs?" Vernon asked, his brow furrowing in concern as he looked down at the diminutive ewe. In the dim light of the closed stall, it was hard to see the large wolf too well, but it was something the ewe preferred at this point.

Every nerve, every fiber of the ewe was screaming at her to say 'no'. To simply run back out to the delivery van and spend the rest of the day playing mobile games on her phone until they had to leave. Yet as if to spite herself, in direct conflict with everything her instinct was telling her, she managed to squeak out a timid, strangled response.

"Y-yes..." Dawn practically whispered. The ewe wrung her hooves together uneasily as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat.

"We'll be fine Honey Lamb." Vernon reassured, the wolf leaning down to place a paw on her shoulder. Dawn nearly jumped out of her pelt at the sudden contact. She had been too busy looking down at her feet to notice the wolf reaching for her.

"Easy, easy Lamb Fry." The wolf cooed, bringing a paw up to her face and softly caressing it. The ewe was quick to grab his paw, pressing it deeper into her cheek as she leaned into his comforting grip. It may have been a small gesture, but the ewe tried her best to savor what relief the wolf's touch would bestow, even temporarily. 

"Ma's got our back..." Vernon continued, rubbing his thumb against her cheek affectionately. "And most of the fairgoers probably ain't gonna pay us no mind."

Dawn wanted to believe the wolf, she truly did. But the logical part of her brain knew it was simply a pipe dream. After yesterday, it was highly unlikely that they wouldn't be easily recognized. Practically everyone at the fair had been privy to the scene that played out the days before, and those that hadn't surely had been told about it by now.

She just wasn't ready to face the public after the previous day's debacle. She had managed to keep her anxiety about the whole thing buried when Audrey had first declared her plan the night before. The she-wolf's positivity had even proved infectious. But as the ewe grew closer to actually going back to the fair, her nervousness continued to build. Still she had held on, through breakfast, loading the truck, and even managing to make pleasant small talk on the ride over. She had even managed to get through setting up the inside of the darkened stall, away from the prying eyes of the public.

But when Audrey left the stand, on her way to the front to open the front shutter and expose them to the world, the ewe began to lose it.

"V-Vernon I-" Dawn tried to squeak, but she felt paralyzed. The brewing stage fright shutting her mind down in the face of impending exposure. She didn't want a repeat of yesterday, with Audrey front and center to take the brunt of the backlash. What would Dorian do this time? Or Ruddy? Would they permanently banned from the fair? Force Auddey to close her stall forever, regardless of who showed up to run it? 

And then there was Dorian, who the ewe wasn't even sure she could stomach seeing again. Dawn was almost certain in this moment, that should she lay eyes on the icy furred wolf, she'd surely break into tears. Everything inside her mind was screaming at her, every negative outcome, every possible ramification that could blow up in their face. It just felt far too overwhelming to take.

"Shh...Honey Lamb..." Vernon cooed sweetly. The wolf brought her in for a hug, planting a soft kiss on her forehead as he did. "I'm here too y'know." The wolf reassured as he rubbed the ewe's back. "Remember ya always got me to lean on. I ain't going nowhere."

Dawn shuddered as Vernon's gestures overtook her, the anxiety and panic subsiding significantly as she allowed herself to be taken in by the wolf's grip. It was quite paradoxical, the ewe knew it. She was always so adamant about how others standing up for and protecting her bothered her. And yet here she was, wrapped tightly in her lovers shielding embrace, and praying that she never had to leave it.

A loud clank jerked the couples attention back to the front of the stand, the wolf's grip remaining fixed around the ewe As the shutter suddenly rose to the top of the stall. Dawn winced slightly at the sudden burst of sunlight now glaring back at her, the morning light temporarily drowning out the rest of the scene before it slowly came into focus. Audrey was standing at the edge of the stand, making sure to lock the shutter up and away to prevent it from sliding back down. As her eyes continued to adjust, Dawn started to make out the rest of the fairgrounds. The various other stands already open or in the process of opening. More importantly, the ewe could already see at least two or three goats had stopped to stare at the stall from a distance. One standing on the tips of his hooves to look over the counter's edge.

Audrey seemed to notice right away, the wolfess raising an eyebrow in concern as she eyed some of them.

"Ya'll hungry?" Audrey asked, cocking her head slightly. "We got some already prepared stuff ready to go. But if ya'll want somethin' fresh it'll take us a few minutes to-"

With that several of the goats began to walk away without so much as acknowledging Audrey's statement. Only the one who had been stretching to see over the stall had the courtesy of at least briskly shaking his head no before making tracks back toward the rest of the fairgrounds.

Audrey let out a sigh before turning her attention back toward the stall interior. "Alright, I'm coming back around."

As the she-wolf disappeared behind the edge of the stall, Dawn's senses seemed to return to her. And with it, the fear she had been feeling before Vernon had begun to hold her.

"V-Vernon I can't do this, I can't-" 

The wolf squeezed her tighter in his grip, planting another kiss through her woolly poof and onto her head. 

"Remember what Ma said..." Vernon reiterated calmly.

The ewe let out another shuddering sigh as she tried to shake the anxiety away again. She remembered all right, the she-wolf had repeated it over and over again on the ride out.

"Just focus on having fun." Dawn repeated meekly.

"Exactly that!" Audrey interjected as she entered the stand.

Dawn felt Vernon begin to pull away as the wolf rose to his feet, and for a few moments lingered in his embrace until he had simply pulled out of her reach. 

"Just focus on havin' fun with it!" Audrey continued as the pair now faced the she-wolf. The grey and cream colored wolf was already pulling large, clear plastic gloves over her paws as she continued. "We're here to bake, and nuthin' else." The wolfess continued, rolling the gloves up to her elbows.

Dawn gave a meek nod, swallowing the hard lump in her throat as best as she could.

Audrey chuckled softly, flashing the ewe a warm smile.

"Trust me, once ya'll get going you'll feel much better Darlin'." Audrey said, leaning down slightly to engage the ewe. The she-wolf waved an arm lamely toward the now open stall window. "All that stuff'll just fall away, and you'll realize ya'll were worried for nuthin.'"

Dawn tried to smile back, her best efforts producing a weak, pallid grin in response.

'I hope so.' The ewe thought to herself, stealing another nervous glance of the open fairgrounds out of the corner of her eye. 'I really do.'

"So, what are we doin' Ma?" Vernon said, clapping his paws together sharply. The sound echoed across the nearly emptied fairgrounds, causing the wolf to wince at his own action.

Audrey chuckled at the wolf's enthusiasm. 

"Welp..." The she-wolf uttered, turning around and walking towards a nearby cabinet. Audrey began to dig through the compartment, fishing around for some unseen item. It took her a few moments, but eventually she found what she was looking for.

Audrey turned back to face the couple before throwing a wad of plastic at the large wolf. Vernon had barely caught it, fumbling awkwardly with the packet before managing to get a good grasp of it. The wolf was busy looking over what the she-wolf had thrown to him as Audrey made her way toward Dawn.

"Put on those gloves and that fur muzzle Vernon." Audrey tutted as she bent down to the ewe's level. The she-wolf was still looking at Vernon as she spoke. "We don't want no hair in the batter."

"Alright, pie filling duty." Vernon flashed the wolfess a confident grin. "I can do that." Dawn watched as the wolf tore open the packet with his teeth before pulling the mesh netted muzzle cover from its casing. The wolf pulled at the neck of his shirt with a paw as he slipped the cover over his muzzle and chin, tucking the rest of the netting over the front of his neck and down into his shirt before starting to tie it up from behind. 

Dawn smirked slightly at the sight of Vernon in a full-fledged cooking muzzle. It was something both predator and prey with fur regularly used to keep their fur from falling into any foodstuffs they were making. But it had always looked rather goofy to Dawn, and now that her mate was wearing one, it seemed even more so. 

Turning her attention back to Dawn, Audrey gingerly took one of Dawn's hooves, inspecting it carefully. The ewe quirked an eyebrow in confusion, but before she could speak Audrey began to explain herself.

"With paws like these I don't think you'll be needin' gloves." Audrey said with a smile, releasing her grip on the ewe's hoof. "I think they'll be perfect fer makin' the pie crust."

"They are?" Dawn asked uncertainly.

Audrey offered the ewe and affirmative nod before handing her a small plastic packet of her own, considerably smaller than Vernon's.

"Yep, of course you'll still need a hair net." Audrey said with a chuckle. "I know wool is a bit different than fur, but we don't take any chances."

Dawn nodded, inspecting the hair net package carefully for a moment.

"Is this...?" The ewe trailed off.

Audrey offered another nod as she rose to her feet.

"Yup, already sheep-sized." The wolfess replied. "On the rare occasion when I ain't got any help at the stand, I hire some sheepfolk to help around the place. Speakin' of..." The she-wolf trailed off as she made her way to the cabinet again, only this time she bent down to reach for something below the counter.

Walking back over to the small kitchen area, the she-wolf presented the ewe with a green fold-out stool with two steps.

"Yer gonna need this I imagine." Audrey added.

Dawn took the stool with uncertainty. She was still feeling quite nervous, and now everything seemed to be whizzing by her at a breakneck pace. Looking over to Vernon, she could see the wolf had already finished suiting himself up in the gear Audrey had provided. His sleeves rolled up to allow the plastic to cover his forearms, and his fur muzzle secured. The wolf dusted off his paws, the plastic making slippery squeaking noises as they rubbed together.

"As fer me." Audrey continued, turning to the front of the stall. "After I show Dawn here the ins-and-outs of makin' the crusts, I'll be handlin' the corn." The wolfess turned her head back toward the pair, raising a questioning eyebrow to the couple.

"Sound like a plan?" Audrey asked.

Vernon gave a brisk nod. "I'm ready Ma."

Dawn felt less certain, and unfortunately the ewe couldn't stop it from showing as she replied.

"Y-yes..." Dawm murmured, tapping her hooves together uneasily.

Audrey let out a loud laugh, seemingly pleased despite the clear hesitation in Dawn's reply.

"Yer gonna do just fine Darlin'!' Audrey announced, her voice loud and filled with energy. The she-wolf clapped her paws together loudly, rubbing them together as the loud echo traveled across the sparsely populated fairgrounds. Unlike Vernon, the she-wolf seemed unfazed. 

"Alright, let's get to bakin'!" Audrey chirped happily.

It didn't take too long for the ewe to get the hoof of exactly how to form and press the pie crusts with Audrey hovering over her every step of the way. The lesson began with the pastry crust, which Audrey described to the lamb as being the more difficult of the two traditional 'Hunter Family' crusts to make. Taking the lead and instructing Dawn to watch with a keen eye, the she-wolf recited a quick list of the ingredients needed as she began to compile them into a bowl.

Dawn watched attentively as the she-wolf quickly mixed together the shortening, flour, butter and other ingredients together before dumping the newly formed dough on to the workspace and aggressively kneading and stretching it out. The wolfess seemed to fly through the process with ease, the whole affair appearing to be second nature to her as she idly prattled off more tips and trick to the ewe. The way the kneading continued to mix the ingredients, the proper way to aerate the dough. Each little snippet of advice flowing from the wolfess without so much as a moment's pause in her manipulation of the fresh batter. Her relaxed, almost carefree motions Dawn could only chalk up to the years of experience under the she-wolf's belt. 

It was easy to remain transfixed on Audrey's work, the rhythmic and seamless exercises creating an almost hypnotic effect on the lamb. Dawn was almost able to lose herself in watching Audrey work, her anxiety and fears drifting away as she watched the skilled artisan's performance. That was until the she-wolf slammed the kneaded dough into the pie shell with a loud slap, snapping the ewe out of her trance. In mere seconds Audrey had molded, trimmed and seated the crust firmly in the tin before sliding it Dawn's way with a confident smile.

"And that's the gist of it!" The she-wolf said with a confident huff. Audrey turned her attention back to Dawn, offering the ewe a broad smile as she gesturing a paw toward the now clear work area before her.

"Now it's yer turn Darlin'." The wolfess gingerly pat the cleared counter.

After watching the mother wolf perform what Dawn could easily argue was practically art in some form or another, the ewe became even more reluctant to try her hoof at the craft. But Audrey gave her little time to get over the fear herself before the she-wolf was gingerly tugging her over to the workstation, setting up the stepping stool and standing her on it. Dawn would have found herself chuckling if she hadn't been so nervous, the she-wolf's behavior reminding her greatly of Vernon's usually approach when it came to motivating the sheep. At least now she knew where he got it from.

Once Audrey had seemed satisfied with how she had set Dawn up, the she-wolf simply backed away from her, leaving the ewe to stand amidst the ingredients by herself. Dawn looked at her in confusion, searching her eyes for exactly what the she-wolf seemed to expect of her. Audrey simply chuckled at the dumbfounded ewe.

"Start with the flower Darlin'." Audrey recited with a smile.

Dawn looked to the crumpled bag of flour near the bowl worryingly before turning her attention back to the she-wolf. Did she really expect her to be able to just make it after watching her only once?

"B-but what if I mess up?" Dawn murmured nervously.

Audrey chuckled softly.

"Then we chuck it and move on." She replied, gesturing her paw toward the nearby trash bin. "Just relax Darlin'. Remember what I did, and I'll tell ya the ingredients as ya'll go."

"You can't be as bad as Xavier Honey Lamb." That had come from Vernon, The wolf stood at the work station next to her, idly combining ingredients almost as seamlessly as his mother had as he crafted the pie filling. All the sight managed to do was make the ewe more nervous. "I don't think any mammal could."

"Be nice to yer brother." Audrey chuckled as she waved a paw at the wolf. "He tries his best, ain't his fault he's got bad bakers sense."

Dawn gave the she-wolf a meek nod, and with a gulp, turned her attention back to the counter. With a deep breath, the ewe did her best to straighten her posture and calm herself before diving into her first attempt at crust making. It was an awkward first stab, the ewe having to throw out the first clump of dough due to accidentally putting in too much salt. The ewe's trembling hoof's causing the salt container's cap to loosen and fall off into the mixture. But Audrey was there to reassure her, and with a toss of the ruined dough and a quick refill of the salt container, the ewe was at it again. 

It was a considerably slower affair in comparison to the highly skilled wolfess, the ewe carefully measuring her mixtures and adding each component with great care. Despite her sloth-like speed, Audrey's demeanor remained cool and calm as she continued to recite the ingredients off to the ewe. The she-wolf displaying seemingly bottomless patience in direct contrast to what Dawn was certain was a process that required a great deal of speed during a rush on the stall. But eventually, after what seemed like ages, at least to Dawn, she finally had a clump of dough that looked fairly similar to what the she-wolf had created before her. But the ewe had little time to bask in her accomplishment before she found an empty pie tin sliding in her direction.

Audrey was now standing next to her, her arms remaining crossed as she looked down at the ewe with a friendly smile.

"Alrighty, now let's get ya used to kneading." The she-wolf said, uncrossing her arms and adjusting her shirt sleeves. Despite her preparation, the she-wolf simply gestured back to the dough in Dawn's bowl.

"Show me what ya got Darlin'." Audrey said with a smirk.

Dawn was still a bit nervous, but now that she had come this far she had gained some degree of confidence. After all, surely mixing the ingredients required to make the crust was the most difficult task in Dawn's mind. Still, she doubted she could move as smoothly and expertly as the she-wolf had with her clump of dough.

Dawn began slowly at first, her movements terse and slow in a clear reflection of her discomfort and unfamiliarity with the process. Kneading the dough was indeed harder than the she-wolf had made it appear, and the ewe's lack of muscles made each twist and pull a harder task than she had expected. The ewe let out an exasperated huff as she shoved and stretched the weighted mound, each motion feeling as if she were making less and less headway with aerating the dough. She was about to open her mouth to speak, to press Audrey for some form of help in making her efforts more smooth and fluid. But as if the wolfess had read her mind, her large paws suddenly found themselves atop of Dawn's hooves, gently guiding her efforts along.

"Someone like you can't work the whole thing at once Darlin'." Audrey said with a soft chuckle. "Just focus on sections and you won't tucker yerself out so quickly."

"O-okay..." Dawn said, letting out another sigh in an effort to shake off her building frustration. 

The wolfess gingerly moved her hooves across the dough, helping the ewe to spread it into smaller portions and moving Dawn's fingers in time with her own kneading rhythm. She continued to instruct Dawn as she moved her hooves from place to place, interjecting a few more pearls of wisdom before eventually withdrawing her paws and leaving Dawn to her own devices. Of course, Dawn hadn't even noticed until she had finished kneading the dough, placing it in the tin and setting it firmly in place. Audrey's stealthy movements coupled with Dawn's building confidence making the ewe oblivious to it until the end. 

Dawn looked at her own hooves in shock before turning back to the she-wolf who had resumed her paws off, arms crossed stance.

"When did you let go?" Dawn asked.

Audrey shook her head, letting out a soft chuckle. 

"A while ago Darlin'." Audrey smirked. "Yer a natural, I told ya."

Dawn blushed slightly, twisting a hoof against the stool as she failed to meet Audrey's gaze.

"Oh no, I rea-"

"Take the compliment Lamb Fry." Vernon said, giving the ewe a playful nudge with his elbow. "I told ya you wouldn't be as bad as Xavey."

Dawn giggled, pushing the wolf away with a playful swat.

"Just like ridin' a bike." Auddey smirked. "All ya need is a lil' confidence and ya go flyin' off. "

The she-wolf's approach proved to be surprisingly less paws on than the ewe had first expected considering Audrey's general demeanor. But it seemed to work well considering the outcome. And while Dawn was sure she wasn't going to be as skilled as Audrey was anytime soon, she was now at least somewhat confident she could get the job done.

Riding the new surge of confidence while she had it, the ewe eagerly followed the she-wolf into the next arguably easier and less time-consuming lesson. The more popular and easier to make graham cracker pie crust that served as the alternative to those customers that preferred a more sweet shell under their pumpkin pie. It was something Dawn knew from experience tasted exceptionally good, and based on what Vernon had told her she knew it was his personal favorite. And while she hadn't tasted the more traditional pastry crust, she would have been hard pressed not to say it was her favorite as well.

Once again, the she-wolf demanded the ewe's attention, calling on her to watch with a keen eye as she demonstrated how to craft the crust. Taking a handful of graham crackers, the she-wolf pounded them into dust before scooping the powder into one of the mixing bowls. Adding a small pat of butter to the mixture, the wolfess began to gingerly work the mixture with her paws, kneading the sliver of butter into the powdery mess until it took on the consistency of wet sand. Seemingly satisfied, the she-wolf scooped the mixture into an awaiting pie tin, pressing and molding the cracker mush into the shape of a crust before sliding the finished dish her way. The she-wolf had been right, the recipe was considerably shorter than the other.

"That's it?" Dawn asked curiously.

"That's it." Audrey said with a smile. "The butter keeps the cracker crumble together and keeps it from burnin' in the oven." 

Dawn scratched her chin as she inspected the tin carefully.

"It seems so simple..." Dawn said quietly. 

Audrey sighed pleasantly. "It is simple. And most of the Meadowlander's go crazy for it aside from a few of the older mammal's raised on the more traditional stuff."

Dawn tilted her head, eyeing the she-wolf curiously.

"Which one is your favorite?" Dawn asked.

Audrey chuckled softly, rolling her eyes slightly as she took in the ewe's query.

"Well, the graham is my favorite when it comes to how long it takes to make." Audrey smirked. "But when it comes to taste, I prefer the pastry crust."

"Bleh." Dawn looked up to find Vernon leaning over her, the wolf extending a tongue in disgust toward his mother. " It's so tasteless."

Audrey rolled her eyes again, this time considerably more exaggerated as she let out a sigh. "What can I say...?" She smirked. "I grew up on 'em just like a lot of them older townies. I got a soft spot for 'em."

Dawn giggled. reaching up toward Vernon in an effort to push him back toward his workstation. The wolf retracted his tongue, giving the ewe a playful smirk before leaning back toward his counter space, allowing Dawn to turn her attention back to Audrey.

"I'll have to give it a try then." Dawn said, offering a soft smile. "As long as you made it, I'm sure it will be delicious."

Vernon made another mock vomiting motion with his paws as he let out an exaggerated gag.

"Ya'll better knock off that rudeness boy!" Audrey said, a hint of sternness in her tone. "Or else ya'll won't be eatin' any pies or corn today, period."

Vernon's ears sagged sharply, the wolf letting out a quiet whine as he returned to mixing batter. And the ewe couldn't help but giggle at just how easily the she-wolf had shut down the wolf's playful teasing.

"Well..." Audrey let out a pleasant sigh. "I guess it's time to leave ya'll to it." she chirped, adjusting the rolled up sleeves on her pink plaid shirt once again. 

Dawn placed a hoof to her muzzle, her anxiousness returning as it appeared the she-wolf was ready to leave her unsupervised so soon.

"W-wait, but what-?"

"I ain't leavin, don't worry." Audrey chuckled softly, leaning against the counter behind her. "I just won't be watchin' as closely."

Dawn glanced at the crusts they had completed briefly, uncertain of what was left for her to do now that they were largely finished.

"But I mean, what do I do with them now?" Dawn asked.

Audrey shook her head dismissively, letting out a soft laugh as she ran a paw over her head fur.

"Yer job's done." Audrey shrugged. "I mean, ya'll got more shells to make, but Vern is going to fill 'em and put 'em in the oven."

Dawn turned to her mate, Vernon flashing her a confident grin as he slid one of the finished shells toward his side of the workstation. 

"Yeah, I got it from that point Floof's, no worries." The wolf said as he began to carefully scoop one of the bowls of batter he had made into the waiting crust. " We each have one job to focus on, so it makes it easier to run everything. Ya'll just need to focus on the crust."

Dawn looked back toward Audrey, the ewe tapping her hooves together nervously.

"B-but what if I mess up, I mean-"

Audrey held up a paw, stopping the ewe mid-sentence.

"I already told ya, we got a waste bin for the big mistakes Darlin'." Audrey laughed. "I ain't gonna cry over a few lost shells, doncha worry about me."

Pushing herself away from the counter's edge, the she-wolf made her way back toward Dawn before crouching to her level. Audrey placed a paw on Dawn's shoulder, offering the ewe a warm smile.

"And if ya'll forget somethin' or need help you can ask me or Vern." Audrey added. " We won't leave ya flailin' all by yerself. We're a family, and we back each other up, okay Darlin'?"

Dawn gave the wolfess a meek, affirmative nod, causing the she-wolf's smile to widen. Audrey wrapped her paws tightly around the ewe, giving her an affectionate squeeze. Dawn did her best to return the hug, but her arms failed to meet around the she-wolf's torso despite her best efforts.

"You'll do fine. I know it." Audrey gave the ewe another tight squeeze before releasing her grip and allowing the ewe to slip away. The she-wolf gave Dawn's nose a playful boop with a finger before rising to her feet and making her way back over to the roasted corn station. As the she-wolf began pulling strips of foil from the large roll to her side, she glanced back at the ewe one more time.

"And remember you two, have fun." Audrey flashed the pair a cheesy grin.

Dawn placed her hooves to her muzzle in an effort to stifle her giggling, but it did little to actually contain it. 

Audrey's infectious enthusiasm was hard to resist, and that boost of reassurance and kindness had set the ewe off on a strong start in making more crusts. While her first few shells were a bit lumpy or uneven, Vernon and Audrey's continued playful banter and encouragement kept the ewe's spirit up for long enough to eventually get the hoof of things. It may have taken close to an hour or more, but soon enough Dawn was crafting pie crusts like a real pro. And while she wasn't nearly as fast as Audrey, she was at least satisfied with the progress she had managed to make in such a short time. But while the pie crusts became easier and easier to make, the ewe's boosted enthusiasm slowly started to wane. Not for lack of interest in the work at hoof, but her increasing awareness of the lack of customers.

Just the prospect of returning to the stand that morning had filled the ewe with dread. Dawn had been certain that the second the shutters on the stand flew open, the angry mob from the previous day would quickly regroup, ready to chase the family out of the fairgrounds once again. But they never came. In fact, no one had. Not a single customer had come up to the stand for so much as a free sample of the she-wolf's famous pies, and the shelves were quickly reaching the point of being over-filled with packaged pastries by the two-hour mark. And while neither Audrey or Vernon had mentioned picking up on it, the way the mammals had grown increasingly quiet as the day wore on made it evident to Dawn that they had noticed as well. The dwindling banter and energy only adding to the ewe's concerns.

There had been gawkers sure. Dawn had caught one or two mammals staring her and Vernon's way out of the corner of her eye a number of times while she worked. But Dawn had tried her best to focus on the work itself instead of allowing it to wear on her. She wanted to ride the high of Audrey's praise for as long as she possibly could to keep the other nagging anxious fears and emotions broiling under her surface from welling back up. 

But the lack of customers and judgmental stares from the passers-by was slowly but surely pulling the ewe back inside the dark recesses of her own mind. Her fears and anxiety drawing her back to the reality of the situation, or at least what she believed was the reality of it.

Her association with Vernon, as well as the Hunter family at large had clearly done irreparable damage to their reputation. Dawn being present at the stand made it worse, certainly. But even when she hadn't been there the day before, the sales had quickly dropped off once news spread around the fairgrounds of Vernon's proclivities involving mammals of the prey persuasion. No one in the North Meadowlands was keen on doing business with the family of a prey-chaser. Let alone one who had previously been considered a criminal mastermind, whose actions had put many of her fellow caprids in danger as she had come to learn from Dorian. The North Meadowlanders simply did not want to do business with a family who was willing accept a mammal like Dawn as one of their own. And if they hadn't made that message clear yesterday, they were certainly making it clear now.

Dorian had been right about one thing, at least in Dawn's eyes. She had been selfish. She had wanted to be part of Vernon's family so badly that she had been willing to brush off the possible hardship and strain such a relationship might put on the Hunter pack. She could try to justify it as being more for Vernon's sake than her own. But Dawn would have been lying if she had said there wasn't a part of her that deeply desired to be a part of the Hunter pack. To be a part of a real family, one that actually loved each other instead of simply enduring each others company because of blood relation. And Dawn had gone against her better judgment because a part of her had been unwilling to let go of such a foolish dream. Choosing to simply lie to herself in the hopes that everything would somehow work out for the best. And because her selfish need to be accepted by her mate's family, she had ultimately hurt them.

But what was worse, many of the Hunters did care for her now. Audrey had willingly embraced the ewe, as did Vanna, Qali, Ada, Malcolm, and most of the Hunter males. She knew Audrey would brush off any concerns she had about the stand, even if Dawn's involvement with the family eventually forced her to close it down. That was who the she-wolf was. Vernon, the girls, and even Audrey herself had made that abundantly clear. So what would happen when Dawn eventually had to bring up her painful conversation with Dorian. What havoc would that wreak on the fabric of the Hunter family? But if Dawn simply buried it, doing her best to pull away from the family in the meantime in an effort to make things easier for them, she only stood to hurt them in a different way. And eventually, Vernon would question her continued reluctance to ever journey back to the Hunter farm for any future visits.

"Hey!"

Dawn nearly jumped out of her wool at the sudden call, tearing a portion of the dough she had been so focused on kneading while lost in her thoughts. 

"Mutton chops." The ewe muttered softly as she appraised the dough before turning to the source of the voice to find a concerned looking wolf staring down at her. Vernon wiped at his batter covered gloves with a rag as he raised an eyebrow at the timid ewe's response.

"Ya'll alright Honey Lamb?" Vernon asked, the wolf wore a worried frown.

Dawn let out a tired sigh, pressing the bridge of her glasses back up with a hoof.

"I-I'm fine." Dawn tried to force a meek smile to her face as she lied through her teeth. She hated to lie to the wolf, but the last thing she wanted now was for Vernon to try to pry the information out of her. Discussing the lack of customers might be one thing, but she certainly wasn't ready to discuss her discussion with Dorian anytime soon.

It was clear the wolf hadn't bought it as Vernon's concerned expression remained.

"Floofs." Vernon's delivery was dull, even slightly stern as the wolf seemed unimpressed by Dawn's attempt at putting one past him. "I can tell yer worried about somethin'."

Dawn frowned, grabbing the clump of torn dough and mashing it back into the rest with an almost lifeless motion. The ewe focused her sights on the dough once more, unable to look Vernon in the eyes.

"It's just..." Dawn sighed, stopping the kneading motions to place a powdery hoof on her forehead. The ewe massaged her brow gently.

"Does anything seem..." Dawn trailed off, glancing up at the wolf briefly. "Off to you?"

Vernon scratched the back of his head awkwardly with one of his newly cleaned gloves. His eyes shifting briefly from side to side as the wolf made a quick scan of his surroundings. Vernon offered a weak shrug despite his concerned expression shifting to something more akin to worry.

"What?" The wolf flashed a weak smile.

Dawn let out another sigh, shifting her attention back to the fairground in front of them. She could see clusters of mammals walking by, most of whom were giving the stand a wide berth as they strode past. As the crowds milled about, the ewe caught sight of yet another mammal gawking at the couple. She only managed to catch the rams eyes for a moment before he quickly disappeared into the moving throngs. 

"Vernon." Dawn sighed as she turned back to the wolf. "We haven't had a single customer all day."

Vernon's apparently forced smile faltered slightly, but the wolf seemed hell-bent on keeping it up.

"What?" Vernon shrugged. "Pssh, Nah, I mean it-"

"Vernon." Dawn's tone was more serious. Now the wolf seemed to be trying to avoid her gaze. "No one has come around in three hours, not a soul!" The ewe whimpered slightly. "I mean it's obvious that-"

"Hey, hey, hey." Vernon was quick to crouch down to the ewe's level, placing a reassuring paw on the ewe's shoulder. Vernon offered her a warm smile. "Don't worry about it Darlin'." The wolf caressed her cheek affectionately. " It'll pick up."

"B-but the stand." Dawn whimpered. "What about-"

"It'll pick up Honey Lamb." Vernon cut her off to reiterate his point. 

Dawn let out a quiet, defeated huff as she pulled away from the wolf's grip. The wolf clearly wasn't listening, or at the very least not taking the situation seriously enough. Dawn began to take out her minor irritation on the dough, kneading the clump with harsh, sharp thrusts as she grumbled to herself. She had a feeling had she tried to bring the situation to Audrey's attention she would simply have brushed aside her concerns, but she hadn't expected Vernon to do the same.

"They'll get over it." She heard Vernon say from off to her side. "These rural types are purty fickle, ain't got much of an attention span."

Dawn let out another huff as she continued to knead. If Vernon wasn't going to take her concerns seriously, then she was more than ready to ignore the wolf.

"Hey."

Dawn continued to knead.

"Hey." The wolf said louder.

Dawn just shook her head, toiling away at the malleable dough.

"Ma told us to have fun, remember?" Vernon continued. "Not to worry, to just have fun."

"Fun..." Dawn grumbled, her attention still fixed on the dough between her hooves.

"It means you gotta at least try Darlin'." The wolf added.

"Try?" Dawn thought to herself. The ewe felt herself growing more and more irritable as she ruminated on what Vernon had said. "Try?!?" Her mind repeated. How was she expected to have fun when just being there was destroying so many lives in the process. She was killing Audrey's stand, she was tearing the pack apart. How was she expected to enjoy herself with all of this whirling around her head, twisting her stomach chambers into knots? For every little reprieve she managed to get it was always followed up by a harsh reminder of the reality of the situation. And that reminder had now come in the form of racks filled with cold pies awaiting customers that would never come. Customers she had driven away! Customers that-

"Plop." A sudden sharp cold on the tip of the ewe's muzzle caused her to freeze mid-thought. Narrowing her eyes at the tip of her snout, the source of the chill became immediately apparent. A heavy, dribbling orange blob of batter was now perched on the end of her nose.

Dawn gingerly poked the mass with her hoof to make sure she was certain of what she was seeing, pulling it away to watch the batter drip down her finger slowly. The ewe placed her finger in her mouth, sucking the batter off before turning her attention to the wolf standing next to her. 

Vernon offered the ewe a wide, cheesy and unrepentant grin, one of his previously clean gloves now dripping with pumpkin batter.

"Vernon!" Dawn spat, the ewe was still slightly in shock.

"What?" The wolf replied nonchalantly, pulling his muzzle cover down in order to idly lap up some of the batter from his glove.

"Did you jus-?"

Before she could finish her sentence, the wolf scooped up another dab of batter and planted it on top of the previous one with one swift motion.

"I said have fun." Vernon said with a chuckle.

The ewe was dumbfounded, staring at the wolf in silence as her mind grappled to figure out exactly what had just happened. Vernon remained unfazed, the wolf's grin still cheesy and smug as he stared back at her. As she began to finally parse the situation, her worries, her fears, all of it had quickly been replaced with one, powerful pervading thought.

"Revenge."

Dawn took a moment to wipe the fresh dab of batter from her nose, flicking the residual batter off of her hooves as she let out a huff.

"I hope you know." Dawn muttered, glaring at the wolf. "This means war."

Vernon's grin widened. "Bring it lil' miss."

In a blink, the ewe had grappled a wad of dough into her hooves. She only held it for a few seconds before it was airborne, traveling straight for the large wolf's chest. However, much to the ewe's disappointment, the clump simply bumped into the wolf's chest with a dull 'thwap' before falling to the floor of the stall. The dough hadn't even stained his shirt. The wolf let out a soft chuckle in response.

"Yeah..." Vernon rolled his eyes slightly. "Pie dough ain't exactly the same as batter is it?" The wolf chuckled as he lapped the batter off his glove, suckling one finger at a time until it appeared to be clean. The wolf grinned mischievously, which only served to fluster the ewe even more. She was going to get him back, she wasn't about to let the wolf's crime stand.

"Batter." The ewe went over the wolf's statement again as her eyes quickly shifted to the bowl sitting on Vernon's counter. She traded glances with the wolf for a brief second. Behind his eyes, she could see the wolf had come to the same conclusion as she had, and Dawn knew she needed to act fast.

The ewe quickly snapped her arms out, stretching her body across the surface as she desperately reached out for the precious gooey ammo. She had nearly made it, but sadly for her, the wolf had proved to be faster on the draw, grasping her hooves by the wrist with both of his paws.

"Let go!" Dawn spat, doing her best to wriggle free from her now awkward position half splayed across her workstation. 

"Nuh-uh." Vernon snickered as the ewe continued to flail. She wasn't going to make any headway when pitted against the wolf's raw strength, she knew as much. But until she could think of another way out of his grip, flailing remained the only option.

"Vernon! Stop!" Dawn pulled, she pushed, but her arms remained locked in the gray wolf's tight grip.

"Not till you start havin' fun Honey Lamb!" Vernon continued to laugh.

"P-Puppy!" The lamb tried to suppress the rising urge to giggle at the wolf's antics. She had to get out of his grip, to get to that batter and make the wolf pay for what he had done. 

Suddenly she remembered something Judy had told her just a few weeks before. It was during that one particular coffee meet-up when Dawn had asked the rabbit about her time in the ZPD academy. The ewe had always been rather curious as to how the rabbit had managed to endure the intense physical and mental challenges posed by a testing regiment that had mostly been built around much larger mammals. Dawn had only been there for the doe's graduation after all, and before the ewe's incarceration and subsequent rehabilitation, Dawn had little time available to have asked her the question.

Judy affirmed the ewe's suspicions as to just how rocky her first days at the academy had been. Between getting stuck waist deep in mud, swallowing mouthfuls of sand, and freezing her tail off in frigid water, Judy's early days had been a hellish experience. She even regaled the ewe with a particularly embarrassing story about slipping into one of the giant toilets in the ladies bathroom. Thankfully Judy was able to laugh about it, or else Dawn might have looked terribly insensitive trying to stifle her own giggling at the incident. 

Judy's problem had been that she was trying to compete with other mammals on a playing field that hadn't been made for her, and as a result, found herself getting clobbered at every turn. And so the weary doe spent each night nursing her injuries and wracking her brain for the solution to her problem. And then, one evening it finally came to her.

The rabbit admitted her mistake had been that she had tried to compete using the same methods that everyone else had been using. She had spent so much time trying to actively ignore her small stature and the limitations being a rabbit carried with it, that she had refused to even consider that it might be part of the problem. It was only when she was able to acknowledge her own limitations, that she could start to figure out how to work around them. 

The process hadn't been quick of course, much of Judy's lessons learned through trial and error but eventually, she managed to figure out how to make her size and speed work for her regardless of the situation. Eventually getting so good that she had been able to successfully knock out the largest rhino in the academy in the school's boxing ring.

It was an astounding accomplishment, something the ewe could barely even fathom. A mammal as small as Judy taking out a rhino of all mammals. But when Judy explained it, move by move and blow by blow, it seemed to make sense. Larger mammals tended to be slower after all, and Judy used that to her advantage. The doe's speed and agility leaving him dizzy, throwing increasingly blind swings as the diminutive rabbit darted around him. Judy had even managed to use the massive armored mammals own strength against him by slingshotting herself across the ring and transferring the full force of her body into the rhino's moving arm as he desperately tried to predict where the doe was coming from. The resulting hit causing the rhino to essentially beat himself senseless. Despite Judy's minuscule stature, she had bested a mammal who was considerably larger and stronger than she could ever hope to achieve. And she had done so by playing her own strengths and preying on her opponent's weaknesses. 

And now Dawn had to do the same. To use the wolf's own strength against him. If Dawn tried to pull away, the wolf pulled her back, and if she tried to push forward toward the batter bowl the wolf pushed her back. But there was a brief interval, a short moment, that when Dawn would change her tactics the wolf would essentially be pulling her toward the target or away from the counter. A split second before the wolf could change the direction of his hold to keep the ewe from squirming, and it was that moment of opportunity that the ewe was hoping to seize. 

With another sharp push Dawn feigned an attempt to go for the batter, only to feel the wolf's grip continue to push her away. The ewe pressed with all her might, making sure Vernon had to devote some amount of energy and focus to keep her from making progress before she could spring her trap.

"You can't-" Dawn sputtered, glaring up at the wolf. "Stop me!"

Vernon chuckled. "Really, cause it seems like that's what I'm doing."

Dawn let out a fake groan, tricking the wolf to believing she was throwing her all into the push, and once she felt his paws tense accordingly the ewe knew she had him right where she wanted.

With all of her might, Dawn sharply pulled her hooves away from Vernon, rolling her body off the counter as she did so allowing her body to become dead weight as she dropped. 

"Wha-!?"

Vernon only managed to get half a word out before the ewe's full weight combined with the wolf's kinetic energy threw him off his balance. Dawn finally slipped free of the wolf's grasp, landing on the floor of the food stall rump first. Her plan had been a smashing success, but she only had a moment to gloat to herself before she noticed the wolf was still on his way down. 

It was at that moment time seemed to slow around the ewe, her eyes managing to take in every aspect the terrible series of events that had begun to unfold at once as Vernon fumbled his way toward her. She could see the sudden panic in his eyes as the towering wolf fell toward her, desperately grasping for the counter as he sank. Unfortunately, while he hadn't grabbed the counter, he had managed to catch the bowl of batter on his way down. And now the ewe was watching as the bowl flipped through the air above the falling wolf, batter trailing above as it flew across her line of sight. Vernon meanwhile had changed his tactics, now desperately flinging his paws in front of him in order to keep from crushing the ewe as he finally hit the floor.

Vernon's muzzle came within inches of Dawn's own before he finally managed to stop himself. But the disastrous scene wasn't quite over yet.

"Vernon!" Dawn called out as her eyes traced the glimmer of the still flying bowl over the wolf. Unfortunately, her warning had given the wolf just enough time to turn, welcoming a face full of batter as the bowl plopped onto his head.

The two were silent for a moment, the whole scene leaving both of them stunned for several seconds as they struggled to grasp exactly what had happened. But it didn't last long before the ewe couldn't help but burst into a fit of snorts and giggling. Vernon's only response was to run his tongue around his batter soaked muzzle as the ewe cackled beneath him.

"Teeth to tails!" That had come from Audrey, and Dawn looked up to find the she-wolf running over to the pair. Audrey crouched down, raising a raising a curious eyebrow as she inspected the couple.

"I told ya'll to have fun." Audrey said, trying to stifle a giggle fit of her own. "Not to start tearin' up the stand!" 

Dawn could barely breathe, let alone respond to the she-wolf's concerns. Still giggling at the mess she had made of her beloved Puppy. But Vernon seemed to be in good enough spirits despite the sticky goo now dripping down his face. The wolf offered his mother a grin as he raised the edge of the bowl with his thumb.  
"Heh, sorry Ma." Vernon chuckled. "I mean, ya'll know how I love pumpkin pie batter."

That managed to earn another fit of giggling from the diminutive ewe still trapped below the batter doused wolf.

"Mhh-hmm." Audrey said, clearly unimpressed by the wolf's joke. The she-wolf let out a tired sigh as she rose to her feet. 

"Just try not to knock the stand over you two." Audrey added, turning her attention back to the large grill fixed to the side of the stand. She looked back only for a moment, glancing at the pair one more time before chuckling softly to herself before returning to rotating the corn still heating on the stove, effectively leaving Dawn and Vernon to stew in the little mess they had made.

Dawn was still giggling slightly as the batter dipped wolf turned his attention back to her. Vernon let out a satisfied sigh as he lifted the bowl off of his head with a paw, giving Dawn a better view of the damage she had done. Vernon's fur was caked all over with batter, his scalp fur matted down tightly against his head. Above his muzzle, it was nearly impossible to make out any of his actual fur color under the sticky orange coating. Vernon eased the bowl back on to the counter, propping it back over the edge without getting off of the ewe.

"Welp..." Vernon chuckled slightly. "Ya got me."

Dawn held a hoof over her muzzle, desperately attempting to stifle her laughter.

"Y-yes I did." Dawn said with a snort.

"Tch..." Vernon muttered, his eyes briefly darting around the stand for a moment before the wolf seemed to spot what he was looking for. Reaching out a paw, the wolf grabbed one of the towels draped on the knob of a nearby cabinet. "I suppose that was pretty well deserved."

Dawn snickered. "Maybe I went a little overboard."

Vernon rolled his eyes. With a sigh, the wolf pressed himself off of the floor, leaning on his knees as he raised his body. The wolf took a moment to pull the gloves off of his arms and pull the fur muzzle from around his neck before draping the towel over his head. Grasping it with his clean paws, the wolf rubbed it briskly over his head, wiping aggressively in his best efforts to clean up the sticky mess splattered all over his face. The wolf was at it for a good solid minute before pulling the towel away. 

"How's it look?" Vernon asked the ewe, flashing her a cheesy grin.

Dawn couldn't help but giggle again. The towel hadn't done a very thorough job despite the wolf's best efforts. While it had done away with most of the excess, the wolf's fur remained tinted orange with a smattering of the batter pressed into his fur in spots. The funniest aspect of the whole thing was that the residue trapped in his scalp hair had managed to leave his strands of fur standing straight up, much to Dawn's delight.

"Hilarious." Dawn snorted, letting out a series of giggles as the wolf rolled his eyes.

Vernon rose to his feet, scratching the back of his head awkwardly before offering the ewe a lift with his paw.

"Suppose I'll have to soak my head in the back sink and towel off again." Vernon muttered as the ewe took his paw.

"I-I'm sorry Puppy Love." Dawn snickered as she pulled herself up by his arm. "I didn't me-"

Dawn froze as her eyes caught sight a something very familiar on the wolf's wrist. A shiny series of plastic lettered cubes and shiny beaded flowers that the lamb hadn't seen since she was just a little ewe. A present she had entrusted with her closest friend, a sign of their forbidden bond that much like the one she wore now, she had been certain was lost to time. 

Yet as if it had been plucked directly out of her memories, there it sat on her beloved Puppy's wrist. It was wider sure, the wolf's wrist had long since grown from the last time she had seen it, but there was no doubt in her mind that it was the same, exact bracelet. Vernon had kept it, and he had found it.

"F-F..." Dawn stammered, her eyes fixed on the bracelet as she tightened her grip on his paw. She could already feel the tears welling up as her eyes scanned each of the charms. 

"Hmm?" That had come from Vernon, although the ewe couldn't bring herself to look anywhere other than his bracelet. Dawn raised her other arm, bringing her hoof to rest atop the wolf's paw she was now clutching for dear life. Her eyes briefly flicked back to her own bracelet, the one she had chosen today of all days to wear as the tears began to spill out from behind her frames. "You all right Honey Lamb?"

"Fl-Flo..." Dawn whimpered, she could barely speak as her heart swelled with love for the wolf that stood before her. Dawn looked up at her mate, the love of her life with tearful eyes as she struggled to get the words out.

"I didn't hurt you durin' that fall did I? I really did-"

"Floofy's B-best Friend!" Dawn smiled through her tears, giving the wolf's paw a brisk shake as she continued to silently weep.

Vernon's concerned expression vanished as it seemingly became clear to the wolf just why Dawn was crying. The wolf smiled, his grin filled with warmth and admiration as he looked back down at the ewe, gingerly placing his other paw on top of hers.

"I told you I kept it Honey Lamb." The wolf said softly.

That was all the ewe could stand before throwing herself into the wolf's embrace. Dawn gripped the wolf as tightly as she could around his torso, squeezing with all the love she could muster as she pressed her face against his chest. The ewe was openly weeping now, releasing her grip around the wolf only for a moment to push her glasses out of the way in order to press closer against him. Soon enough, she felt the wolf's strong arms wrap around her tiny frame, pulling her in even tighter to the wolf she loved.

"You can thank Ma fer fixin' it up." Vernon cooed, giving the lamb a soft kiss on the top of her head. "I mean, it wasn't a mess er' anythin', bu-"

"It's perfect." Dawn whimpered, wiping her tears into the wolf's shirt. "Oh Vernon!" Dawn looked up for a moment, lurching upward to plant a kiss on the wolf's lips. It started with a peck, then another, and another. Soon enough the ewe found herself glued to the wolf's muzzle as she tried to force all of the love she was feeling into her pursed lips.

"Hey now you two!" That had come from Audrey, causing the ewe to pull herself away from the wolf's maw long enough to look back at her. The she-wolf stood across from the pair with crossed arms, but despite her serious looking stance, the wolfess had a satisfied smirk plastered on her muzzle.

"Ya'll better stop makin' out on the floor." Audrey chuckled. "Technically this was supposed to be a partial punishment for what ya'll are gettin' a little too close to doin' again right now!"

Dawn giggled, doing her best to suppress the building blush of embarrassment now rushing to her muzzle.

"Alright Ma." Vernon replied, giving the she-wolf an understanding nod. "We'll tone it down."

"Mhh hmm." Audrey said again, in the same dry, unamused tone she had before. The wolf shook her head dismissively before turning her attention back to the grill.

"And thank you so much for fixing the bracelet Misses Hunter!" Dawn added, wiping the stray tears from her eyes.

"Yer welcome Darlin'!" The she-wolf replied without even turning. "And I told ya'll to call me Audrey!"

Dawn giggled softly before turning her attention back to the wolf whose arms she now rested in. 

"Oh Vernon, I can't tell how happy seeing that made me!" Dawn said, sniffling sharply as she tried to choke off her remaining tears. The ewe was quick to extend the arm bearing her own bracelet in the wolf's field of vision.

"And look!" Dawn chirped, shaking her bracelet. "I even chose today of all days to wear mine!"

Vernon opened his mouth in awe of the ewe's bracelet.

"Well I'll be flea-dipped!" Vernon chirped happily before pulling the ewe into another tight hug, which the ewe was quick to reciprocate. The wolf didn't even know how much just seeing that bracelet had done to cheer her up, but Dawn did her best to squeeze every ounce of that love and kindness Vernon's thoughtful act had given her into the strongest hug she could muster.

"How about that!" The wolf pulled back, keeping one arm holding Dawn aloft as he brought his wrist with the bracelet up to Dawn's own. The wolf grinned widely at the diminutive ewe.

"Just like old times eh Floofs?" Vernon chuckled, jiggling his own bracelet slightly.

"I don't know about that." Dawn smirked. "I'd say one of us has gotten quite a bit bigger since then." The ewe snickered.

Vernon rolled his eyes briefly.

"Yeah I'll say." Vernon allowed the arm holding Dawn to dip slightly as the wolf feigned the need to strain. "I think ya'll might want to stay away from anymore pies today Floof's. Someone's gettin' a lil' bottom heavy." 

Dawn gave the wolf a playful swat with her hoof as she stifled another giggle.

"Please." Dawn said, fluttering her eyelashes affectionately at the wolf. "My rump is the only part of my figure I'm happy with." The ewe gingerly caressed the side of the wolf's face. "And I've never heard you complain about it before."

Vernon smirked mischievously. "What can I say, I like my mutton thick and juicy." The wolf bobbed his eyebrows suggestively. "Somethin' I can really sink my teeth into." Vernon bit at the air a few times, making sure to exaggerate his chomps with a few playful growls before pulling his muzzle in close to the lamb and flashing her ewe a mischievous grin.

Dawn swatted the wolf again as they shared a laugh, Vernon being sure to sneak a playful nuzzle in before carefully easing Dawn back onto her stool. The chuckling between the pair giving way to almost simultaneous pleasant sigh as they slipped back into a more composed demeanor. As the wolf toweled off his head again, Dawn leaned an elbow on the counter, eyeing the wolf with a satisfied grin.

"So was this your big plan?" Dawn cooed curiously.

"Eh?" Vernon said as he aggressively wiped at his scalp.

"To surprise me with that bracelet?" Dawn smirked. " Make it the highlight of the trip?"

Vernon chuckled softly, placing the towel on the counter next to him.

"I sure hope there was a bit more to highlight the trip then just that." Vernon grimaced slightly. "I mean, I know there's been a few hitch-ups but I was hopin'..."

"I'm kidding Puppy!" Dawn said with a chuckle of her own. "Still, I..." The ewe sighed as she glanced back at her own bracelet for a moment, twiddling a bead in her hoof. "Thank you Vernon." Dawn could feel the tears welling up again, and the ewe did her best to keep them from rising back to the surface. "It really made my day."

Vernon smiled warmly. "Weren't nothin' Dawn." Vernon cooed sweetly. "I'm just sorry I couldn't spring the big one on ya." The wolf's smile dropped as he turned back to his station. Vernon began to swab out the drained bowl of batter with the towel he had been using.

"Big one?" Dawn tilted her head curiously.

Vernon glanced back at her for a moment before walking toward the rear of the stall and turning the faucet on. The ewe watched the wolf unbutton his shirt, leaning it on the side of the sink as he stood there with his arms resting on the rim. Dawn gingerly hopped down from her stool, quickly sidling up to the wolf as he grabbed a fresh towel from above the sink.

"Well..." Vernon muttered, running a paw through his sticky hair as he glanced back at the ewe. "My big plan fer this whole trip was...." The wolf bit his lip slightly, his eyes lolling from one side to the other as the wolf seemed to be choosing his words carefully. Vernon turned his attention back to the running water, sticking a paw under it to test the temperature. The wolf remained quiet as he stared at the water, letting the silence hang in the air for quite some time before letting out a long, tired sigh.

"I was hopin' I was gonna get the Old 'Mam's permission to...well..." Vernon looked toward the ceiling. "To get a 'tithe'."

Dawn froze, her mind trying desperately to parse what Vernon had said. She was almost certain she hadn't heard him right, or perhaps, she hadn't wanted to.

"T-tithe?" Dawn stammered. 

Vernon nodded, offering the ewe a warm smirk.

"I figured..." Vernon wiped one of his paws against his cheek. "I don't know, I'd get Pa's permission and then we could announce it to the pack." The wolf shrugged as he placed his paw back on the lip of the sink. "Then we'd be able to plan another time fer the whole family to get together and do it properly."

Dawn's eyes were wide now as the gravity of what Vernon's was saying began to fully register. In an instant, any of the joy and warmth she had felt from the reunion of their bracelets had been snuffed out in lieu of a feeling of overwhelming abject horror.

"T-tithing, you want a tithe?" Dawn sputtered blankly, clasping her hooves to her muzzle almost as quickly as the words left her muzzle. "I m-mean, that's important to you?"

Vernon nodded affirmatively, testing the water again with his paw.

"Well yeah." Vernon replied with a warm smile. "I mean, I know we're fixin' to get a caprid wedding too and all, but I want you to experience a tithing ceremony." Vernon sighed. "You deserve it, we both do."

Dawn tried to swallow the lump rapidly forming in her throat, but it refused to yield, remaining fixed in its place and worsening by the second. 

"I mean, I never really gave tithin' much thought till I was at Zach and Vanna's ceremony." The wolf continued. " And after seein' just how beautiful it was, I knew whoever I was gonna tithe deserved the same if not better." Vernon chuckled softly. "I'd love it if we could get away with not invitin' Yuri. Then it'd be guaranteed to be a better one." The wolf flashed Dawn a sly smirk.

Dawn's mouth had gone dry as her mind returned to Dori's study, to the room of pale green and brassy golden glows. The sweet yet acrid stench of brandy lacing the air of the darkened chamber.

"O 'course that was before the stubborn old wolf started actin' the way he has!" Vernon said, pounding the rim of the sink with his paw. With another quick check of the tap, the wolf finally seemed pleased, and slipped his head under the faucet. As he ran the water through his fur, the wolf continued.

"At least now I got some idea of what's crawled up his butt and died." Vernon murmured as stray water slipped in and out of his muzzle. 

"Y-you do?" Dawn sputtered mindlessly, she had barely heard the wolf. The ewe was growing increasingly lost in her thoughts.

"Yeah, and it's definitely gonna make things harder." Vernon continued, scrubbing his scalp with a paw. "But after we had that talk the other day, It kinda changed my perspective on it."

"O-Our talk?" Dawn stammered. "What did I say?" The ewe was dumfounded now, the wolf's words almost sounding far away, as if she were in the midst of a dream. 

"Yeah, and you were right." Vernon scrubbed his snout, rinsing more of the orange batter stains away. "We just gotta be patient is all..." The wolf spoke through the water running into his maw. " It may take two visits, or ten, or twelve." The wolf reached a paw out to the tap, turning the knob until the water came to a stop. Standing back up, the wolf began to dry his head with the fresh towel.

"But we'll wear him down. I know it." Vernon flashed the ewe a confident grin.

"As long as I'm head of this household, you ain't never gonna be a Hunter." The older wolf's voice rang out like a shot in the ewe's mind so sharply that Dawn couldn't help but clutch a hoof to her forehead in response. 

"By the gods..." She thought to herself. She could feel her stomach chambers churning as the muscles in them squeezed under the stress, and the ewe gripped her side with her other hoof. "That was Vernon's goal all along!" Her thoughts screamed at her in a panic. The whole trip, the premise of the whole thing had not only been to introduce her his relatives, but to get his Father to agree to a tithing ceremony. The wolf bringing up marriage on the train ride hadn't just been a sporadic conversation, but something the wolf had been planning out the whole time. 

It was something that should have moved the ewe to joyous tears. But Vernon didn't know what she knew. He hadn't been in the study the night before to hear Dorian thoroughly chew her out. To say in no uncertain terms, that Dawn could never be a part of the Hunter family no matter how hard Vernon pressed him on it. That no matter the circumstance, the old law dog would never consent to a tithe for the pair.

And what was worse, she now knew that Vernon was dead set on getting tithed. That the ceremony had been just as important to the wolf as she feared it might. And if she told the wolf what Dorian had said there would be no avoiding the coming storm that the two wolves would be headed toward. Dorian was a stubborn mammal, but so was her mate. It would be like an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object, and now the ewe found herself wondering what Vernon would do when Dorian finally told him 'no' in person.

"Honey Lamb?

Dawn snapped out of her thoughts to find the wolf in the midst of buttoning up his shirt, his freshly washed features laced with concern as he drew a paw through his wet hair. 

"Ya'll alright?" Vernon whined, reaching a paw over to feel the ewe's head. Dawn pulled back slightly at the sudden contact. "Yer lookin' a little green under the gills all of the sudden."

"Fine!" Dawn blurted out awkwardly, her now frazzled mind trying desperately to control the flood of awful emotions coming to the surface. The ewe could already feel tears starting to well as she began to imagine the inevitable standoff between Vernon and Dorian. She could already hear the shouting, the hateful, vile exchange of words between the two wolves growing louder and louder as neither refused to yield. And then there was what would happen after, the subsequent fights between Dorian and the rest of his family she was certain his stance would cause. More fighting, more shouting. Perhaps even a few punches being thrown between the Hunter Brothers. And Dawn was going to be the cause of all of it. 

"I should get back to making crusts!" Dawn prattled off bluntly, before turning away from Vernon and rushing back to her step stool at the front of the stand. She didn't want to have this conversation, not now. She couldn't bear it. But her composure was beginning to slip as her fears and worries continued to coalesce within her mind.

"Dawn?" The wolf was quick to pursue her, sidling up next to the lamb as she began to haphazardly throw ingredients together in order to make a fresh shell. She could tell she was making mistakes almost immediately, but she couldn't stop herself. She needed to keep moving, anything to keep the conversation from forcing her talk with Dorian out in the open.

"Dawn." The wolf said more firmly, but the ewe continued to ignore him. She couldn't remember how many eggs to use. Had it been three or four? It was at the point when she accidentally dumped an egg in the bowl, shell and all, that she felt the wolf grip her arm. 

Vernon turned the ewe to face him, but Dawn tried her best to look away.

"Dawn, what's wrong?" Vernon asked. She could see out of the corner of her eye the look of concern plastered on Vernon's face. "Is it what I said?" 

"N-no!" Dawn protested, still refusing to look the wolf in the eyes. She was losing it now, there was no way she'd be able to keep herself together under the wolf's worry riddled gaze.

"Did ya not want to do a 'tithe'?" Vernon asked with a frown. "Cause I mean I figured you'd want to with th-"

"I do!" Dawn whimpered. "Of course I do!"

"Then what's wrong?" Vernon replied.

"Ding! Ding!" The sudden jingle of the counter bell drew their attention to the front of the stand where a familiar couple now stood. The uncomfortable looking goat looking down slightly as the ewe next to him quickly removed her hoof from the bell.

"Um, hello there..." The ewe said with a concerned smile. "I hope we aren't...interrupting?"

"Oh, it's you!" Dawn said loudly, pulling herself free of the wolf's grip as she turned to face the pair. "The couple from the tunnel of love, right!? Edna was it?" Dawn forced a smile to her muzzle in an effort to reassure the couple that nothing abnormal was going on.

Edna, the usually spirited ewe gave a meek, affirmative nod before taking a slight step back from the stand, nudging her mate slightly as she did. The goat, who had previously been looking toward his own feet quickly jerked to attention at Edna's prodding. The billy now flashing the couple a wary glance of his own.

"And this is Alex." Edna added quietly. "As I'm sure you might remember."

Alex winced slightly at the sound of his own name, as if the utterance had suddenly made him visible.

"If you two are in the middle of something we can..." 

Dawn glanced back at Vernon briefly, the bewildered wolf taking a moment to acclimate himself to what had just happened. Vernon drew a paw down his chin before turning his attention to the couple.

"Nothin' that can't be discussed later...I suppose..." Vernon said with a disappointed sigh.

"Thank the gods for small miracles." Dawn thought to herself. For now, the dreadful conversation she would be forced to have would be able to wait a little while longer.


	34. Ask Dawn And Vern

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Thirty-Four: Ask Dawn And Vern

Vernon hadn't been sure about admitting what his true intentions for the trip out to visit the family had actually been about. Had it all gone accordingly he would have simply kept it a secret up until he had gotten his Father's permission to make the tithe happen, and then sprung it on the ewe during the family barbeque. And aside from a few snarky and or crude comments from Yuri, the wolf had imagined it to be an affair made up of nothing but smiles and warm wishes toward the budding couple. But that was little more than a pipe dream now. With everything that had happened and the way his Father had reacted to Dawn's mere presence at the ranch, Vernon knew that getting his permission on this visit would be next to impossible. The dream of the big reveal in front of the whole Hunter pack had dissolved as soon as they stepped foot on the farm, and now the wolf could only hope to get his father to eventually agree to it somewhere further down the road.

Vernon was an optimistic mammal, but he was no fool. He had taken the possible risks into some account when he had pitched the trip to the ewe, most of which he ended up discussing with her the night before at their 'private picnic'. He had expected and accurately predicted Yuri's behavior right down to the letter. But his Father's reception of Dawn had really surprised him. Not because of Dawn's criminal history, a fact that hadn't escaped the wolf when running the various scenarios of the first meeting through his mind late at night while his Honey Lamb slept by his side days before the visit. But because of how cold, distant, and unrelenting Dorian was not only at their first family meal but had remained throughout the trip so far. 

Growing up under Dorian's paw, the old law dog instilled many lessons in the Hunter boys as they grew. Of course, most of those teachings had come through the lens of law enforcement not only because the old wolf had envisioned a proud squad of seven sons clad in golden badges, but because it represented the virtues by which the wolf lived his life. Dorian was a wolf of law and honor. He believed in the immutable power of the justice system and saw the concept as what separated civilized mammals from their un-evolved brethren in the animal kingdom. He believed that a mammal was never to be judged by the hide they wore, but rather the weight of their actions. By how they treated their fellow mammals from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew. And it was these virtues that, regardless of Vernon's ultimate career choice, had deeply shaped the path of his life.

Of course if one were judging by the weight of one's actions, then the wolf couldn't avoid Dawn's history. The ewe's role in the initial night howler scandal was something Vernon really didn't care to think about. He knew it all by now. Between the uncomfortable snippets that Dawn would rarely share, to the articles and stories he had read about as it was happening he had developed a pretty good grasp on the whole affair. Hell the wolf had experienced the growing frenzy at ground zero during the worst weeks of it all. But it was something that shouldn't have mattered to Dorian, just as it no longer mattered to Vernon.

It wasn't because Dawn's recent act of heroism had somehow erased what she had done before. The wolf knew it couldn't, even if he believed firmly that it should count for something in the older wolf's eyes. The lives Dawn had affected the first time around were forever changed in some way for the worse. No matter how significantly, the damage had already been done. No, it simply came back down to Dorian's morals and beliefs. The rules of life the wolf had believed in so strongly that he felt the need to pass it on to his sons. One in particular that Vernon tended to hold tantamount to all others when it came to interacting with other mammals.

"If a mammal is trying to change. To make amends for what they've done and trying to be a better mammal. Give them a chance." Vernon could hear his father's voice recite the mantra in his head.

His father had been the first to say it to him, at least the first he could remember. Although his mother would come to be the one to parrot it more often than Dorian. It was Audrey's favorite saying of the old 'mams, and as Vernon grew older it became his favorite rule as well. One the wolf would practice and abide by whenever the opportunity presented itself. And when it had come to the downtrodden and defeated ewe that had strolled into the Bug Burga on a quiet spring evening six months ago, the wolf had been more than happy to lend a paw without even thinking. The same ewe he would come to love more than life itself.

Yet when Vernon had brought the same ewe to the doorstep of the Hunter Ranch, asking to give her a chance just as he had, the old law dog had practically spat in her face. The simple act of 'giving a mammal a chance' had fallen by the wayside in favor of spurning the ewe's attempts at ingratiating herself into the family. And the more they seemed to try, Dorian grew even more resistant and cold.

"Hunters can smell bullshit." Vernon heard his father's voice again, another tenet Vernon lived by. Although he preferred to more tactfully refer to it as a 'Hunter's intuition' outside of the ranch. It was something his father swore by and believed every Hunter had an innate possession of. And yet, despite Dawn's best efforts, Dorian seemed to be ignoring her earnestness if only so he could continue to loathe her without remorse. It simply didn't make sense to Vernon at the time, why Dorian seemed so dead set on going against his own principals just because of who Dawn was.

And it had left Vernon fairly puzzled until Zach had come clean about exactly what Dorian's motivations were for dis-inviting the couple to the fair the night before. 

"Zach's accident." The wolf thought to himself as he scrubbed at his scalp with the fresh towel. 

At least it made more sense than simply hating Dawn for her involvement during the night howler scandal. A personal stake in the whole affair, however far removed, was bound to make a mammal turn away from their own beliefs in a case like this. But to Vernon, it still seemed as though there was something more to it. After all, he certainly failed to make the connection between Dawn and that event, hell even Zach had, and yet his father had been prepared to make that chain of events the crux of his argument for ignoring Dawn's earnest attempts at reform. Dorian's principles be damned if it affects him or his sons indirectly. And as such the wolf had chosen to fall back on his stubborn ways rather than allow himself to open up to the ewe's attempts at connecting with him

Then again, as much as Vernon was loathed to admit it, he had been just as stubborn when it came to butting heads with the old mammal when it came to Dawn. As cold as Dorian had been, Vernon had been just as quick to snap back with accusations and harsh words rather than trying to press the wolf as to where he was coming from. As much as Vernon didn't want Dawn to be faced with her past over and over again, perhaps if he had been more patient and tried to draw his father out of his defensive shell he would have been more willing to reach across the aisle. To air his grievances politely and discuss them with the wolf in an effort to work through them together. It wouldn't be easy, and it would take more time, but perhaps it would have lead to progress.

But Vernon had been so consumed with everything going to plan. With getting permission to 'tithe' and announcing it in front of the whole pack that despite acknowledging the risks before actually setting out on the trip, Vernon had been completely unprepared to handle them. 

Teeth to tails! Before the idea of getting married came up as a topic of conversation on the subway Vernon had no idea as to how the ewe would feel about the idea of 'tithing' altogether if he managed to get the permission in the first place. It had been a risk factor up there with Yuri and Dorian's demeanors before Dawn professed that she had been more than happy to wed the wolf. She could have felt it was too soon, or simply hadn't been ready to make such a commitment all together for all Vernon had known. But the trip had given the wolf a severe case of tunnel vision, blinding him to most of the greater nuances surrounding the key goal points of getting the approval for 'tithing' his mate. Vernon had already been imagining the ceremony. Picturing the beautiful glow of the harvest moon, and Dawn's enchanting smile as she held his paw under the moonlight. About shared kisses and pledges of eternity among his closest family, friends, and even Yuri. Vernon had wanted that so badly for the pair that the wolf refused to settle for anything getting in the way, even planning so far as threatening to leave the pack if his Father's behavior continued. 

And that is where his mate had been in the right. Vernon's impatience and stubborn attitude had been driving him and Dorian headlong toward a war that he wasn't even sure needed to be fought. Dorian was a mammal, just like any other. He had as much of his own stresses and woes to deal with just as Vernon had. And even though it hadn't been entirely the couples fault, the fair debacle had added to it. There was a need for patience and understanding, and Vernon could stand to slow down a bit and at least try to see if they could get through to the mammal before declaring an all-out war on his own family name in defiance. Even if it took two, four, or ten more visits, the couple owed it to the wolf to try and reason with him. Maybe over a quiet lunch, with his mother acting as the mediator, eventually they could bring the wolf around Vernon having to pull out such a last-ditch drastic measure in order for the couple to be tithed.

"Does she know?" Vernon stopped scrubbing his head, eyeing his Mother from across the stall. The she-wolf was still busy turning foil covered cobs that had yet to be bought as Vernon tossed the towel aside, taking his shirt up in his paws. His mind began to run amid with new fears as he ran an arm through his sleeve.

How would his mother react if she knew about Dawn's connection to Zach's incident? Would she see it the same way as Dorian had? That Vernon's mate had nearly caused the death of one of her son's thanks to the butterfly effect? No, Audrey was more forgiving than that. After all, she touted Dorian's mantra more than the old law wolf ever had. Then again, if Dorian had been so willing to turn his back on his principles, who could say Audrey wouldn't do the same? 

Vernon felt a lump form in his throat as he weighed the possibility of the she-wolf suddenly icing the ewe out after having so quickly embraced her with open paws. Something like that would absolutely crush her, Vernon was certain of it. But as uncomfortable as the idea of making his mother aware of the 'incident' was, the she-wolf was the only hope of making progress with Dorian. And it was best to discuss it with his Mother in private as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

The wolf reassured himself, eager to take his own mates advice at face value and cross the collective bridges when they came to it. For now, the wolf was going to at least bask in the joy he had created by the ewe's discovery of his repaired friendship bracelet. The joy he had only hoped to add to by making his intentions regarding a tithe known to her so they could work at it together.

Yet as his eyes fell back to the ewe, he found her stone-faced in what seemed to be sheer terror. Her eyes wide in shock and her mouth agape as she stared back at the still wolf. Vernon stared in silence for a few moments as he began buttoning his shirt, waiting for the ewe to say something, anything. Yet Dawn remained frozen, seemingly lost in her own mind. And whatever she was thinking about, clearly wasn't good.

"Honey Lamb? Vernon asked warily.

The ewe suddenly jolted to life, her eyes darting around nervously as she quickly turned to wringing her hooves. Her complexion was growing increasingly pallid, and the wolf could easily see beads of sweat beginning to form on her brow. Vernon ran a paw through his damp mane, attempting to cool his paw before reaching out to check the ewe's temperature.

"Ya'll alright?" The wolf caressed her head gently, taking care to check for a fever. 'Couldn't be pheromones again so soon could it?' The wolf thought to himself.

"Yer lookin' a little green under the gills all of the sudden." 

"Fine!" The ewe blurted out awkwardly, causing Vernon to draw his paw back slightly. The wolf squinted as his concern continued to rise in response to the ewe's sudden barking statement. Vernon thought back to his father's tenet in regards to 'smelling bullshit', although Vernon imagined even the dimmest cop on the force would have been able to easily see through the ewe's blithe reassurance. Something was clearly wrong. The ewe stared at the wolf for a few moments, the sweat on her brow beginning to drip down as the silence lingered. 

"I should get back to making crusts!" With the sudden declarative statement, the ewe spun on her heels in a flash, making a bee-line for her stool before taking her place back at the front of the stand. Vernon haphazardly topped off the buttons on his shirt before jogging up to the ewe's side.

Vernon leaned against the counter as he watched the ewe go back to work. But unlike before, where even at her fastest she had handled each ingredient with great care, now the ewe was frantically reaching out for whatever ingredients she could grasp and dumping it into her bowl.

"Dawn?" Vernon asked, trying to draw the ewe's attention quietly. But she continued to ignore him as she dumped a whole stick of butter into the bowl. It was clear it was going to take a bit more effort to get her to acknowledge him. The wolf leaned closer to her, placing a paw on the counter to balance himself as he eyed her suspiciously.

"Dawn." Vernon said more firmly now, but the ewe continued to ignore him. He could see her shaking now, shivering slightly as she dumped an entire egg into the bowl without hesitation. Eggs weren't even part of the recipe involved in making a pastry crust. Vernon had enough. Albeit poorly, the ewe was clearly hiding something. The wolf reached out a paw, grasping the ewe's arm in order to pull her around to face him. He tried to be gentle, but the ewe's resistance made it hard to do without some degree of force.

Finally face to face, the ewe was doing everything in her power to avoid his gaze. What had he done to get her worked up so suddenly?

"Dawn, what's wrong?" The ewe continued to avoid his gaze as the wolf wracked his brain. Had bringing up the prospect of tithing given her cold hooves? She had seemed open to the idea on the subway, at least to the caprid equivalent. Vernon gave the ewe a gentle shake. "Is it what I said?" 

"N-no!" Dawn protested. Her eyes were still far and away from Vernon as he tried to process what was going on.

"Did ya not want to do a 'tithe'?" Vernon frowned sharply. "Cause I mean I figured you'd want to with th-"

"I do!" The meek ewe whimpered in reply. "Of course I do!"

"Then what's wrong?" Vernon shot back at the writhing ewe. The wolf was starting to feel a sense of panic now, the ewe's flighty behavior had to be wrapped up around something big. Vernon's eyes darted toward the grill to catch sight of his mother, the she-wolf now turned around and eyeing the pair in concern. It looked as though she was about to interject when she was cut off by the jarring sound of bells.

"Ding! Ding!" Vernon hadn't moved, his eyes remaining fixed on Audrey as his mind tried to process what had just happened. He felt the ewe slip out of his grasp as he eyed his mother's features for some semblance of advice. The she-wolf gave a simple shrug, her eyes as wide in confusion as Dawn's had previously been.

"What do I do?" Vernon' mouthed wordlessly at the she-wolf.

'I don't know.' Audrey gestured before stabbing a finger out toward the face of the stand. 'But we have customers!' She mouthed.

Vernon's eyes shifted to catch sight of the familiar interspecies couple he and Dawn had met at the tunnel of love, both of whom looked as equally uncomfortable and confused as Audrey was. The awkward looking goat raised a weak finger.

"If you two are in the middle of something we can..." 

Vernon rolled his eyes as he shifted his full attention counter side. Whatever Dawn had on her mind was going to have to wait, at least for now. The last thing they needed was another scene. "Nothin' that can't be discussed later...I suppose..." Vernon said with a disappointed sigh.

"Alex was it?" Vernon asked. "And Edna right?"

"Y-yes." Edna prattled off meekly. Vernon could tell from her body language that they had already said as much, and he simply hadn't heard them earlier. The wolf silently cursed his inattentiveness.

"W-what brings you two over here!?" Dawn was quick to jump in, the nervous edge on her voice still present, but fading.

Edna's burgeoning enthusiasm that she had shown the previous day seemed to return in a flash as the ewe smiled ear to ear.

"Oh! Well, we were looking to get some lunch, and wandering around the food stands when we saw you guys!" Edna chirped happily.

"And my little nosy little lamb here happened to spot you two," Alex said with a smirk.

Edna gave the goat playful swat, briefly sticking her tongue out at the billy before turning her attention back to the couple behind the stall. 

"And we just had to come say hi!" Edna flashed a warm smile.

"And maybe get a bite to eat." Alex added, rubbing his stomach softly. The goat tilted his nose to the air, taking a few, delicate sniffs before letting out a satisfied sigh. "Is that roasted corn I smell?"

"Fresh and ready fer a heap of butter and seasonin'!" Audrey had joined the conversation, leaning her arms on the counter as she edged in next to Dawn. The she-wolf flashed the couple a wide grin as she picked up the old call bell. The she-wolf held it by the stem, between two fingers, giving the tiny bell a lazy shake as she eyed it curiously.

"I almost fergot we even had a call bell." Audrey chuckled softly. "Usually ain't much need fer it." Audrey smirked slightly as she gingerly placed the metal bell back on the countertop before turning her attention back to the couple. The she-wolf leaned in a little bit closer, her smile widening as she set her sights on Alex. It was clear to Vernon the she-wolf was particularly hungry for a sale, and considering how the day had gone, mostly at the couple's expense, it was something she desperately deserved.

"Can I interest ya'll in a cob or twelve?" Audrey chuckled.

Luckily her laughter proved to be somewhat infectious rather than overbearing, and Alex returned the smile in kind.

"Just two for now please." The goat chuckled. "Oh and if Edna wants one you can make it three."

The ewe turned to her mate, scrunching her muzzle up in playful irritation.

"Oh, you can eat two on your own huh?" Enda chuckled.

"Nah, I just figured you'd be talking their ear off so much you'd be too busy to eat." Alex snickered.

Edna gave the goat another playful swat. "Fresh!" She teased.

"But two is fine for now." Edna said with a chuckle of her own as she turned back to the couple. "As much as I'm pained to admit it, my mate is right. I'd like to spend a little time catching up before I start stuffing my snout!" Edna threw her mate a playful glare.

"Babe, I didn't even eat this mornin' remember?" Alex chuckled. "You dragged me out the door so fast to get us back to the fair I didn't even have a chance to get breakfast in me!"

"Oh, I don't blame the poor fella then." Vernon added, flashing the couple a smirk. "If I were him I would have been through about five er' six cobs by now." The wolf chuckled.

"Alright, so that was two then!?" Audrey interjected, her attention still focused on Alex. As soon as the billy offered a nod, the she-wolf was off like a shot, back to the grill and carefully slathering one of the prepared cobs in seasoning. 

Now alone again, or at least without the she-wolf scratching for sales, Edna seemed keen to continue to probe the couple.

"I'm so sorry about yesterday." Edna suddenly frowned. "I mean I don't really know what happened or-"

"Edna!" Alex said sharply, causing the ewe beside him to shrink into her shoulders at the sudden, startling outburst. "Really!?"

"I'm sorry!" The ewe protested. 

"Do you really think they want to talk about that right now?" Alex huffed.

Edna's frown seemed to deepen as she looked back to the couple with apologetic eyes. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to upset you guys!" The ewe protested. " I just wanted to tell you how terrible I thought that was! Stopping you like that!"

"He did more than stop us..." Dawn said with a sigh, the ewe sliding her bowl of mess aside as she leaned on the counter.

"Yes, I can only imagine." Alex frowned.

"Ya'll wanna take a seat?" Vernon interjected, gesturing the couple to the short row of stools in front of the serving counter. "There's only four of 'em, but we ain't exactly pressed fer space at the moment."

The couple's eyes followed the wolf's paw as he gestured to the seating, and after sharing a seemingly agreeable glance, the couple sat on the tall stools just opposite the counter. Alex helped his mate onto the first stool before taking a seat of his own, the goat letting out an irritated sigh as he leaned his arms on the table.

"Again, you'll have to forgive my Edna." Alex said, flashing the wolf a sympathetic glance. "My mate is very well-meaning, but often kind of blunt when it comes to sensitive subjects."

Vernon turned his attention to the ewe seated by Alex's side. Edna was looking at her hooves, twiddling her fingers nervously.

"I-I can't help it Ally..." The ewe whined softly. "My family was always very...er...direct with each other."

Alex nodded softly. "I know dear, I know." The goat cooed, placing a hoof on the ewe's shoulder. "But you really have to work on that."

"It's not that sensitive a subject really..." Dawn muttered, drawing the wolf's attention back to her. Her voice was sorrowful, but steady and calm. And while she was frowning, Vernon could tell that unlike before the ewe had a handle on her emotions. " I mean, it's something Vernon and I are used to..." Dawn sighed softly. "Although aggressive confrontations like that are much rarer to come by back in the city ."

"You really don't have to talk about it if you do-"

"No." Dawn stopped the goat mid-sentence. The ewe glanced up at Vernon for a moment offering a weak, reassuring smile before shifting her attention back to the couple. "It's fine, really." Dawn gestured to the pair. "Besides, it's easier to talk about it with a couple that might understand."

"So what happened?" Edna didn't miss a beat, the ewe clearly eager to take Dawn up on her offer before she decided to retract it. Vernon let out a defeated sigh, running a paw across his scalp in an effort to control the wave forming in his drying fur.

"Welp..." Vernon muttered as he leaned forward to engage the couple, placing his paws astride the counter. "That old billy that let you two on stopped us at the gate more er' less.." Vernon grumbled. "Started talkin' our ear off about how our relationship wasn't right. How it spat in the face of the natural order or some garbage." Vernon grit his teeth as he recalled the hateful old goats scarred face.

"The usual shit we have to deal with from one of them 'pearl clutchin' types." The wolf spat.

"Oh gods." Edna muttered, her eyes shimmering slightly with tears. "That's terrible."

Vernon bit his lip as he could feel the anger welling inside of him. He would have loved nothing more than to give that old billy a good sock in the muzzle. And after how everything had panned out the day before, perhaps it would have been better if he had. After all, it seemed like making a scene at the fair had been something completely unavoidable. So he might as well have made it one that left him feeling somewhat satisfied. 

Suddenly, the wolf felt the gentle caress of Dawn's hoof on his paw. Her fingers intertwining with his as she glanced up at him. She flashed the wolf a soft, reassuring smile despite the sadness behind her eyes as she continued to stroke the side of his paw with her thumb. Vernon knew she could tell the thought of the old 'mam had gotten his hackles up, and she knew just how to remedy it. Vernon felt his grimace slip away as her comforting smile washed away the broiling ire in a deluge of warmth.

"Yes he had quite a few..." The ewe continued for him, her calm and cool demeanor making it easier for her retell rather than him. "Interesting thoughts on interspecies couples to say the least."

"I know..." Alex muttered. A grimace of his own forming.

Vernon quirked a curious eyebrow at the young billy. "What?"

Alex rolled his eyes, letting off a huff as he crossed his arms defensively.

"That old-!" The goat stopped, his brows furrowing tightly. "Ugly, miserable-" The goat stuttered, seemingly struggling to find his words. "He just-oh!" Alex spat, shaking his head dismissively.

Much like Dawn had done for Vernon, soon enough Edna's hoof had managed to find it's way wrapped around one of Alex's, her fingers intertwining tightly around the billy's as he uncrossed his arms.

Alex's face slipped to a more sad expression as he glanced back at his mate.

"Oh Edy..." Alex said with a sigh. 

Edna flashed him a similarly soft smile, before turning her concerned expression back toward the other couple.

"After we got off the ride, we waited around to see if you two came out after us." Edna continued in the place of her tongue-tied mate. "And when we saw a couple of sheep come out in the boat afterward, we knew that old goat who was arguing with you hadn't let you on."

"You waited for us?" Dawn asked.

Edna gave a brisk nod.

"We did more than that." Alex snorted.

Vernon shifted his stance, leaning on his free paw while remaining gripped to Dawn's hoof with the other as he eyed the couple incredulously.

Edna winced slightly, and Vernon could see her squeezing the goat's hoof tighter in her own.

"Well, I was absolutely disgusted." Edna continued. "So I walked back around to give that old goat a piece of my mind!"

Vernon smirked, impressed by the little ewe's moxie when it came to standing up for the couple. But his smile was furtive and short, as the ewe's frown deepened.

"And I take he had some more..." Dawn muttered meekly. "Questionable things to say."

"I'll Say!" Alex barked, slamming his free hoof against the counter. Vernon could see a fire behind the billy's eyes, one he imagined was quite similar to his own just moments earlier. The goat leaned up on his chair slightly, pointing in the vague direction of the tunnel of love as he eyed the wolf with intensity.

"That rutting dagmuncher made my Edy cry!" Alex spat. "He went on and on about Edna being a 'loose little gimmer' because she was mating outside of her species!" Alex pounded the table again. "That if she wanted a bigger 'mam she might as well just go to the stables and be done with it!"

Vernon's muzzle tightened into a grimace of his own as he imagined the nasty old goats' verbal assault on the sweet little ewe. Vernon couldn't imagine whatever Edna had to say to the old 'mam could have been nearly as crude or offensive as what he had chosen to say. And the idea that another couple had been abused by the grizzled culler buck had only done more to get the wolf's hackles up. 

"Oh my goodness." Dawn's hooves were pressed against her muzzle as she looked at the pair in shock. "That's awful!"

Edna wiped her eyes with a hoof, doing away with the slight shimmer that had formed on the surface. As Alex eased back into his seat, the goat was quick to pull the smaller ewe into his side, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead before returning his attention to Dawn and Vernon. Surprisingly, a small smirk had crawled across the goat's muzzle.

"That's where I stepped in."

Vernon felt a tinge of excitement as he leaned in a bit further, the goats smile fostering hope in the wolf that the billy had done something to get back at the older goat.

"What did you do?" Vernon asked, his eyes wide as he scanned the goat for a response. Alex's smile widened into something more of a mischievous, knowing grin. However, instead of continuing his tale, the goat gingerly released his mate, flashing the ewe a playful glance.

"What did I do Hon?" Alex said in an amused tone.

Edna gave a soft giggle, the ewe covering her muzzle as she gave the couple a brief, peeking glance. It was as if the usually peppy and talkative ewe had grown suddenly reserved and shy. 

"Alex...well...he..." Enda giggled as she glanced back toward her mate. The little ewe leaning back into his side as she bit at a hoof. "He pushed that old goat into the water at the ride."

Vernon's smile gave way to an open muzzle, his jaw hanging open in awe of the little billy seated before him. Alex simply crossed his arms, a smug smile remaining plastered on his face.

"He didn't even see it coming." Alex said with a smirk.

"You did that!?" Vernon leaned in closer, he could feel his tail starting to wag as joy overtook him.

"It may have been petty..." Alex muttered. "But damn did it feel good!" 

Vernon let out a loud, howling laugh. He couldn't believe it. Alex had done exactly what Vernon had wanted to do to the old goat. After everything bad that had happened on their trip out to the North Meadowlands so far, knowing that speciest goat had gotten his just desserts and then some was like music to the wolf's ears. Vernon could hear the others laughing now, all joining in on the delight of knowing that karma had come full circle for the nasty billy running the ride.

"Oh my g-goodness" Dawn was struggling under a fit of giggling herself.

"H-how did he react?" Vernon managed to sputter through his own laughter. "What did he say?"

Alex was doing his best to stifle his laughter, but the goat could barely keep it together.

"He yelled something about d-disrespecting a v-veteran before one of the boats bumped him in the back of the head." Edna managed to choke out.

Vernon could feel tears forming in his eyes as he let out another howling laugh. His stomach was starting to hurt from all the laughter now. Vernon wiped at his eyes as he desperately tried to regain his composure, but the wolf knew it was going to be a while before he would be able to get a hold of himself. As Alex said, it may have been petty. Bu the wolf definitely needed the laugh.

"O-Oh my goodness..." Dawn was snickering, the ewe seemed to be doing a better job of pulling herself together than Vernon was based on the sound of her voice. "I-I hope you two didn't g-get in trouble f-for that."

"We r-ran like cheetahs out of there!" Edna giggled.

Alex wiped a tear from his eye, his laughter starting to trail away as he spoke.

"Yeah, we left the fairgrounds as fast as our little hooves could carry us!" Alex said, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Didn't want to spend the rest of our 'relaxing' day looking over our shoulders for the North Meadowlands Police."

Vernon was still laughing, but he had managed to dial it down somewhat as the need for air began to outweigh his overall amusement. Vernon flashed the couple a grin as he took a deep breath between chuckles.

"Don't worry." Vernon snickered. "We ain't gonna rat you out, that's fer sure."

"Well, sounds like ya'll are havin' a grand time." Audrey interjected, the she-wolf bringing a plate of piping hot corn cobs around the laughing wolf. Carefully she placed the multiple stacked paper dishes in front of the young billy, and Vernon watched as Alex's eyes lit up with a hungry glimmer.

"Yeah Ma." Vernon said with a pleasant sigh. "We're havin' a real blast." The wolf rolled his eyes, only for his mother to pinch his cheek with one of her free paws.

"Don't be fresh now Puppy." Audrey said with a smirk as the wolf playfully swatted his mother away.

"Oh Em Goodness..." Alex said dreamily, the goat slapping his hooves together loudly and rubbing them. Vernon watched the goat run his tongue over his teeth in anticipation of the glistening, sticky cobs. "These look amazing..."

Audrey chuckled softly. "Just wait till ya taste 'em Honey." The she-wolf said, leaning an arm on the counter as she sidled in next to Dawn once more.

"That'll be five bucks, by the way." Audrey added, lazily extending her leaned paw toward the goat.

Alex stopped just short of grasping the ends of one of the cobs, freezing for a moment as realization apparently washed over him.

"Ah..." Alex said, his hooves quickly darting to his pants pocket. The billy desperately fumbled to free his wallet from it. 

Vernon wasn't sure if it was a craving desire to dig into the sizzling corn cobs, or if it was that his pocket was a bit too tight that was the source of Alex's struggle. But whatever the reason the goat was desperate to the point that he had nearly slipped off his stool during a particularly harsh tug. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Alex managed to pull his wallet free, and in a flash he had found and practically thrown the five dollar bill Audrey's way.

Audrey chuckled softly as she scooped the crumpled bill into her paw, watching as the goat quickly clasped the edges of a cob with his hooves.

"Thank ya kindly Darlin'." Audrey said, straightening the bill before neatly folding it in half as she began to walk away. "Enjoy."

Alex looked up at her for a brief second, only acknowledging her statement with a terse nod before gripping his teeth into the side of the glistening cob.

Vernon could hear the audible crunch as Alex dragged his teeth across the cob surface. Pulling back from the cob slightly, the young billy began to chew the morsel now sitting in his maw. Vernon watched as his eyes lit up, opening wide before slamming closed as tightly he imagined the goat could muster. Alex turned his head away slightly.

"MHHHhhh...OHHH..." Alex moaned with pleasure as he chewed, eliciting a giggle from the ewe sitting beside him.

"I've never heard him moan like that before!" Edna said with a laugh before leaning across the counter toward Dawn. The ewe placed a hoof aside her mouth Vernon's way, attempting to block the wolf's hearing.

"Well, not outside the bedroom at least." Edna said softly, causing Dawn to recoil sporting a fresh, hot blush. She wasn't alone however, as Edna was now sporting one of her own. As the ewe glanced up toward Vernon, the wolf did his best to play off the fact that his ears had picked up what she said.

"Ohhhh..." Alex cooed as he swallowed, lapping at his lips with his tongue. "Rut it, I can already tell you I'm going to need another."

"'Nother cob, comin' up!" Audrey yelled back from her place at the grill. The She-wolf pulling another foiled cob off the stove and repeating the seasoning process.

The goat was quick to bury himself back in his corn, letting out little pleasurable moans and sighs with each bite. However, with the corn stealing the goats focus, that left the couple at the mercy of his mates curious and possibly blunt questions. And unsurprisingly, she was ready with another one. Edna rolled her eyes at Alex briefly before leaning back on the counter and eyeing the pair curiously.

"So...how was the rest of your trip to the fair yesterday?" Edna asked, her features laced with slight concern. "I hope it improved."

Vernon winced slightly, his eyes darting over toward the ewe at his side to find an equally concerned looking ewe. Dawn glanced back at him with a look of uncertainty, her eyes seemingly searching his own for direction on how to proceed with such a delicate topic.

"Oh no." Edna's smile dropped immediately, the ewe recoiling from her lean and away from the pair as she covered her muzzle with her hooves. "I did it again didn't I?" I'm so-"

Vernon held up a paw, stopping the ewe mid-sentence. "It's fine." The wolf said with a sigh. "It's not like you could have known what happened anyway..."

Edna kept both of her hooves over her mouth as she eyed the pair warily.

"Forget I even said anything, we can just-"

"No..." Vernon heard Dawn utter softly. Vernon glanced back at the ewe in surprise, but Dawn simply grasped his paw, giving the wolf a soft, affirmative nod before returning her attention to Edna. Dawn let out a soft sigh, and as she did Vernon could feel her squeeze his paw softly. "We may as well..." 

"We don't need to go into heavy details now..." Vernon interjected, throwing the ewe a concerned glance of his own. Dawn nodded again, and Vernon gave the ewe's hoof a soft squeeze of his own before turning his attention back to the other couple.

"Well, we were kinda at the center of a lil'..." Vernon winced slightly, his ears dropping as he tried to muster the strength to continue. "Scene..." Vernon grimaced sharply, the word had tasted particularly bitter on its way out. "Here at the stand yesterday afternoon."

"Oh no..." Edna replied, her eyes shimmering slightly as Vernon assumed the ewe expected to hear the worst.

"Short version is..." Vernon paused, running a shaky paw through his scalp. " A bunch of fairgoers made us leave early yesterday."

"What?" Edna stared at the wolf in a mixture of shock and disbelief. The ewe had braced her hooves on the counter as she leaned in slightly, cocking her head in a curious manner. "Why?"

Vernon rolled his eyes slightly. He knew the lamb was enthusiastic, but certainly not oblivious. The implication was already in the air, but apparently she needed it spelled out for her.

"Because of Vernon and I being a couple." Dawn uttered sadly.

Enda seemed to reel at that, the ewe leaning further over the counter as she eyed the pair in disbelief, and what seemed like a hint of ire.

"What!?" The ewe spat in shock. " I ca-" Edna stammered. Suddenly she and Alex seemed to switch places as the ewe now struggled for words. "How cou-" Edna shook her head.

Frustrated at her own inability to reply, the ewe gave the goat next to her a soft swat.

"Alex can you believe that!?" Enda frowned.

Alex eased the bald corn cob back onto his plate, letting out a soft sigh as he turned his attention to his mate. 

"I can". Alex said bluntly, flashing the pair a disappointed sigh. "But that doesn't make it any less terrible."

"Drove my family out too." Vernon added with a grumble as he leaned against the counter. "Luckily it was near closin' anyway, but still..."

"That doesn't make it right!" Edna added, her cheeks puffed slightly as she let out a huff. "There isn't a rule against being an interspecies couple! Pred prey or not!"

Alex grasped his other cob gingerly, his eyes shining with that familiar hungry shine for a moment before he turned his attention back toward the couple.

"I know I may not seem like the type..." Alex said. "But If I were you I wouldn't have stood for that kind of treatment." The goat lowered his cob slightly as he eyed Vernon. "I mean, that's textbook discrimination! Those mammals had no right to do that."

"We didn't want to cause a scene..." Dawn murmured quietly, the ewe offering the couple a weak shrug. "Or any more of one than we already had..."

"I take it that's why you didn't thrash that old goat at the tunnel of love before I did big fella?" Alex said with a chuckle. " I mean a wolf like you could have battered that ram up and down the fairgrounds!"

Vernon gave a soft, affirmative nod, gritting his teeth slightly.

"I would have loved to." The wolf replied with a sneer. "Him, and half of those fellas that showed up yesterday looking to push us out!"

"Oh Puppy..." Dawn cooed, squeezing his paw again softly. "Please..."

"It's one thing dealing with some snot-nosed mammals whisperin' behind our backs, or an off-color comment." Vernon glanced over at the ewe by his side. Removing his grip from her hoof, the wolf moved his arm around her, pulling her against his side protectively. "But getting a lynch mob together to drive us out of a public place? What are we, Frankestag's Monster!?"

"Puppy..." Dawn cooed. Vernon could feel her hooves wrapping around his waist, one of them reaching up for his chest as the ewe gripped tightly against his side. It was clear she was trying to calm the wolf down, but Vernon was having a hard time as the bile left over from yesterday's incident bubbled to the surface.

The wolf growled softly. "I like to think of myself as a peaceful fella. But what are we supposed to do when faced with somethin' like that!?" Vernon spat. 

"I tell you..." Alex said between chews. "Me and Edna have been through a lot of crazy stuff..." The goat took another chomp of his cob. "But nothing quite like that Vernon."

The wolf ran a paw through his scalp, letting out a harsh sigh. Glancing down at the ewe now tightly clasped to his side, the wolf gave her a gentle pat on the head.

"We've been so good at risin' above all that stuff back home..." The wolf muttered. "But I never it expected that kind of behavior from so many mammals out here."

Vernon glanced at the sky, dragging a paw down his face as he let out another sigh.

"I suppose I should have-" Vernon muttered. "I guess what was I supposed to expect from a bunch of old nags and nannies set in their ways?"

"We aren't all like that boy." 

The new voice drew Vernon's attention back to the earth. The wolf searched around for a moment, glancing around Alex and Edna in his efforts to find the source.

"Over here lad." The wolf's attention was drawn to the side of the stall, where a particularly older lady goat in a peculiar fuzzy hat was making her way toward the stand. The tan nanny dressed in a draping red sweater and dull purple skirt strolled in an almost careless fashion as she made her way over to another one of the stools before easing her way up onto the seat. With a soft groan, the old she-goat took her place alongside Alex.

"I'd say most old folks don't really give a hoot about what others are doin'." The nanny continued. "At least not enough to get particularly ornery about it."

Vernon quirked an eyebrow at the newcomer.

"Are you sure about that Ma'am?" The wolf asked.

"When you get older you tend to care less and less about what others think about you, believe me." The goat placed her hooves on the table. "And that goes double for what older folks feel about how other mammals carry themselves."

The nanny goat raised a finger. "But it only takes a few nosy busybodies to stir up a herd of mammals, getting them all worked up over something they didn't even know they were supposed to care about." The she-goat chuckled softly. "And as for us old folks, well all we want to do is put our feet up and take a nap. But we can't do it till those busybodies shut their muzzles up and leave us alone."

As the couple listened to the older goat speak, Audrey returned to the counter with another cob of corn, setting it down in front of Alex. The goat flashed Audrey a wide and satisfied grin, handing off another few bucks before readying himself to take a bite of his newest piping hot cob. But as the goat raised it to his muzzle, a small weak voice piped up from somewhere unseen.

"Wha 'sat smell?" The voice uttered softly. "Is that roasted corn?"

Vernon perked up, his ears darting from side to side as he tried to locate yet another previously unseen eavesdropper.

"Yes, it's roasted corn Harry dear." The nanny replied to the voice, her eyes were now looking upward, almost as if she were trying to look at her scalp.

"Did you want some?" She replied.

"Oh no..." The other voice continued. "I've never been a fan...."

Vernon quirked his eyebrow, the wolf still puzzled as to who exactly was talking. It sounded as if it had come from the old she-goat, yet he couldn't see anyone. Maybe it was a walkie-talkie? But if so, then how could he smell the food.

"Oh you aren't a fan of anything!" The she-goat laughed.

"I smell pumpkin pie." The voice responded. It sounded fuzzy and warm, but with a certain bleariness that comes with age. "I like pumpkin pie."

"You want some pumpkin pie dear?" The goat asked.

"Huh?" the other voice responded.

The nanny rolled her eyes. "Pie! You want some?"

"What kind of pie?" The softer voice replied.

"PUMPKIN PIE!" The nanny raised her voice, causing Vernon to flinch.

Silence hung in the air for a moment, during which Vernon, Dawn, Alex, and Edna exchanged a series of awkward glances. 

"Oh, that sounds lovely." The voice replied finally. "Yes please."

Vernon, though confused, couldn't help but smirk slightly at the conversation taking place. While he wasn't sure exactly where this mysterious Harry was, the banter he shared with the she-goat was simply adorable. It sounded as though they had known each other for a long time, their way of speaking to one another honed after years of becoming accustomed to each other's unique idiosyncrasies and what Vernon could only assume was a hint of the absentmindedness that comes with age.

"So you wanted a pumpkin pie then Mrs..." 

"Mrs. Mina Hoofer." The She-goat replied. "And this is my Darling Harry." With that, the she-goat gestured up toward her strange headwear. For a moment, Vernon was confused as he stared into the red-banded ball of fur on the top of the nanny's head. He squinted for a moment before the mass suddenly began to stir, causing the wolf to nearly jump out his pelt. As the fluff shifted in place the identity of the mysterious Harry became abundantly clear. 

Mina wasn't wearing a hat at all. 

"Hello young fella..." Came from the stout little mole sitting atop Mina's head. The tiny rodent adjusted his spectacles as he rose to his feet, dusting off his red sweater as he clasped onto one of the old nanny's horns for support. "Name's Harry Moleman." The tiny mammal spoke, extending a tiny paw Vernon's way.

Vernon winced slightly, the shock still permeating his body for a bit before he managed to extend a wary paw toward the minuscule mammal. Vernon gingerly shook the tiny rodents hand.

"Vernon Hunter." The wolf replied, offering an awkward grin. "Nice to meet you sir."

"So polite..." Harry continued as the wolf released his grip. "You don't see that enough these days..."

"T-thank you Sir." Vernon added, clearing his throat in an effort to shake off the lingering confusion in his tone. Vernon ran a paw through his scalp before gesturing to the ewe still clasped to his hip.

"And this here is Dawn Bellwether." Vernon added. "My mate."

The ewe extended a wary hoof, leaning slightly away from the wolf to reach the mole's paw and giving it a gentle shake.

"I trust you've heard of me?" Dawn murmured sadly as she released her grip on the moles paw.

"Nope." Harry replied, smiling blankly back at the couple. Mina rolled her eyes before flashing the pair a warm smile.

"We have." Mina added. "And we don't have to go down that road my dear. I'm the kind of mammal who prefers not to dwell too much on those sorts of things, especially when they are past and done with. " The goat chuckled softly. "I'm too old to be keeping tabs on 'grudges' I'm supposed to be holding."

As Dawn's hoof returned to Vernon's waist, the ewe offered a meek smile.

"T-thank you." Dawn replied.

"Don't worry about it Dearie." The nanny was quick to reply, gesturing a hoof in the air dismissively.

"So you and Harry are...?" Vernon trailed off, uncertain as to how to ask such a delicate question.

Mina nodded softly, paying careful attention not to jostle her little friend from his perch.

"That's right." Mina assured. "Harry is my mate."

"Another pred prey couple!" Edna cooed in awe.

"Pred prey?" Alex paused, holding the cob of corn away from his muzzle slightly. The goat raised an eyebrow at his mate curiously. "A mole?"

Edna nodded briskly. "Moles eat all sorts of grubs and bugs and junk." The ewe added enthusiastically. "That technically makes them a predator."

"How did you know that?" Alex replied.

Edna rolled her eyes, placing her hooves on her hips. "My classes at college revolve around mammalian biology." The ewe let out a sigh. "I swear, sometimes I think you don't even listen to me."

Mina raised a hoof to her head, gingerly shooing the small rodent into her palm before bringing him down to the counter and setting him down. Mina offered Vernon a kind smile.

Vernon could barely speak, he was still somewhat shell-shocked by all the information he suddenly had to process. Predator and prey couplings were already a rare thing, even more so among elder mammals. Yet somehow, here in what Vernon considered to be the most rural part of the Meadowlands, he and Dawn had stumbled across another couple in the same situation as they were. Mina leveled a knowing glance at the wolf.

"I did say 'believe me' when I mentioned about how you stop caring what others think of you when you grow old, didn't I?" Mina said with a smile.

"But he-" Vernon stuttered. "But you-" The wolf ran a paw through his scalp fur as he stumbled over exactly what to ask first.

"How long have you been together?" Dawn asked, stealing one of Vernon's questions away. The wolf nodded dumbly along with Dawn's question, eager to hear the answer himself.

Mina chuckled softly. "Oh we've been together for quite a while now." The nanny assured. "Although Harry wasn't my first. I was married before, but my ex passed away some years ago."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Dawn said sadly. However, the nanny remained all smiles.

"Oh don't worry my dear." Mina reassured. "We had quite a full life together. We saw our children grow up, leave, start families of their own and so forth." The old goat smiled warmly. "We had many happy years, and he passed away peacefully." The old goat chuckled. "I'd say you couldn't ask for much more than that."

"Aw..." Edna cooed softly.

"Yup, my dear Billy's gone to that big sex shop in the sky."

Vernon's eyes widened slightly, and the wolf shared an awkward glance with Dawn and the others to affirm he had heard the old nanny goat correctly. The wolf opened his mouth to speak, but decided it was better to leave the comment without clarification.

"But now Harry and I are together, and we're enjoying all we can with what time the gods allow." Mina chuckled. "And we aren't about to let what some miserable, prudish busybodies say or do ruin that for us."

"That's right!" Harry added, the tiny mole sounding surprisingly more invigorated than before. The rodent waived a tiny cane in Vernon's direction. "We're far too old to care about what other small-minded folks think about our relationship."

The older goat gave the tiny mole an affectionate nudge with her hoof.

"We normally don't." Dawn added somberly, the ewe releasing her grip around the wolf slightly to better face the couple. "Vernon and I are usually very good at dealing with scorn or disgust from others but..." The ewe shook her head. "An angry mob...I mean? How were we supposed to deal with that?"

"Angry mob eh...?" Harry asked, leaning on his cane for support as he appraised the couple. The rodent swayed slightly as he squinted through his thick glasses. Licking his lips, the old mole turned his attention back to his vastly larger mate.

"I can't say we've ever had to deal with that..." The mole said quietly. "Have we dear?" His voice was almost pleading. It was clear the diminutive rodent was uncertain whether he had or hadn't.

Mina shook her head dismissively.

"I can't say we ever have." Mina replied, giving the tiny mole a ginger pat on the head before turning her gaze back to Dawn and Vernon.

"But I've seen a mob or two in my time." Mina chuckled. "Protests and demonstrations and so on."

The old nanny leaned in slightly, gesturing the wolf and lamb closer to her.

"And you know what I've found?" The she-goat said with a smile.

Vernon leaned in slightly, his curiosity piqued as to what pearl of wisdom the well-traveled she-goat was about to dole out. 

"What?" Dawn asked, nearly slipping off her stool as she attempted to lean as far as Vernon had. The ewe clasped the counter to stable herself.

"While it doesn't work with all of 'em, you'll find most of the time the best way to disarm them is to inform them." Mina stated.

Vernon recoiled slightly, quirking and eyebrow in confusion.

"Inform them?" The wolf queried.

Mina gave a brisk nod.

"At the base of every group of scared, angry mammals is one, key trait." Mina continued. The goat raised a finger, closing her eyes she did so. "Ignorance."

Mina gave Harry an affectionate caress with the side of her hoof. At first the rodent jumped slightly in surprise, but he quickly recognized the hoof and leaned into it. 

"Whether they are old or young, mammals fear what they don't understand." Mina added. "And while you might not be able to convince some of the most stubborn of them, I think you'll find that most can be disarmed by engaging them in polite discussion and most importantly..." The goat raised a finger again. "Letting them ask questions about your experiences." 

"Ask questions?" Vernon scrunched his muzzle slightly as he mulled over the she-goats words. Mina simply nodded.

"You never know what kind of mammals you can turn around just by talking to them." Mina continued. "And you'd be surprised to find that most mammals are more open than they'd appear about such things." 

Vernon was dubious about the old nanny's claim. He couldn't recall seeing any curious looking eyes in the mob that had formed around the stand yesterday afternoon. But he had definitely seen fear, and quite a bit of shame. Especially when his Mother had called out to those she had known among the crowd of discontented Meadowlanders. Then again, if so many of them were ashamed of what they were doing, then why had they decided to act at all. Could it really be that they had been riled up by Ana's bitter tongue, spurred on by the loudest, squeakiest wheel among them to go along with something they ultimately hadn't wanted to do? That ignorance rather than distaste had been the driving force behind the fearful flock? 

"And who could honestly have a problem with a nice young billy like you!" Harry said with a smile gesturing to Vernon. "You seem like quite the upstanding young mammal to me."

Vernon raised an eyebrow in confusion as he glanced down at himself.

"Billy?" Vernon muttered.

The mole nodded briskly.

"Just because you are dating a fox doesn't mean you aren't a mammal like the rest of us." Harry continued, seemingly blissfully ignorant of his inaccurate descriptions.

"Fox?" Dawn asked in equal confusion.

"Any mammal that gives respect, deserves respect is what I say." The little mole flashed a wide grin as he leaned on his cane. "In fact back when I was a younger-"

"Harry..." Mina sighed, placing a hoof over her eyes before dragging it down her wrinkled muzzle. 

"Hmm?" Harry replied, glancing back at his mate.

"Vernon is a wolf dear." The she-goat gestured to Vernon.

The mole turned, leveling his gaze back toward the wolf. He adjusted his glasses as he stared up at the wolf, squinting at him in silence for a moment.

"A wolf you say?" Harry asked, glancing back at Mina.

"For goodness sake, he's double the size of me Dear!" Mina groaned.

The mole adjusted his spectacles again as his eyes fell back on towering canine.

"I just thought he was tall." Harry said with a laugh.

"Still if that is the case then you two should have even less to worry about." The little mole said cheerily. "I mean, you may be two different predators, but at lea-"

"She's a SHEEP Harry!" Mina yelled, a slight irritation rising in her tone.

"Huh?" Harry asked, cupping his ear with a paw toward the old she-goat.

"A SHEEP YOU OLD CODGER!" Mina raised her voice, causing Harry and Vernon to flinch. 

The mole waived a claw dismissively back at the old nanny.

"Alright, alright!" Harry shouted back. "You don't have to shout!"

Mina let out an aggravated sigh as she leaned on the counter with an arm, placing a hoof to her temple and massaging gently. "I wish that old fool would have just agreed to getting the hearing aid."

Vernon did his best to stifle his laughter, holding a paw to his muzzle in an effort to hide his growing smile. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Dawn and the others were more or less doing the same.

"Look, my point is-" Mina continued, leveling her gaze back on Vernon. "Communication and education are the most powerful tools couples like us have at their disposal." The old nanny tutted." If anything you'll find being open will end up drawing you up a mob of your own. Only this time they'll be on your side." The old nanny said with a laugh.

"Well that's all well and good." That had come from Dawn, the little ewe had pulled away from Vernon now, her gaze leveled back at the older mammal. "But I think the crowd around here is more or less done with us if today's sales are anything to go by." The ewe said with a somber sigh. "I'm afraid it seems they've made their final stance on the matter pretty clear."

Mina waived a hoof at the ewe dismissively.

"Well we're here aren't we?" The she-goat said with a chuckle. "And all it takes is a few mammals to be brave enough to step up to the counter and break the ice to start a chain reaction."

Vernon shook his head softly. Despite his general optimism, even he had to admit that aside from the current customers, the stand was effectively dead. He had seen mammals actively avoiding it all day, and aside from drawing a few mammals like themselves, his hope was starting to wane. 

Word had spread fast among the North Meadowlanders about Vernon and his questionable relationship with Dawn, and it was clear none of the natives wanted to be associated with such a family in any way because of it. He wanted to take her words to heart, to hope that things would turn around for his Mother's sake. But at the moment, sales prospects seemed remarkably grim.

"Well, all this yammering on has got me hungry." Mina said with a smirk. "So how about that pumpkin pie?"

"Pumpkin pie?" Harry muttered, the mole suddenly perking up. "I love pumpkin pie."

Mina let out a tired sigh as Vernon tried to stifle another laugh.

"Alright then..." Vernon sighed, running a paw through his scalp before leaning on the counter toward the couple. "How would you like it?"

"What do you offer?" The nanny replied.

Vernon rolled his eyes slightly.

"Well, we offer individual slices for about two fifty a piece." Vernon said, tapping a claw on the counter. "And ten bucks for a full pie, boxed to go." The wolf gestured a paw toward the overstuffed racks of pie to his side. "And we offer pastry crust for those looking fer a more traditional taste, and graham cracker crust for those who like it on the sweeter side."

"Pumpkin pie." Harry muttered, the mole squinting slightly as he eyed the boxes of pie behind the wolf. With a pastry...or graham cracker crust?"

Vernon nodded. "Yes sir."

The mole tapped his chin with a claw.

"Pastry is nice...but graham cracker is better." The mole mumbled to himself. Harry was clutching his chin now, rubbing it as he made little 'thinking' noises to himself. "Or should I, Hmmm...?"

Vernon waited patiently as the mole returned to his quiet murmurings, all while the nanny goat that was his mate seemed to be growing increasing visibly irritated at just how long Harry was taking. Mina had begun to grit her teeth slightly by the time Harry turned to acknowledge her.

"Mina, what do you thi-?"

"Harry, Love, just pick a pie already!" Mina replied with an irritable huff.

Harry returned to eyeing the pies for a moment, the little mole adjusting his spectacles before tapping at his chin again.

"Pie, or slice?" Harry glanced over his shoulder at his mate.

Mina leaned on a hoof, rubbing her temple as she let out an exasperated sigh.

"Harry, for the love of God..." The goat muttered.

"How about one of each pie then?" Dawn interjected, the ewe seemingly doing her best to diffuse the situation.

"And a slice of each type?" Vernon added, flashing the couple a wide grin.

Harry formed a smile of his own, grinning back at his exhausted looking mate as he waved a cane toward the couple.

"That sounds great doesn't it Dear?" Harry chuckled. "We can share!"

Mina rolled her eyes slightly. "Alright fine." The she-goat replied, turning her attention back to Vernon. At the very least Mina seemed slightly relieved. 

"Do you have rodent sized pies?" The she-goat asked. 

"Oh, yeah we do." Vernon replied, scratching his head awkwardly. "I should have mentioned it before." The wolf offered the pair a meek smile. "Only five for those."

"Just make the to-go pies both rodent size." Mina said with a tired sigh. "The gods know between the two of us it would take us a while to work through a whole normal sized pie, let alone two smaller ones. We aren't as young as we used to be after all."

"Two slices and two pies..." Vernon said, doing his best to stifle his laughter. "Coming up."

As Vernon turned to bring the order to his mother, he noticed the she-wolf was in the midst of brokering another sale. Apparently his gaze had failed to pick up on the old ewe that had made her way to the counter while lost in the entertaining banter of the other older couple. As Vernon approached, he could hear the tail end of the conversation.

"I know I was supposed to pick up my order yesterday b-but..."

"But what Mrs. Dewlap?" Audrey retorted. The ewe was speaking in hushed tones, and Vernon could see she was cowing as if to remain hidden from view. "Too busy in that mob of yers to-"

Both mammals froze as they suddenly became aware of Vernon looming over them. The wolf was hard to miss after all. Audrey developed a worried frown, while the ewe nearly jumped out of her pelt in fear, cowing deeper into her shoulders.

"You got a sale Vern?" Audrey asked, standing back up to look the wolf in the eyes.

"Er...yeah..." Vernon replied, his glance drifting to the ewe still huddled by the counter. The wolf scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Two slices, and two rodent sized pies."

Audrey placed a finger to her chin, tapping it briefly. The wolfess seemed to be musing over something.

"We didn't make any rodent sizes today did we?" Audrey asked.

Vernon shook his head weakly.

"No we didn't." Vernon shrugged. "We only make a couple anyway considerin'..."

"I think we have some in the back fridge from yesterday." Audrey muttered, pressing a finger to her bottom lip. 

Suddenly a mischievous grin formed on the she-wolf's muzzle as her eyes shifted toward the meek ewe hunched near the stand.

"Vernon Darlin'?" Audrey asked. "Could you handle this customer while I pull those pies from the back?" The she-wolf said with a smirk as she eyed the increasingly shrinking old ewe. "She's just here to fill a late order."

Vernon glanced at the crumpled ewe, only for her to duck further under the counter lip as his eyes fell on her.

"Are you sure about that?" Vernon asked, scratching the back of his head. "I mea-."

"Mrs. Dewlap is an old friend of the family!" Audrey said, her smug smile widening. "I don't think she'd have a problem orderin' from one of my sons now would she?" Audrey sneered slightly as she leaned over the counter, her glare fixed on the ewe.

"N-no Auddey dear!" The ewe protested, her voice quavering as she spoke. "Of course not!"

"Good then." Audrey replied, a satisfied expression crossing her muzzle as she swatted her paws free of dust. " I'll be back in a minute." The she-wolf said with a wide grin, patting Vernon on the shoulder before making her way to the back. Now Vernon was more or less alone with the fearful looking ewe.

Vernon let out a sigh, running a paw through his scalp fur as he stepped up to the register.

"So...uh..." Vernon muttered, peering over the lip of the counter at the diminutive older ewe. "Yer order Mrs. Dewlap?"

"W-well I..." The ewe bit her lip. She was nervously fiddling with her hooves in a similar way to his mate. Her antsy hooves twisting and squeezing each other subconsciously as her anxiety flared was something Vernon had picked up on fairly early in their time together. 

"I um...I-" 

Vernon knew the tension needed to be eased. Based on what he had overheard, the older ewe had been a part of the mob from the day earlier. One of the many judgmental muzzles jutting out in the crowd. Vernon should have felt angry, but instead all he could muster was pity. Perhaps Mina had been more right with her wisdom than Vernon had realized. And for that reason Vernon felt that perhaps it was best to give the old nan's approach a try.

"Mrs. Dewlap." Vernon muttered softly, trying to keep his tone as gentle as possible. "I know you were in that mob yesterday."

"Oh gods!" The ewe grew flustered, placing a hoof over her mouth. "Listen, I didn't me-"

Vernon held up a paw, stopping the ewe in mid-sentence.

"I forgive you." Vernon said with a sigh.

The ewe's eyes grew wide, the older mammal staring back at the wolf in shock. Her mouth hung agape for a moment, the weight of his words seeming to take a moment to register fully before she could bring herself to speak.

"I'm so sorry Vernon!" She replied. "I am, to Audrey too!" The ewe whimpered. "I just..."

"Mob mentality." Vernon muttered, causing the ewe to shrink away slightly. It took her a moment before the withered ewe finally offered a small nod. It was a poor excuse, but the wolf wasn't about to start arguing with a timid octogenarian over her lousy justifications.

"Listen..." Vernon said softly. "I know it might be hard to wrap yer head around, but my relationship with my mate...well..." Vernon scratched his head. "We're just like anyone else." The wolf said with a sigh. " We love each other regardless of the pelts we wear."

The ewe offered a meek nod.

"Now, you may not approve of that." Vernon said somberly. "And I ain't gonna castigate you fer beliefs." The wolf said, massaging his temple softly. "But if there is anything I can answer fer ya..." The wolf trailed off for a second, trying to think of the proper words. "Anything that might help you better understand where we're comin' from, well..." The wolf offered another soft smile. "Yer welcome to ask it."

The timid ewe still seemed somewhat wary of the wolf, but slowly she began to straighten her stance. Her desire to hide seeming to fade under the wolf's offer.

"R-really?" Mrs. Dewlap asked, the ewe's eyes darting around as if to check for others spying on her. "Are you sure?"

Vernon chuckled softly. "Ask away."

Slowly the fear faded from the withered ewes features, and soon she managed to bring herself to a standing position, placing her hooves on the counter as she fiddled them. Still, she kept her eyes on her nervous hooves, unable to bring them up to meet the wolf's gaze.

"H-How...?" The ewe paused, twiddling her thumbs together. "How does it work?" The older ewe managed to steal a glance at the tall wolf before returning to her hooves. " A relationship like that I mean?" The ewe bit her hoof slightly. "I-It must be awfully difficult."

Vernon chuckled, somewhat relived by the innocuous question. "It can be." The wolf said, glancing back at his mate father down the counter. The wolf let out a pleasant sigh as he watched her chatting with the others at the end of the stall. "But bein' with her makes it all worth it."

The wolf turned his attention back to the timid older ewe.

"O'course conversations like this help."

For the first time, the older ewe managed a smile.

"T-that's lovely." She said softly. "That really is."

Vernon smiled. "Thank you kindly ma'am."

The ewe went back to fiddling with her hooves for a moment, twisting a thumb in her other palm before bringing her gaze back to the lumbering wolf.

"I really am sorry Vernon." She said softly. "I was ashamed then and I'm even more ashamed now."

"It's alright Mrs.' Dewlap." Vernon said with a sigh. "All water under the bridge." The wolf said, leveling a paw in the air and sweeping it by. "Now, yer order?"

"Oh!" The ewe chuckled. "Mutton chops, I almost forgot." The ewe hoofed through her head wool. "I was supposed to pick up ten pies yesterday, five graham cracker, five pastry."

"You still want them?" Vernon asked, quirking an eyebrow.

The ewe nodded decisively.

"Yes of course!" The ewe chuckled. "Your mother makes the best pies in the whole county! My family can't do without them."

Vernon chuckled warmly.

"I know the feelin'." Vernon said with a smile as he began to punch in the ewe's order on the register.

"So that'll be a hundred bucks." Vernon added, tabbing out the final price. "Will that be cash er credit?"

"Cash please." The ewe replied, gingerly removing a wad of zbucks from her purse. She quickly counted the crisp bills before handing them off to the wolf. Vernon nestled the cash gingerly in the register, slamming the draw shut with a tap from the side of his hip.

"Ill go pull 'em from the shelf fer you, be back in a moment." Vernon said, flashing the older ewe a confident smirk.

Mrs. Dewlap nodded. "Thank you Dear."

As the wolf turned to face the other side of the stall, he noticed a slight change since the last time he had looked Dawn's way. Aside from Alex, Edna, Mina, and Harry, there were at least two more mammals now huddled around the group. Another she-goat and a ram. As Vernon approached, their conversation began to filter in.

"So do you get to ride on his shoulders?" The she-goat asked, clasping her hooves over her muzzle as she tried to stifle her giggling.

"Sometimes." Dawn replied. 

"I bet that's awesome!" The she-goat replied enthusiastically.

Dawn giggled, offering the she-goat a soft nod. "I must admit, it feels great to be able to reach those tall shelves."

"Honey Lamb?" Vernon asked cautiously. The ewe quickly spun around, seemingly startled by the wolf's return. 

"Oh Vernon!"

"He calls her 'Honey Lamb'. That's adorable!" The teenage goat cooed, flipping her mane out of her eyes.

Vernon was surprised to say the least. He hadn't expected to see any more mammals hanging around the stall. Perhaps the ewe had used Mina's technique as well?

"Vernon, could you let Audrey know we need three more corn cobs?" Dawn asked, holding a clump of money up toward the wolf. Vernon gingerly took the cash from her hoof, eyeing the ewe in confusion.

"Fer Alex or fer..."

"For our other customers." Dawn said, flashing the wolf a smile.

Vernon looked at the cash in his palm for a moment, still trying to take in what was happening.

"Hey buddy?" Vernon looked over to find the ram leaning over the stall toward him, gesturing the wolf down to his level. Vernon was put off for a moment, but the rams persistent gestures to come closer wore the wolf down. Vernon reluctantly brought his ear within the ram's range as the young sheep cupped a hoof near his mouth.

"So which is better, wolves or sheep?" The ram whispered, causing Vernon to raise an eyebrow. 

The ram winced. "In bed I mean." He was quick to follow up with. Vernon could feel the blood flush to his face as he stood back up, staring down at the ram in disbelief. Had he really just asked that kind of a question?

"I mean, I've always been kinda curious..." The suddenly reluctant looking lamb added, tapping his hooves together nervously.

Vernon wasn't sure how to answer such a loaded question. There really wasn't a right answer for such a thing in the first place. To him, Dawn was the best he'd ever had, sheep or not. But the ram probably expected to hear that with Dawn right by his side.

"Well I-"

"Ding! Ding!" The call bell rang out again, and Vernon turned to find more mammals standing at the register. There were at least five or six new customers now, and the line was growing by the minute. At the front Mrs. Dewlap was still waiting patiently, now having a spirited discussion with some of the mammals in line.

Vernon turned back to the pie shelf, starting to pull the boxes of tasty treats down from their perches. 

"My little Honey Lamb is the best I've been with." Vernon said, turning his attention to the ram as he continued to stack pies. "O'course that doesn't mean you shouldn't consider givin' she-wolf's a try if yer curious."

The ram developed a blush of his own, slinking against the counter slightly.

"M-maybe..." His voice cracked slightly, the young ram revealing his age through tone alone.

Vernon chuckled as he scooped the last of the pie order into his paws, taking them back to the front of the stall with careful steps. Arriving at the register, the wolf gingerly handed of the towering stacks of boxed pies to the diminutive older ewe on the other side.

"Oh thank you Dearie!" The ewe replied, doing her best to get her arms around the stacks. "And thank your mother for me too."

Vernon chuckled as he released his grip on the stack, satisfied that the old ewe had a grip on them.

"I will Mrs. Dewlap." Vernon replied.

"And you be good to that girl of yours young 'mam." Mrs. Dewlap added with a chuckle. "Wolf or sheep, you treat that young lady with respect."

Vernon chuckled despite himself. That had come from a ewe who not twenty-four hours before had been ready to chase the couple out of the fair. Now she was acting as if he was one of her grandkids.

As Vernon watched the older ewe trail off into the crowd, the next few in line flooded to line the counterface. Some of them were holding money out, while others were trying to yell out questions over the rising rabble. Vernon recognized many of the faces in the growing crowd. Like Mrs. Dewlap, most of them had been in the mob the day before. Yet where there had once been glares of fear and mistrust, there were now curious glances and pleasant smirks.

"What do you do about cars?" One voice called out. "Do you have one wolf-sized one? Or one wolf one and a sheep one?"

"Neither, I drive a scooter." Vernon replied.

"How do you handle the whole claw situation? Do you wear gloves around her?" Another voice relayed.

"Uh, I shave 'em down till their dull as dirt." Vernon replied awkwardly. "Most preds do."

"Do you help her shear?!" Another voice followed with.

Vernon felt the blood rush back to his face in a flash.

"That's a bit too personal!" The wolf replied with a huff. But the roar of the crowd only grew as more mammals continued to filter in. The stand was swamped now, worse than Vernon had ever seen in all of the shifts he had ever run. It was another mob, but this time they were attacking with questions and pup like curiosity. Mina had been right.

"ALRIGHT!" The wolf held his paws above the crowd, bellowing loudly to get their attention. The swelling mob quickly fell silent under the wolf's powerful command, some cowering as the outburst had taken them by surprise.

Now that the wolf had their attention, the wolf lowered his arms. Vernon gave a terse 'Ahem!' Loudly clearing his throat as his eyes scanned the assembled mammals.

"I need ya'll to line up and be orderly!" Vernon ordered, gesturing to the front of the stand. "I can't help customers if yer all clumped up like a swarm of bees!"

The wolf placed a paw on his head as he scanned the crowd, more were coming still, as if the Hunter stall had it's own gravitational pull, drawing in every mammal from around the fairgrounds. Vernon glanced back in the direction of his mate, catching Mina's eyes for a moment as he did. The old Nanny had a wide grin on her muzzle as she shook her head.

"So please line up one at a time!" Vernon continued, turning back to the hushed crowd. "And you have to be buyin' something if you want to ask a question! This is a business, I can't have everyone just standin' around here!"

With the wolf's declaration, a wave of purse and wallet grabbing washed through the crowd, many fumbling as Alex had earlier as they reached for their cash. 

Vernon placed a paw to his head as he watched the mammals shift into an orderly line, many of them waiving cash in the air as they silently waited for the wolf to tend to their needs. The wolf could barely fathom what he was seeing.

"Okay." That was Dawn's voice, and the wolf looked down to find her now standing at his side, the petite ewe wrapping her arms around his torso as she leaned into him. Dawn offered the wolf a warm, loving smile. "Next."

The ram at the front counter slapped his money ton the counter sharply.

"Are you married?" The ram spat out. "Also a graham cracker pie please!"

Vernon couldn't believe it, the wolf was still reeling from what was happening. Not ten minutes ago the stand had been dead, and suddenly it was in the middle of a stampede. And it was because he and Dawn were there. They had gone from the driving force keeping customers from the stand to the main attraction in the blink of an eye. As Dawn began to work the register, the wolf's eyes trailed across the crowd, following it from front to back as he wondered at the size of it all. It was only when his eyes came across a familiar hat, far, far in the back of the mob was the wolf pulled back from his dreamlike state.

He could see those eyes, the cold grey eyes of his Father watching from the side of a stall at the far end. His brows furrowed in disapproval. Despite the size of the mass of mammals, Vernon's hearing seemed to hone in on the white wolf. The din dying away enough for Vernon to pick up his Father letting off a derisive snort as he pressed away from the stand he was near and strolled off back into the rest of the fair grounds.

Dorian knew they were there now. But what could he say? The crowd wasn't doing him any favors this time around. Unlike the day before the community had rallied around the pair, and with it the supposed damage to the Hunter reputation seemed to have been completely wiped away. His Mother's business was booming, and Dori would be left with egg on his smug face.

'That ol' miserable mammal was wrong after all...' Vernon thought to himself, a smug smile crawling across his muzzle. Vernon's day seemed to be getting better and better.


	35. Barbeque Bluster

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Thirty-Five: Barbeque Bluster

Dawn was exhausted, and that was putting it lightly. Her day helping hold down the fort at the Hunter food stand had proven much more hectic than she could have ever possibly conceived. The ewe had been so fearful, so worried that her mere presence was set to foil any chance of a single mammal coming by the stall. And for the first part of the day, it seemed her fears had proven true, the ewe's mood only worsening as the day progressed with little more than the occasional leer from a passerby. It had seemed as if Dorian had been completely and utterly correct. The ewe had soiled the family's name, and any goodwill it carried with the native prey populace. And worse yet, she had been blessed with a front row seat to witness the death of Audrey's business, saddled with the knowledge that she had been the cause.

But suddenly, as if someone had simply flipped a switch, the stand had exploded into activity. Curious mammals from all over the fairgrounds were swarming the stall, asking questions and walking away with stacks of pies and hoof-fulls of roasted corn. It had only taken a few minutes for the wild rabble to polish off the surplus the stand had accrued throughout the slow morning, and soon enough the couple were arms deep in pie mix once more, working at a lightning pace to keep up with the sudden and seemingly endless demand. 

And after the stampede had started, it never really stopped. No matter how much food Dawn and Vernon managed to whip up and dish out, or how many questions they managed to answer, the throng of mammals never seemed to diminish in the slightest. There always seemed to be a new face to take up the spot another had left behind, holding out a fresh wad of cash and clamoring to be heard above the din of the crowd. The stall had become so overrun, that if someone had mentioned to Dawn that she had ever been worried about making even one sale for the Hunter family, she might have laughed. It was almost mystifying to think that just hours before the stand had been completely inactive, save for the seemingly pointless tasks being performed by the mammals behind the counter. But the ewe had little time to ruminate on that thought, or much of any others while she worked. Pie crusts needed to be made, filling needed to be poured, money needed to change hooves, and there was little room to let her mind wander when faced with the unrelenting wave of mammals hungry for pie and corn.

It was only when the last of the corn cobs had been sold off, and the pie making supplies finally ran dry did the run on the family stall finally start to subside. There was simply nothing left to sell other than a few stray eggs or bags of flour, and so Audrey was forced to shoo away the remaining mob of curious mammals that were still waiting for their chance to ask questions. With nothing to offer, Audrey had simply elected to close the stand early rather than spend an extra hour acting as an information booth, and by that point Dawn and Vernon happily agreed. As much as it had been a refreshing change for the better, even they had begun to tire of the constant prying questions about their personal affairs.

Overall Dawn should have been delighted even with how exhausting the whole experience ended up being. But despite her best efforts to lose herself in the frenzy of the work at hoof, and bask in the generally pleasant demeanor of the curious mammals asking questions of her and Vernon, she found herself worrying over the looming conversation she was sure Vernon had been eager to get back to. She could see it while the pair toiled away making crusts and replying to the numerous questions lobbed at them by their customers. She would catch the wolf staring at her out of the corner of her eye every so often, his ears sagging and his features laced with concern. It was clear that her near meltdown hadn't left the wolf's mind regardless of the clamoring rabble of hungry mammals sieging the stall. And in turn, it kept Dawn's woes regarding the 'tithe' from ever truly leaving her mind as well. She knew that the second Vernon got her alone, it would be all over. She would be forced to spill her guts as to what had transpired in Dorian's Study, and that would be all it would take to set Vernon on the warpath.

And so the already hectic job of mixing and crafting crusts was made that much more difficult by the ewe's active efforts to ensure that she was never alone with her mate for more than a few seconds. Even her bathroom breaks were taken with some degree of stealth, the wolf not even being aware she had taken them until she announced her return to the front of the stall. And when the crowd finally petered off, and the time had come to pack up what little remained of the days supplies, the ewe had quickly sidled herself up to Audrey's side, making sure she was never more than a foot or so away from the she-wolf in an effort to keep her distance from Vernon. She knew it was a blatantly obvious move, something that Vernon had surely picked up on. But at that point, she had simply stopped caring. She so desperately wanted to avoid having that difficult conversation with her Puppy Love that she was willing to do nearly anything to keep it from happening for as long as she possibly could.

But now, as the Hunter Ranch came back into view on the horizon, the ewe knew she was nearly out of time. The fact that she, Vernon and Audrey had to ride together in the front of the van back to the Ranch had offered her just a sliver more space to put off the dreaded conversation that was looming closer and closer. The ewe did her best to keep chattering away with Audrey about how the day had gone in an attempt to shut Vernon out of the conversation entirely. She wasn't completely sure if he would broach the subject around his mother, but if the time spent closing up the stand had been any indication, the wolf seemed reluctant to do so.

At the barbeque however, the wolf would surely be able to get her alone. She could see it now, the bright tented awnings coming into view as they pulled up next to the same field she and Vernon had picnicked in the previous evening. It was a wide open area, the food and drink stations spaced out far enough to allow the various members of the Hunters milling about to have quiet conversations with each other despite still being considered in the midst of the festivities. It would be easy for the wolf to finally corner her, and with just the slightest bit of pressure and a flash of his sorrowful 'Puppy Eyes' she would easily falter. And then, well the ewe was uncertain. She knew Vernon would most likely immediately go to his father, but as to what would ultimately come of that fight the ewe really didn't know. She could endlessly postulate and theorize about the final outcome, but it really didn't matter. Regardless, the end result was going to be bad.

Audrey pulled the van up onto the grass, lazily drifting past the family barbeque as it ambled toward the barn. It was a slow creep, enough to give the she-wolf ample time to wave at some of the Hunters as she passed. Despite her small stature, it was easy to see Vanna wave back as they drifted by, the towering tigress simply too tall to be missed even from Dawn's angle sandwiched between the two wolves. 

As the barn loomed into view, the van rolled to a gentle stop. The idling engine causing the frame of the old van to shudder for a moment before the she-wolf flipped the ignition off. With the van falling silent, the wolfess let out a soft groan as she pulled the keys free of the ignition slot. 

"Welp..." Audrey said, flicking the key loop around her finger before clasping it tightly in the palm of her paw. " Here we are, safe and sound." The she-wolf chirped, offering the couple a smile.

Dawn offered a meek smile in response as the wolfess popped the driver's side door of the vehicle open.

"Phew..." Vernon muttered in response, the wolf popping his own door open as Dawn turned to find him already leaning out of the vehicle. " I don't think I've ever been happier to be done with pie duty in my whole life."

Dawn giggled softly as the wolf exited the vehicle, Vernon taking a moment to stretch his back as he raised his paws to the sky. But Dawn's momentary joy was quick to fade as Vernon turned his attention back toward the petite sheep. Vernon smirked slightly, extending a paw back into the van.

"Ya'll need help Honey Lamb?" Vernon asked, flicking his fingers in a gesture to beckon her forward. 

Dawn could feel her smile slip almost instantly.

"W-well I...er..." The ewe's eyes darted to the other side of the van as the ewe began to urgently weigh her options. Audrey had just pushed away from her own seat, the wolfess managing a stretch of her own as she stood by the now open door. Dawn doubted that simply being on the opposite side of the Hunter delivery ban would give Vernon ample time to grill her on her little meltdown from earlier in the day without his mother overhearing, but she wasn't ready to take that chance.

"No thanks Puppy." Dawn said, quickly scooting backward toward Audrey's side of the van. The ewe fumbled in her step slightly as she began to clamber out of Audrey's side, but she had managed to hold on well enough to avoid falling out completely. Dawn forced the best smile she could manage at the worried looking wolf across the seats from her.

"I can handle I-it thanks!" Dawn sputtered as she allowed herself to drop the rest of the way. Again, the ewe stumbled slightly, but she managed to remain standing despite it. A successful dismount in her book.

"I just figured you'd be tired is all..." She could hear Vernon mutter quietly before slamming his door shut.

Dawn frowned as she glanced back Vernon's way. She couldn't see him now that the door was closed, but she was certain he was wearing a frown of his own. She hated doing this to the poor wolf, after all, she had promised to be honest with him. But as she adjusted her glasses and dusted her skirt free of leftover pie mix particles she attempted to console herself with the idea that she wasn't really lying to Vernon. She had every intention of eventually telling the wolf what happened in Dorian's study, it was simply the 'when' involved in coming clean that was the issue. Once they were back in Zootopia, safe and sound and far enough away from the Hunter Ranch to prevent doing any major damage, the ewe would be more than forthright with him. But much as her lies failed to throw the wolf off her tracks, the attempt to lie to herself had been just as unsuccessful. Unless the ewe could figure out some other explanation for her meltdown, the wolf was sure to press what really happened out of her before they returned home. And the time it would take to fabricate such a story was drawing thinner by the minute.

"Ah..." Audrey sighed, stretching one of her arms high above her head and letting out an inaudible yawn. Shaking her head, she turned her attention the ewe at her side, quirking an eyebrow.

"Ya'll came out my side huh?" Audrey asked.

Dawn winced slightly.

"W-well I mean, it um..."

Audrey shook her head dismissively.

"It's fine Darlin'." Audrey chuckled. "But I need ya'll to scoot, I can't close the door with you standing there."

Dawn glanced back at the door, a blush forming on her muzzle as she looked back to the wolfess. The ewe had been so lost in her thoughts she hadn't even realized.

"O-Oh sorry!" Dawn said with a nervous smile before scurrying out of the door's path. 

Audrey chuckled again before giving the door a half-hearted shove, closing it with a dull thud. The she-wolf wiped her paws together before placing them on her hips.

"Welp, looks like the barbeque is already all set up." Audrey said, a smile forming on her muzzle. The she-wolf glanced down at Dawn, her smile widening slightly.

"It's a good thing too, because if they were expectin' us to help em' out they're crazier than a native wolf with rabies!" Audrey continued, letting out a loud laugh.

Dawn was quick to join the she-wolf with a giggle of her own. But her laughter abruptly died away as Vernon rounded the corner of the van to join them.

"I'll say." The wolf muttered, wiping his brow with a paw as he scanned over the distant tents and awnings in the meadow. "We got enough work on our paws as it is." The wolf said with a chuckle.

"We do?" Dawn asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Well..." Vernon replied, scratching the back of his head. "We still gotta unload the van."

"Oh don't worry about that." Audrey tutted, patting her son on the shoulder. "Considerin' we really didn't have too much to pack up with that frenzy back there, I figured I'd do all the unloading myself." The she-wolf offered Vernon a warm smile.

"Really?" Vernon replied, quirking an eyebrow. "You sure you don't wa-?"

Audrey chuckled, cutting the wolf off by holding up a paw.

"Nah." Audrey cooed. "I want you two to go have fun, ya'll deserve it considerin' how much work ya'll put in today." The she-wolf grabbed Vernon's cheek, giving it a quick squeeze before the wolf could bat her away. "Besides, I ain't that old Puppy."

"Well, I do-"

"Oh great!" Dawn interjected, quick to seize the opportunity while she could. "I can't wait to catch up with the girls!" Dawn continued, flashing Vernon a wide, nervous grin. Before the wolf could raise a finger in protest, Dawn turned her back to the pair, placing a hoof above her eyes as she scanned the barbeque for where she had last seen Vanna. It didn't take long to spot the massive tigress out of the sparsely spread groups of wolves in attendance. And as luck would have it, Ada and Qali were standing right by her, both of them in the midst of what seemed to be a spirited discussion. 

Dawn spun on her heels almost as quickly as she had turned her back on her mate, offering the mother and son another forced and nervous smile.

"I think I see them over there!" Dawn chirped awkwardly, before turning back toward the barbeque and scurrying toward it as fast as her little hooves could carry her. It was awkward, and she was certain noticeably unnatural to not just Vernon, but certainly Audrey. But at the moment, it was enough to get her out and away from her mate, and that was all that mattered.

"Wait, Ho-"

Dawn ignored the wolf as she began to sprint toward the group of mammals she had set her sights on. His words dying away as her short strides pulled her out of range of his quiet plea. The pain in his voice was evident, and the ewe could feel the bile rise in her throat in disgust of her own actions. While she could toy with the notion of whether she was truly lying to Vernon by waiting to tell him, she couldn't deny that she was hurting the one she loved in the process. But for now, she desperately tried to push it out of her mind, promising herself to make it up to the wolf ten-fold as she ran headlong toward a hopefully much different and distracting conversation.

As the ewe closed in on the group of mammals, the heavy scent of food assuaged her nostrils. There was the distinct smell of meat, fish to be exact which the ewe found somewhat off-putting, but there was also the heavy scent of grilled vegetables and grasses drifting on the wind that carried her way. And the ewe's guilt found itself growing increasingly muddled under the savory scent of Meadowlands vegetation.

"I tells ya, youse gotta have a soiten head for workin' da morgue!" The conversation began to filter in as the ewe approached the assembly of mammals. Ada's voice was slightly irritated, making it clear she had been at this conversation for a while. "Autopsy's ain't no walk in da park! Youse gotta know what'cha doin!"

Qali shrugged. "How complicated can it be to open someone up?" The fox smirked. "I mean I've played operation, I get the idea."

Vanna snickered at the diminutive foxes comment, but Ada remained less than enthused.

"You tryin' to get my hackles up!?" Ada spat back, gesturing at the tiny fox. "Foist of all, have you even seen a dead mammal before!?"

Qali meekly shook her head no in reply.

"Exactly!" Ada continued, popping what appeared to be a small shrimp into her mouth. The hyena continued to speak between chews. " As I said, youse gotta have a head for it!" Ada chomped noisily. "If you go in dere and you end up trowin' up or cryin' you ain't gonna be helpin' nobody!" 

The hyena grabbed another pawful of shrimp from the near-by platter. The large mammal extended her paw toward Qali, gesturing at it with her other paw as she continued. "Not only dat, but youse gotta dig around trough all sorts of internal yuck and be able to find da one ting dat ain't suppos'ta be dere." The Hyena emphasized her point by picking out a particularly deformed looking shrimp and flicking it to the ground before shoving the rest into her mouth, chewing them noisily.

"She's got a point." Vanna muttered. "Vulgarities aside." The tigress glanced back at Ada disapprovingly.

The hyena swallowed hard, wiping her muzzle with a paw as she eyed the towering tigress. "Vulgarities!?" Ada spat, spraying a few flecks of chewed prawn into the wind. "I didn't coise once durin' dat whole discussion!"

Vanna rolled her eyes. 

"But you did chew with your mouth open." Qali added with a smirk. "And while you talked."

Ada rolled her eyes in response, crossing her arms defensively. " Oh okay 'princess', I'm da vulgar one." Ada snorted. " At least I didn't-"

Ada stopped mid-statement as Dawn sidled up to the group, turning her attention to Dawn. The hyena flashed her a wide, mischievous grin. 

"Well if it ain't Plush!" Ada said with a laugh, placing her paws on her knees as she crouched to her level. The hyeness raised a curious eyebrow at the diminutive ewe.

"Here I taught you wouldn't be around for anuddah hour!" Ada snapped her fingers. "I guess I'll have to save all dem sheep jokes I haven't told yet fer anuddah time!" Ada said with a smirk.

Dawn rolled her eyes, doing her best to suppress her laughter in an effort not to encourage the hyeness to start prattling off sheep jokes Dawn had no doubt heard hundreds of times before. 

"I only wish I had a hyena joke to comeback with." Dawn said with a chuckle. "Then again, you can probably say anything to one and you'd get a laugh."

That had managed to earn a chuckle from all the girls, even Ada. The large hyeness snickering as she gave the ewe's wooly poof a tussle. Dawn playfully pushed her paw back, giggling softly as she straightened her wool with her hooves.

"Hey!" Dawn protested between laughs. "Lay off the poof! It was hard enough fixing it after Qali spent all night cuddling it!"

Ada let out a howling laugh, swatting one of her knees with a paw as she held the other tight against her gut. Qali however was frozen in embarrassment, an intense blush forming on her muzzle as the fox visibly cringed. 

"I...Uh..." Qali uttered, the vixen seeming to struggle with her words as her eyes darted nervously from side to side. Qali opened her muzzle to speak again, but before she could Ada wrapped a paw around her, pulling the fox close to her side. Ada flashed Dawn a wide grin.

"Dat's just what I was about to bring up!" Ada snickered as she squeezed Qali's face up against her own. The hyeness pointed a finger at Qali's chest.

"You want to talk about bad mannas, I'd say spendin' da night molestin' someone else's pelt is pretty unforgivable!" 

Qali squirmed uncomfortably in Ada's grip, the fox clearly growing increasingly uncomfortable with the topic at hoof. The blushing vixen offered Dawn a meek grin, her eyes avoiding any contact with the ewe's own.

"S-sorry." Qali muttered, the foxes wince growing as she tried to free herself from Qali's grip. "I just...I mean...I usually cuddle up to Trenny's tail at night, and I mean...I-"

Dawn giggled, holding up a hoof to stop the already thoroughly embarrassed vixen from having to struggle through her attempted apology any further.

"It's okay Qali-" Dawn paused to correct herself. "It's a joke Snowball, I was just kidding."

The little vixen's embarrassment seemed to dissipate almost as soon as the words left Dawn's lips, a wide smile crawling across her muzzle in its stead. 

"R-Really?" Qali asked hopefully, her eyes shimmering slightly.

Dawn did her best to suppress a chuckle as she gave the tiny fox an affirmative nod. Qali inhaled sharply, her smile becoming an opened mouthed grin in the face of the ewe giving her the clear on her hair fondling actions from the night before. In a flash the vixen seemed to find the strength to finally wiggle free of ada's grip, and soon enough Dawn found the arctic fox's arms wrapped tightly around her neck as she pulled her into a tight hug. One that Dawn was quick to return in as equal a vigor as she could muster.

"Thanks Plush!" Qali chirped, giving the ewe another tight squeeze. Dawn couldn't help but giggle as she watched the vixen's bushy tail wagging briskly behind her.

"Anyway..." That had come from Vanna. The tigress was now awkwardly scratching the back of her head as she glanced back toward the now standing Ada. "How did things go today?" Vanna muttered, turning her attention back to Dawn. "At the stand I mean." As the fox remained tightly gripped around her, Dawn turned her attention toward the looming tigress. She took a moment to adjust her glasses before speaking, the ewe flashing her a wide, enthusiastic grin.

"Amazingly if you can believe it." Dawn said with a pleasant sigh. "We were swamped!"

Qali broke the hug, pulling away from Dawn somewhat while still keeping her paws on the ewe's shoulders. The tiny fox looked surprised but exceedingly excited.

"Really!?" Qali tilted her head, her features stricken with awe.

Dawn smiled back, nodding briskly at the tiny fox as she fully released her grip on the ewe. Qali was now bouncing in place, clapping her paws together in elation.

"Not with an angry mob I hope." Vanna muttered, a look of concern coming over her as she glanced down at the ewe. Dawn gave a brisk no in reply, her smile remaining fixed and genuine.

"I would call it an...enthusiastic mob." Dawn said with a chuckle. " We just got slammed around noon with so many curious and hungry mammals we could barely keep up!" The ewe continued.

"Curious huh?" Ada asked with an equally curious expression of her own. "Like how?'

"They wanted to know about Vernon and me." Dawn said, dusting her skirt off before continuing. "About our lives together, and what it's like being in a predator-prey relationship."

Vanna seemed slightly relieved, her ears rising back up to a relaxed position as she appraised the ewe.

"Nothing too personal I hope." Vanna asked with a soft chuckle.

Dawn blushed slightly, glancing at her feet for a moment as she thought back to the gamut of questions hurled at the pair earlier that day. Some of the questions had proven to be quite intimate. Thankfully, the pair had managed to swivel around answering most of them without going heavily into detail.

"W-well...I mean..." Dawn mumbled, twisting a hoof in the grass. "We didn't answer everything they asked." 

Ada let out a chuckle as she leaned down to Dawn's level, cupping a paw aside her muzzle as she spoke.

"You mean about how good dat knot is doncha?" Ada said with a smirk.

Dawn's muzzle instantly flushed red as she went back to looking at her feet. The ewe tapping her hooves together as she struggled to think of how to even begin to reply to the hyena's rather frank statement. But Ada wasn't done.

"I can't imagine a ram compares in dat department!" The hyena cackled loudly, nudging the large tigress standing next to her. Vanna simply rolled her eyes, leaving the hyeness to continue laughing at her own joke for a few moments before seeming to tire of it..

"Ahem." Vanna placed a paw to her muzzle as she cleared her throat. It was a firm, loud gesture, enough to draw the rest of the group's attention away from Ada's teasing and Dawn's extreme embarrassment to the large feline. Once Vanna appeared satisfied in having everyone's full attention, the tigress spoke.

"I am glad to hear that everything went better than expected Dawn, really." Vanna offered the ewe a warm, genuine smile. "I'll be honest, I was somewhat worried when we couldn't find you this morning only to find out you and Vernon had returned to the fair." The feline frowned slightly, scratching the back of her head in an awkward manner. "I mean, Zach and I would have preferred to be there with you to help, despite being off duty for the day."

Dawn smiled softly at the concerned tigress.

"It's what Audrey wanted." Dawn replied. "As I'm sure you probably put together yourself by now."

Vanna gave a soft, affirming nod.

"I assumed as much." Vanna chuckled. "As much as Audrey talks about Dorian being stubborn, I would have to say she's probably just as stubborn as he is." The tigress said with a smirk.

"Youse are lucky she ain't ova here yet!" Ada chuckled, her eyes scanning the area as she spoke. " She'd probably put yas on dish duty for a comment like dat one! Or woise!" Ada cackled.

Vanna covered her muzzle in a clear effort to hide her smirk.

"W-well I mean..." The tigress continued. "All the Hunters are stubborn." Vanna continued. " That doesn't come up seven times in a row without both parents sharing that trait now does it?"

Dawn giggled. Vernon certainly was a stubborn mammal, it was one of the first things she had come to learn about him. But that stubbornness of his always seemed to have a basis in some perceived injustice or wrongdoing. Regardless of the outcome she always knew that Vernon's heart was usually in the right place despite it. And while it seemed that logic didn't seem to follow through with Dorian and his own cold, stubborn ways, it lined up perfectly with Audrey's more emotional ones. Dawn would have gone so far as to say Audrey seemed more keen to fight a mammal when faced with what she felt was a massive slight to those she cared for. Then again, Vernon had gone as far as dragging the ewe through a wild police chased based on roughly the same sort of criteria. It was apparent the apple certainly hadn't fallen far from the tree.

"I hear dat." Ada said with a laugh. "I only wish old Yuri didn't take so strongly after Papa Hunta in dat regard."

"I'm not surprised." Vanna chuckled.

Ada furrowed her brow. "Hey, just because he can be stubborn don't mean he can't be sweet!" The hyena groused. 

"It's just that he's cold when he is stubborn, right?" Dawn asked warily, the ewe uncertain exactly how touchy a subject Yuri and the hyena's relationship really was.

Ada sighed, running a paw through her swooping mane.

"Well, yeah...but dats who he his." Ada muttered. "Da colder he is, da more he's tryin' to shut sometin' out." The hyena glanced over her shoulder, lowering her voice as she spoke. In the distance Dawn could make out the black wolf talking to his brother Trenton, the pair seemingly sharing a laugh over a joke Dawn couldn't hear as they stood around the drink cooler. Ada turned her attention back to the ewe.

"He doesn't like to admit when sometin' is gettin' to him." Ada muttered. The hyena reached over to the nearby table, grabbing another pawful of shrimp before popping another one into her mouth.

"I'm pretty good at gettin' him to open up dough." Ada chuckled as she chewed. "Even if you gals'ill probably never see it."

Dawn found such a prospect hard to believe. Then again, the ewe was privy to a side of her own mate that no one else saw, so there had to be a chance that the hyena had access to some deeper hidden part of the dark-furred wolf that was invisible to the rest of them. 

Dawn was about to open her muzzle to reassure Ada when another blast of the delicious scent from before drifted up her muzzle. The ewe found herself standing on the tips of her hooves in an effort to suck in as much of the delectable scent as she could before settling back down on the grass.

"I take it youse are gettin' hungry huh?" Ada said with a chuckle.

Dawn gave a slow nod, her eyelids remaining half closed in a glossy, dreamlike gaze as the aroma danced around her snout.

"Mhh..." Dawn murmured, lifting her glasses to rub her eyes in an effort to snap herself out of her hazy state.

"I haven't eaten since before the rush..." Dawn muttered softly. "And that smells heavenly."

"I'm sure ya'll will find it tastes purty heavenly too." A familiar voice interjected, soon followed by a russet colored paw finding purchase on Ada's shoulder and pushing the hyeness gingerly aside to make room for the tubby wolf. Malcolm strode his way into the Hunter huddle, carrying a piping hot plate of small, unrecognizable but delectably scented fried foods. The wolf gingerly placed the platter on the table behind the ewe before wiping his sweat sopped brow.

"Malcolm!" Dawn said excitedly.

"That's mah name Darlin'." Malcolm said with a smirk. "Don't wear it out now."

Dawn's eyes had followed the steaming platter on it's way to the table, and now that it had been lowered to her height, she could see the morsels of food more easily. It was clear they were some sort of fried appetizer, oozing with what appeared to be cheese and several deep green and savory scented vegetables. Dawn could only surmise based on the color and ragged look that spinach had to be at least part of the recipe, and as luck would have it, that was one of her favorites. Dawn could feel her mouth starting to water as she keenly eyed the fresh treats.

"Is that spinach?" Dawn asked dreamily, turning her attention back to the chubby wolf.

"Spinach, seaweed, and a few other sheep staple herds and grasses." Malcolm said with a confident grin. " And I used three different kinds of cheese, one for each Meadow Bite."

Dawn quirked an eyebrow curiously, her muzzle scrunching in distaste.

"Seaweed?" The ewe cringed slightly at the thought. The odorous weed found around the various coasts of Zootopia didn't sound like very appetizing based on what she had seen and smelled. Then again, these 'Meadow Bites' as Malcolm called them, smelled nothing like the rank odor of sun-baked seaweed.

"Ever try Seaweed?" Malcolm raised an eyebrow as he smirked at the ewe.

"W-well no..." Dawn muttered. "I really haven't."

Malcolm chuckled. "Well then, prepare to have your taste buds blown away!" The wolf shook his head. "This is the most requested thing on my restaurant's menu. I ain't never seen a prey mammal turn their snout up to 'em."

Dawn grabbed a napkin from beside the platter, gingerly scooping one of the hot bites into the cloth before bringing it close to her muzzle. The ewe took a few hesitant, tentative sniffs only to be met with a more intense and flavorful aroma filling her snout. Her watering muzzle had now shifted into full-on drooling as the scent sent tingles down her spine. The ewe shuddered briefly, doing the best to shake off the overwhelming hunger and overwhelmingly pleasant scent that had overtaken her as she eyed the russet wolf.

Malcolm was still smiling broadly.

"Go on." Malcolm cooed, the smirk never leaving his muzzle. His eyes seemed to widen as he clasped his paws together in excitement. It was clear the wolf was awaiting what he was certain to be a pleasant response.

Dawn took a deep breath before gingerly sinking her teeth into the ball of food. The first thing to strike the ewe was just how overwhelmingly hot it was. Dawn shifted around the burning hot chunk of food on her tongue, sucking in air around the food in an effort to cool it. The ewe began waving a hoof at her face, doing her best to force more cool air into her muzzle. Perhaps it would have been better to wait a few minutes to let the bites cool before actually trying them.

"Oh!" Malcolm winced sharply as he ran a paw through his bedraggled hair, wiping the stray follicles out of his face. "I shoulda probably warned ya about how hot they were."

"Ya tink genius?" Ada said, flashing the wolf a dull glare.

Malcolm scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "S-Sorry, I got excited."

Dawn would have laughed at the red wolf's enthusiasm had her muzzle not been on fire. But as the lump of food began to cool, the pain was quickly replaced with a sudden wave of pleasure as the mixture of salty and savory flavors danced across her wounded tongue. 

Sure, the initially heat had dulled some of the flavors by scorching her taste buds, but even so, the burst of tangy, succulent cheeses and vegetation was overwhelmingly powerful. The ewe let out a shuddering bleat as she fully absorbed the mixture of flavors on her tongue. It was only after the sound left her muzzle did she become aware of what she had done, and a blush rapidly rose to her muzzle as she eyed the others nervously.

"Did you just?" Ada seemed unable to finish, her chesherin grin spreading from ear to ear as she appraised the increasingly embarrassed ewe. Malcolm however, had a smug smile plastered on his muzzle, the wolf crossing his arms in self-satisfaction.

"Happen's ery' time with them caprid types." Malcolm chuckled. "And mammals think only wolves can't resist givin' into to baser instinct." 

"That was so CUTE!" Qali chiped, bounding in place again as she held her paws clasped against her cheeks. 

Dawn couldn't bring herself to speak, wave after wave of embarrassment stealing any response she could come up with away from her as she stood in shame of her actions. She bleated. In public.

"Alright, Alright..." Vanna chimed in, the tigress taking control of the conversation once more. "Leave the lamb alone."

Dawn managed to swallow the chunk of food, the flavor trailing down all the way to her stomach as she did her best to shake off the blush. It was difficult, especially with Malcolm maintaining his pleased expression, but eventually the ewe managed to squeak out a reply.

"I-It's really good." Dawn muttered, only managing to make eye contact with Malcolm for a moment before turning her attention back to her feet. Malcolm simply chuckled.

"If ya'll like that, you'll love the dinner I got planned." Malcolm grinned widely. "My bell pepper paninis were voted best in the bay area four years runnin'."

"Bell pepper paninis?" Dawn's eyes widened as she stared back up at the wolf in awe. She was already a fan of bell peppers, and if Malcolm could make seaweed taste that good, she could barely imagine how amazing his paninis were."

Malcolm laughed again. "O'course dinner ain't fer another hour." The wolf said, pulling out his cell phone and glancing at the face briefly. "About an hour and a half actually." The wolf raised a paw as he slipped his phone back into his pocket, waggling his finger warningly. "So don't go fillin' up on them bites too much." Malcolm said with a chuckle.

Dawn nodded as she blew on her half-chewed bite a few times. Simply being exposed to such gourmet foods made the ewe feel as if she hadn't eaten in three days, but the ewe would do her best to keep from scarfing down the whole platter in one sitting. 

Malcolm adjusted his apron slightly as a look of determination flashed across his muzzle.

"Alright ladies, If you'll excuse me." The wolf's confident grin widened, exposing his canine teeth. "I've got to get back to the grill."

Dawn found herself snickering as Malcolm turned with an almost regal bluster, as if the wolf was off to save the world. Then again, based on his cooking skills, the ewe could easily imagine Malcolm somehow doing just that with his culinary prowess. But as the wolf cleared the Hunter girl pack, Dawn caught a strange sight in the distance.

On the far end of the barbeque, the ewe could see a dessert table with what appeared to be a chocolate fountain burbling with slick chocolate goo with an assortment of dipping snacks around it. But that hadn't been what caught the ewe's eye. No, what had caught her attention was the dark gray wolf huddled next to the machine, his eyes fixed on her from across the way. In fact, she was certain he had a pair of binoculars.

Ulric quickly tore the goggles down from his face, and almost as soon as he had the wolf began to frantically gesture in Dawn's direction, almost as if he was beckoning her to come over to him.

Dawn was confused to say the least, tilting her head slightly as she watched the frantic wolf. She was certain considering his staunch beliefs on sheep that there was no way he was beckoning her toward him, and yet despite it, Dawn found herself subconsciously gesturing to herself, mouthing 'me?' at the wolf. Even more confusingly to the ewe, the wolf nodded briskly in the affirmative.

"What are you-?" Vanna turned to spy the wolf desperately flagging the ewe in the distance, only for the wolf to immediately stop his crazed and frantic directions. The dark clad wolf quickly taking to leaning against the table he was near nonchalantly. 

That had been enough to draw the rest of the girl's attention back toward the skittish wolf. They were all staring at him now, most of them cocking their heads in the same confused manner as Dawn had.

"What's his problem now?" Ada rolled her eyes. 

"Not sure..." Vanna mumbled, glancing back at Dawn. "But I know Ully's allergic to chocolate. So he probably shouldn't be standing so close to that fountain."

"Knowing him he probably tinks da fountain is protectin' him from radio waves or somtin'." Ada chuckled.

"Was he...? Vanna quirked an eyebrow. "Waving to you Dawn?"

Dawn scrunched her muzzle in confusion. "I t-think so...?"

"Dat's impossible." Ada chuckled. "Old Ully's terrified of sheep."

Dawn's attention remained fixed on the gray wolf as the conversation went on around her. Every so often the wolf returning to more beckoning gestures when Dawn could only assume the other girls weren't looking. There was no denying it, the wolf seemed desperate to get her attention, and more importantly, come over to his side of the barbeque.

"I s-should go see what he wants." Dawn muttered.

As soon as the words left her muzzle the rest of the Hunter girls fell silent, their back and forth conversation screeching to a halt as Dawn's words seemed to register among them.

"A-are you sure about that Dawn?" That had come from Qali, the usually exuberant fox suddenly meek and pallid as she placed a paw on Dawn's shoulder. 

Dawn rolled her eyes. "You are acting like he's dangerous."

The rest of the girls exchanged an uncertain glance, Vanna sucking in sharply before letting out an uncomfortable sigh.

"He...Well..." Vanna muttered, glancing back over her shoulder at the wolf. "I mean he's not dangerous...he's.."

"Weird!" Qali chirped.

Despite the bluntness of the tiny fox's statement, Vanna nodded softly for a moment, only to seemingly catch herself. The tigress shook her head dismissively.

"No, I mean he has mild paranoid schizophrenia," Vanna muttered, placing a paw to her temple.

"Oh my..." Dawn murmured, placing a hoof to her muzzle in shock. The ewe couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"B-but nobody mentioned-"

"Audrey doesn't like to talk about it." Vanna was quick to follow up with. "And so we try to ignore his...erratic behavior."

"Wait, so is he on medicine?" Dawn asked, glancing back at the wolf once again gesturing her over.

"As far as I know..." Vanna muttered, glancing back over her shoulder. "He's required by his job to take it." Vanna grimaced uncomfortably. "But he has a nasty habit of skipping his doses when he's on vacation."

"Probably because dat weirdo knows Ma Hunta ain't gonna call him on it." Ada muttered. "She likes to pretend he's just 'high spirited'." Ada rolled her eyes.

"But is he dangerous?" Dawn asked.

The girls exchanged another uncertain glance, and Dawn could feel a lump forming in her throat.

"Yes?" Vanna murmured awkwardly, again shaking her head briskly as she seemed to catch herself. "I mean no, he's not a threat to anyone. Even off his meds."

Dawn glanced back at the wolf for a moment to find him once again signaling to her. She was nervous, sure. But she was too curious about the wolf to ignore this peculiar olive branch. Ulric was the only brother she only really knew anything about through second paw discussions. Even Yuri she had actually interacted with to some degree, but even at the dinner table Ulric had talked about her, not to her. It was simply too intriguing an opportunity to pass up.

"Rut it." Dawn said, turning back to the appetizer table. The ewe quickly scooped several more meadow bites onto her napkin before turning back toward the girls. "I'm going in."

Before the girls could stop her, Dawn set out toward the wolf, passing between Vanna and Ada as she made her way across the picnic area. She felt someone's paw graze her shoulder only to slip away as she breezed past the Hunter girls. Dawn's determination to see what the twitchy wolf had to say overruling her own safety concerns. 

Well, almost. In fact, Dawn had made it about halfway across the field before stopping to look back at the Hunter girls. All of them were watching with rapt curiosity, and in Vanna's case, the tigress looked like a loaded gun ready to fire, as if she would be required to snap into action at a moments notice now that Dawn was set to tangle with Ulric. Dawn felt the lump in her throat battling its way back up as she struggled to swallow it down again. She had made her call, there was no turning back now.

The ewe returned to her walk, but her gaze lingered on the Hunter Girls for just a moment. And in that lapse in attention, the ewe suddenly collided with a much larger mammal. Dawn felt herself falling, but only for a moment before she came to a sudden, yet gentle stop as she found herself in Vanna's grip. Dawn had lost a few meadow bites in the process., but the tigress had ultimately saved her from hitting the floor. The ewe was about to apologize profusely to the mammal she had bumped into as the tiger pushed her back up. The ewe opening her muzzle as the words readied themselves to spill out. But as she turned her attention back toward the obstruction, and her eyes fell on the mammal in front of her, the words died in her throat. A hateful yellow gaze was staring back at her, shrouded in a cloak of jet black fur. 

Yuri's form swayed slightly as he glared down at the ewe, his lips curling tightly around his canine teeth in a menacing sneer.

"Watch it brillo pad." Yuri spat, raising a dark green bottle and pointing the spout at the ewe. Yuri's movements were sluggish and staggered, and the wolf continued to sway slightly in his step. Dawn could easily smell the overwhelming stench of alcohol on the wolf.

"You almost made me spill my beer!" Yuri continued, his head swaggering as he stared at the ewe. "And the gods know I need it to get through all this bullshit..."

"I-I'm sorry, I di-!"

Yuri laughed, the wolf chuckling at what Dawn could only assume was her overt fear of him. She felt paralyzed under his piercing yellow eyes, unable to move. The wolf's laugh trailed off into a pleasant sigh as his bleary gaze fixed on her again.

"Ya know..." Yuri slurred slightly as he spoke, taking a moment to wipe his maw before continuing with whatever diatribe he planned to go into. "I was prepared to hate you from the get-go Smellwether..."

Dawn felt her skin crawl at the sound of her old moniker given to her by Lionheart, and many of the grade school mammals before him.

"Watch it Yuri..." Dawn could hear Vanna quietly hiss. But the wolf seemed to ignore her, perhaps to buzzed to pick up on more than one mammal at a time.

"Cause' of what you did...everythin'" The wolf burped loudly, his expression one for brief confusion, as if he hadn't expected the belch before he continued. " All the wolves you put out..." Yuri's hateful sneer widened as he glowered down at the ewe. But as quickly as it had come, the sneer disappeared, finding itself replaced by a smile which Dawn found even more uncomfortable.

"But then I got to thinkin'." The wolf pointed his bottleneck back toward the ewe. "Any mammal who can make ol' Vermin miserable, and put him at odds with Dad fer good...well..." The wolf wiped his muzzle again. "Well, I reckon' their alright in my book."

Yuri cackled loudly, taking a sharp swig of his bottle before suddenly throwing it to the ground causing it to shatter. Dawn covered her eyes, bracing herself for the shards and whatever else the wolf planned to come her way. 

"WOOOO!" Yuri shouted loudly.

"YURI!" Ada's voice rang out, and Dawn lowered her arm to find the hyeness storming up to the black wolf and pushing him sharply. The wolf stumbled back slightly, nearly falling over before catching himself. Yuri seemed to wake up at that moment, his obvious buzz seeming to fade as the wolf was immediately in his mate's face.

"WHAT!?" The wolf sneered, barring his teeth at the hyena.

"I TOLD YOUSE TO LAY OFF DA DRINKIN' DIDN'T I!?" Ada snarled with equal fervor. The street tough hyena remained unflinching in the face of his snarling gaze. "YOU PROMISED ME YOU WOUL-!"

"YOU LAY OFF ADA!" Yuri spat, his head slipping backward slightly as some of his buzz seemed to return. "YOU INSISTED WE COME HERE! NOT ME! REMEMBER!?" Yuri staggered a step backward, raising a finger as he glared at his mate.

"DAT DOESN'T MEAN-!"

"IF I GOTTA DEAL WITH HIM BEIN' AROUND...!" Yuri shook his head wearily. "AND ALL OF THAT MESS, THEN THE GODS BE DAMNED I'M GONNA DRINK!"

With that, Yuri's ears seemed to flatten, the wolf's voice becoming small and quiet. "I just..." The wolf whined. "I can't deal with this...with the way they all..." Yuri muttered, his sentence remaining unfinished as the wolf slipped to a seated position on the ground. Yuri wrapped a paw around his knee to keep steady, his seemingly sorrowful gaze pointed down at the dirt.

Ada turned her attention to Dawn and Vanna, her features softening as she did.

"I'm sorry sis." Ada said with a frown, giving the ewe another gentle pat on the poof. "He wasn't supposed to be drinkin'. I shoulda kept a better eye on him."

Dawn was still somewhat bewildered, but for the moment it seemed the wolf had more or less diffused himself. Ada glanced up at the towering tigress, offering her weak smile. "I got him from here Kit Kat."

Dawn glanced back at the looming tigress. Sufficed to say she looked less than pleased, Her features twisted into a judgemental glare as she eyed the hyena with crossed arms. She remained silent for a moment, before letting out what sounded like a reluctant sigh and giving the mammal a slow, barely noticeable nod. 

The large tiger uncrossed her arms, turning back toward the appetizer table and walking away. She had taken only a few steps before looking back over her shoulder, offering the ewe a weak smile before making her way back over to a very worried looking Qali.

With Vanna gone, Ada made her way over to the crumpled wolf on the ground, kneeling by his side and putting a paw around him. Slowly, Yuri's head leaned toward the hyena before coming to a rest against her chest, and when it did, Ada began to gently stroke his hair.

"I got him Plush." Ada said without looking. "Don't worry."

Dawn stared at the hyena in a mixture of awe and confusion. She wanted to say something, anything, but her mind was still too bewildered by all that had happened in such a short span of time. The ewe opened her muzzle, but nothing came.

"I'll try to get him cleaned up." Ada muttered, glancing back Dawn's way. "Just leave me wit him a while."

Dawn raised a finger, but the hyena stopped her.

"Go see what crazy wants." Ada chuckled. "Trust me, ya don't want none of dis mess."

Dawn glanced back at the gray wolf that was still waiting for her by the fountain. Ulric seemed largely unfazed by what had transpired, the wolf still gesturing to her as if nothing had changed. Dawn took a step, but couldn't help but look back at Ada and Yuri, the menacing black wolf seeming almost pitiful now as he quietly wept into his mate. Dawn was still unsure what was happening, but considering how the wolf's mood seemed to turn on a dime, Dawn thought it best not to wait around for it to happen again. 

Carefully stepping around the glass fragments, the ewe made her way across the remaining field to the tent that housed the chocolate fountain and the skittish wolf. Now that she was close, the wolf had ceased his gestures and was now leaning against the table and looking away from her general direction. 

As the ewe came to a stop in front of him, he simply stood there. Occasionally looking from left to right but never directly at Dawn, which made the ewe feel increasingly awkward.

"U-Um..." Dawn was first to break the silence. "Excuse me?"

The wolf remained silent.

"You asked me over here?" Dawn continued.

The wolf finally seemed to acknowledge her presence, Ulric turning his gaze to the diminutive ewe. The wolf's eyes seemed wild, somewhat frenzied yellow eyes doing their best to fix on her despite occasionally darting from side to side.

"Yes, yes I did." Ulric muttered, but fell silent again. The wolf's eyes scanning the ewe carefully as the awkward silence once again grew to linger.

"Uh...well...I guess we haven't been formally introduced right?" Dawn offered the wolf an awkward smile as she extended a hoof toward him. "I'm Vernon's mate Dawn."

The wolf seemed to ignore her gesture, returning to his disinterested glances at the surrounding barbeque. However despite his behavior, the wolf continued.

"Ulric Cornelius Hunter" The wolf prattled off dryly. "And I don't shake paws, especially not with sheep." Ulric continued. "Lanolin contaminate." 

Dawn quirked an eyebrow. "Lanolin contaminant?"

"Lanolin is secreted by sebaceous glands found in all wool-bearing mammals, a.k.a. sheep. It is a waxy yellow substance that was meant to help waterproof a sheep's wool to some extent." Ulric replied, picking up a plastic cup from the nearby table and taking a small sip.

"All sheep produce the stuff." Ulric muttered, the tone of his voice uneven and jerky, as if he had drank far too much caffeine. Ulric placed his drink back on the table to his side. "Get some of that on you a bam!" The wolf slammed a paw into his palm, causing the ewe to flinch at the sudden movement. "It drains your willpower! It's one of the best weapons sheep have against wolves!" Ulric glanced upward, his sights set on the vague impression of the moon starting to peek out despite the fact that the sun had yet to set. "Aside from the moon that is."

"The moon?" Dawn asked, cringing as her brain attempted to process what the wolf was saying.

"The moon is a hologram." Ulric continued, pointing to the orb hanging low in the sky. "It was placed there by the ancient sheep in order to try to control wolf-folk, because their normal mind control methods were ineffective against them."

"I-I'm sorry?" Dawn stuttered. The ewe could barely believe what she was hearing.

"Keep up Bellwether." Ulric replied, turning his attention back to the ewe. "I'd ask you not to try to pretend you don't already know that, but I have little time to argue such trivial things when there are much more pressing matters at paw." Ulric continued.

Dawn was completely gobsmacked. She had gotten the impression that Ulric was quite eccentric based on his performance in the breakfast hall the day before, but she hadn't known how bad it truly was. It was clear the mammal seemed to be stark raving mad, and in turn, Dawn was struggling to process everything he had told her.

"P-pressing matters?" Dawn muttered in confusion, the ewe still trying to wrap her head around the conversation at hoof.

"Yes, very crucial. Important matters you see." Ulric clarified, the wolf glancing over his shoulder once more before crouching down to her level. The wolf peered at her with an appraising glare, almost as if he were staring at a foreign object rather than a living being.

"Vernon tells me you are writing a book about the history of the Blackwool line." The wolf quirked an eyebrow. "Is this true?"

Dawn winced as the wolf's eyes continued to scan her. It was clear he was taking in her body language, but unlike the other Hunters with their police training, Ulric was considerably less subtle about it.

"Well...I mean...." Dawn murmured. "It's more so about Vernon and my relationship, but the Blackwool's do come up in the historical notes."

Ulric flashed the ewe a crooked grin. "The I trust you plan to cover Moira Blackwool's tryst with Erik Düclaw?" 

Dawn blinked dumbly at the large wolf for a moment. She should have assumed if the conspiratorial wolf believed in something as outlandish as the idea that the moon was a hologram, then something like the supposed tryst between Moira and Erik, which was considerably more of a feasible possibility by comparison, shouldn't have been a great leap in logic for the wolf. 

"I uh..." Dawn adjusted her glasses. "I mean I touched on it to some degree." 

The wolf's eyes widened slightly, his eyebrows raising in response to the ewe's reply.

"What did you say?" Ulric quickly fired back, his eyes remaining fixed on Dawn's own. His gaze had become more intense now, the same sort of stare that many of those at the ZPD had given her during her questioning shortly after her arrest for the night howler scandal. The wolf was grilling her for information.

"W-well I mean..." Dawn took a slight step back to give her a bit more distance from the peculiar wolf. "I brought up how it was a theory that had been proposed by some...outspoken mammals."

"A theory!?" Ulric's voice cracked, and the wolf quickly clutched at his throat, taking a moment to clear it and compose himself before continuing. "A theory?" The wolf repeated, in a significantly calmer tone.

"W-well I mean, there wasn't really any concrete evidence that it occurred aside from a few historical curiosities."

Ulric chuckled softly, tilting his head back and placing a paw over his eyes.  
"Oh mam'..." The wolf sighed. "A few historical 'curiosities'. The wolf repeated in a slightly mocking tone.

Dawn furrowed her brow in slight irritance.

"I'll have you know I did quite a bit of research on Moira Blackwool for that section of the book." Dawn huffed. "And outside of a few fringe websites, I couldn't find anything solid enough to back up such a spurious claim."

Ulric stopped laughing, turning her attention back the ewe with an accusatory glare. With the odd wolf's gaze now back on her, Dawn sank into her shoulders.

"I-I mean as much as I'd love something l-like that to be true..." Dawn stuttered, breaking eye contact with the gray wolf. "I really didn't have enough evidence to make a case." The ewe fiddled her hooves nervously. "I mean, not that it was even the point of the book any-"

"Let's get something straight Bellwether." Ulric cut her off as he crouched down to her level, his suspicious glare intensifying as he leaned his head closer to her. " I don't trust you. I have no reason to trust a mammal whose family was once a part of the illubaahnati."

"The...Illubaahnati?" Dawn murmured dumbly. She had heard of it sure, but it was something you rarely heard a mammal talk about out loud who wasn't some degree of unstable. A secret, clandestine council of sheep that ran all of Animalia's affairs from behind closed doors. According to most conspiracy theorists every government on the planet is secretly beholden to them, and every disaster that occurs is part of some greater plan for the Illubaahnati to consolidate its power and enslave the mammals of Animalia once and for all. It was something only the most fringe mammals tended to believe, and rightfully so as the theory quickly fell apart with the slightest appraisal. It was laughable at best, and Dawn had to do her best to keep from smirking in the face of Ulric's grave and serious tone. 

Urlic nodded briskly. "In fact I was certain that you were an active agent working for them yourself considering your history." The wolf rose from his crouched position, tapping his chin lightly as he appeared to be pondering over his words. "I mean the night howler scandal was clear proof of that."

Dawn cringed at the mention of her criminal past. It was never a pleasant subject to be reminded of. Still now Ulric's behavior did make a little more sense. Even if there truly wasn't a 'Illubaanati', Dawn's past actions had certainly lined up with their supposed master plan for Animalia. It was only now that she realized she had probably given a great deal of unstable mammals ammo in regards to proving the existence of such an organization, despite the fact that she had been more or less acting with a small group of mammals.

"But the Zootopia's last night case had me puzzled for some time..." The wolf furrowed his brow, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "And now this thing with my brother..."

"You mean that I am his mate?" Dawn asked.

Ulric chuckled.

"Great cover." Ulric replied. "I mean, he doesn't seem different but you clearly brainwashed him somehow."

"Brainwashed!?" Dawn replied, her wariness fading in the face of the obvious insult. Ulric simply nodded.

"Getting your hooves on a wolf. And not just any wolf, but a direct descendant of the Düclaws?" Ulric grinned widely. "Everyone would certainly think you had changed your ways big time."

Dawn puffed her cheeks, still incised by the wolf's baseless accusations. 

"Ulric. I love your brother." Dawn glared back at the wolf. "And I didn't trick him into loving me." The ewe spat." Hell, we were friends in grade school! We have a history!" The ewe continued, gesturing at the twitchy wolf with open hooves.

Ulric seemed to regard the ewe's response with little care, the wolf returning to glancing over his shoulders once again which only served to further irritate Dawn.

"For Cervidwen's sake you heard us in the field last night! Everyone did!" Dawn said, a fierce blush forming on her muzzle as she recalled the embarrassing affair. "If I was trying to pretend such a thing, then certainly I wouldn't have allowed us to take our relationship that far, would I!?"

"That's what I thought too!" Ulric replied, excitement returning to his features as he crouched back down to Dawn's level. The ewe staggered back slightly in surprise, losing yet another meadow bite from her pile on the napkin as she stumbled.

"So I went back to my notes, and I can't believe how wrong I was!" Ulric replied.

"W-wrong?" Dawn asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Ulric nodded briskly, the wolf returning to a standing position before turning away from the ewe. The wolf leaned his paws on the counter, his attention now fixed on the horizon out above the corn stalks.

"Moira's tryst saw the expulsion of the Blackwool clan for the Illubaanati." Ulric recalled. "And ever since then, they have been trying to get back within the orders good graces."

The wolf glanced back at the ewe over his shoulder.

"Every action, every attempt at clearing away the wolves or going against predators by the Blackwool's by that point was an aggressive attempt to restore honor to the family name in the wake of Moira's folly." Ulric muttered. "From Declan II to Archibald Bellwether, they were all vying to earn their place back among the organization."

Dawn scrunched her muzzle as he tried to process the wolf's confusing line of logic. 

"Even you were, at least I'm pretty sure you were." Ulric added, turning away from the ewe again.

"I'm not." Dawn replied. "I mean I didn't!" The ewe protested. Dawn let out an irritated sigh as she squeezed the bridge of her muzzle. Talking to Ulric was proving to be more frustrating than she thought it would be. "I don't know any 'illbaanati' Ulric, I never have!"

"But after your plan failed, you came up with something new. A better plan that none of your ancestors had ever conceived before!"

Ulric turned sharply, crouching down and placing a finger up to the ewe's face.

"You see, while the illubaanati had banished the family for laying with wolves, they also went to great lengths to preserve the image of sheep-kind by burying the tryst as best they could, for if it came out it would simply ruin everything they had been working toward." Ulric continued, glancing over his shoulder once more. "And the genesis of that plan was getting enough clout again among civilized mammals before using your newfound power to threaten the illubaanati to expose the tryst unless they had once again taken your family line back into their organization!" Ulric said, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. 

Dawn wanted to speak, to challenge the wolf's ridiculous ideas. But the wolf seemed to be on a roll now, his strange method of jumping from conclusion to conclusion leading him to more and more wild accusations. At this point, the ewe figured perhaps it was best to hold her questions until the end.

"It's why you thwarted your father, as well as reconnected with Vernon." Ulric continued. "To the public you would seem truly reformed, and they would be willing to listen to anything you said! And that's where the power to hurt the rams at the top came from!"

Ulric rose from his stance, taking a moment to take another sip of his drink before slamming a paw against the table. The chocolate fountain sloshed slightly in its place, a bit spilling down the side as the wolf flashed the ewe a mad grin. "I'm right aren't I?"

Dawn squeezed the bridge of her snout again, closing her eyes tightly as she sighed.

"Not even close..." Dawn murmured.

"Again, I don't trust you." Ulric repeated.

"Ulric..." Dawn groaned. "Is it so preposterous to believe that I just really love your brother? That my only intention is to ti-" Dawn winced slightly as she recalled her respective conversations with Dorian and Vernon, including the one she had yet to have with her mate. Dawn tried to shake the thought away, rephrasing her statement to avoid the more sensitive subject. "That I want to spend the rest of my life with him?"

Ulric furrowed his brow, the wolf briefly looking back to the fountain as if it was supposed to be doing something more than spray chocolate around.

"I don't know anything about an 'Illubaanati'. I was only ever working with a small group of mammals during the night howler scandal and it was one of the biggest regrets of my entire life!" Dawn protested, the ewe frowning as she twisted a hoof in the dirt.

"What can I do to prove to you that I really mean what I say?" Dawn asked, holding her hooves out. "There has to be something!"

Ulric glanced back at the fountain, the chocolate continuing to burble forth endlessly from the top down. The dark gray wolf ran a paw through his heavy sway of fur covering his one eye, pushing it aside as he looked back Dawn's way.

"The fountain is still working." Ulric muttered. "That means I'm still safe from your mind control efforts."

Dawn tilted her head in confusion.

"I'm sorry wha-?"

"Okay, you want me to consider your plea Bellwether? To take what you say at face value?" Ulric cut her off, his eyes fixing on her curiously.

"U-uh, yes?" Dawn said, gulping slightly

Ulric smiled. "Then go public with Moira's tryst." The wolf snapped a finger. "Reveal it to the world."

Dawn raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Wait, what?"

Ulric kneeled down to her level once more, his features tinged with excitement.

"If you come out with that information, it means you have no intention of joining the illubaanati." Ulric continued. "It'll damage their reputation completely, and as such, you'll put yourself at risk of them coming after you for retribution!" Ulric raised a finger. "It'll show me that you truly love my brother, and you aren't simply manipulating him." 

Dawn eyed the wolf with a mixture of surprise and confusion. The ewe wasn't quite sure even where to begin with the wolf's bizarre 'test' of Dawn's honesty. The goal of her novel was simply based around her new life in a fledging predator and prey relationship, not some historical drama. And making such a bold claim nestled between the pages of a contemporary life experience book with little to back it up seemed completely pointless at best, and risk scaring off potential publishers at worst.

"Ulric..." Dawn muttered. "Even if I were to do as you say, I have no evidence to back up the story of Moira's tryst." Dawn shrugged. " Any goodwill I have in the public space, which I might add is already tenuous at best, would completely crumble under the weight of such accusations without proof." Dawn raised her hooves. "they'd call me a crackpot."

Ulric seemed to flinch at the word 'crackpot', the wolf taking a moment to finish his drink before placing the empty cup back on the table. The wolf wiped his muzzle briskly before flashing the ewe a dull stare.

"Alright, fine. I'll humor you." The wolf said with a scoff. Reaching into his pocket the wolf pulled out his cell phone. It was a rather beat up looking device, one that had clearly taken a tumble or two from the wolf's shaky paws in the past. As the wolf began to rifle through his phone, he continued.

"My girlfriend and I run a website where we have compiled a collection of cited records and historical proof in regards to Moira and Erik, as well as the cover-up." The wolf said, tapping the face of his phone.

Dawn did her best to stifle the urge to smirk as she eyed the wolf warily.

"Girlfriend?" Dawn murmured. "I didn't know you had a mate."

Ulric furrowed his brow, taking a moment to glare at the ewe. "It's not like that. It is simply an online affair." Ulric replied with a huff. "Honey and I have yet to meet in person, and even so our relationship is more of one of mutually shared interests and the primitive desire for companionship." Ulric turned his attention back to the phone. " I will not let any harm come to my person in relation to the sapping of my precious bodily fluids as my brothers have."

Dawn scrunched her muzzle in confusion.

"Precious...bodily fluids?" The ewe murmured. But the wolf failed to acknowledge her as he crouched to her level, pointing the cellphone in her direction.

"Open this website in your phone's browser and look for yourself." Ulric muttered, glaring at the ewe with a serious stare. "I can't have you touching my phone and risk the lanolin contamination."

Dawn rolled her eyes, but did as she was told, pulling her own phone from her pocket.

"First of all lanolins only purpose is to keep wool from getting wet. It does not hold any sort of mind-controlling attributes even if one were to try and smoke it." Dawn muttered as she unlocked her phone. "And secondly I use a lanolin body rinse to keep my skin and wool free of any lanolin deposits."

"Uh-huh, sure you do." Ulric replied sarcastically as Dawn pulled up the rather questionable looking webpage. The deep black backgrounds and red text creating an almost painful effect even at the slightest glance. "And I'm the king of Norwulf."

Dawn rolled her eyes. Considering the wolf's wild personal beliefs, she wouldn't have been surprised if he believed that.


	36. Barbeque Breakdown

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Thirty-Six: Barbeque Breakdown

"Wait, Ho-"

The wolf hadn't even finished calling out to the ewe before she began to sprint away, fleeing to what he presumed she felt was the safety of the barbeque. The huddled pack of Hunter females giving the ewe further insulation against the wolf getting a chance to speak to her with some degree of privacy. It was a clear, calculated move, all an obvious attempt to avoid discussing the meltdown she had after Vernon had mentioned asking permission for a tithing ceremony.

Vernon was no dummy, he had been on to the ewe's attempts to avoid him from the moment Alex and Edna appeared at the stall and gave her an easy out. Of course, it became more and more glaringly obvious as the stand became overrun with mammals eager to buy food and ask questions. He imagined that the ewe had simply been hoping that in all the frenzy and hysteria of tending to the bustling crowd the wolf would simply forget how upset she had gotten. But with each exchanged glance between the pair, the wolf could see the fear in her eyes. Vernon was making it as clear as he could through his own glare that there was still a conversation to be had, and the ewe had responded in kind by attempting to actively avoid him. Whether it had been slipping away to the bathroom without announcing a break until she had returned, or making sure she never left his mother's side while they were packing up the stall, the wolf had noted it all with increasing annoyance and exasperation. 

It was clear the ewe was trying to hide something from him, something that seemed to be eating her up inside. Vernon wasn't sure if something had happened to her in the brief time they had been apart at the ranch yesterday, or whether some new idea she had conjured up had left her feeling anxious and worried. But regardless, the ewe was holding in something she didn't want to share that was clearly dragging her down. And while part of Vernon wanted to allow the ewe space so that she could finally tell him what was bothering her when she was ready, the other part of him couldn't help but recall her encouraging words from the night before. 

"That means that we are in this together." Vernon could hear Dawn's voice in his mind. "Every fight or struggle is not just yours or mine, it's ours. That's what being mated is about."

He could remember the ewe resting on his chest, snuggled up under his chin as they took in the peaceful autumn evening. Dawn doing her best to ease his own fears in regards to all that had happened on the vacation so far.

"We have each other. To rely on, to depend on, and in situations like this, to be able to talk about our feelings, good or bad, as well as work through them together."

That was what the ewe had told him, and she had been right. Part of a working relationship meant that they were more or less a team. Vernon's problems were Dawn's and vice-versa. And because of that, they needed to be open and honest with each other, so they could work together to fix those problems. 

Yet now it was clear the ewe had gone back on her word, or at least had simply elected against sharing because it was something so heavy she felt perhaps it would hurt him in some way.

"Could it be possible that she really doesn't want a tithe?" Vernon thought to himself as she watched the ewe integrate herself amidst the Hunter girls. It was the only thing that made any reasonable sense to the wolf. Dawn must have had some misgivings about a tithing ceremony, and she was afraid to tell him in fear of hurting his feelings. Admittedly it would sting a little considering she had agreed to a caprid ceremony. After all, the services were not so different from one another, and so it would seem odd for the ewe to vehemently agree with performing one while shying away from the other. But Vernon was already willing to acknowledge that he had been too aggressive and hasty with his expectations involving bringing the ewe into the family. His own plans and goals blinding him to the pressures and strain he was putting on those around him. And perhaps, even Dawn had been caught up in the process whether the reasoning made sense to the wolf or not.

"Vernon?"

The wolf turned to find his mother resting a paw on his shoulder, concern lacing her features as her ears sagged slightly.

"You alright son?" The wolfess tilted her head slightly. "I figured y'all woulda been off to the barbeque by now."

Vernon winced, his own ears sagging as he averted his mother's gaze.

"Yes. No." Vernon mumbled. "I mean, I don't know." The wolf ran a paw through his scalp fur before finally managing to make eye contact with his mother.

"Y-you sure you don't need any help unpacking?" Vernon asked weakly, offering a shaky smile.

Audrey quirked an eyebrow.

"Y'all need to talk?" The she-wolf asked in a concerned tone.

Vernon gave a slow, meek nod, causing the she-wolf to let out a soft chuckle.

"Alright, alright." Audrey tutted, bring her arm around the taller wolf as she began to walk him toward the back of the van. 

As the pair came to a stop in front of the van door, Audrey released her grip around the wolf and moved to open the rear doors. Pulling out her keys again, she plugged one into the locking mechanism, turning it until the large doors popped loose. The she-wolf pulled one of the doors aside, letting out a soft groan as she did before clasping her paws around one of the large empty buckets sitting in the back. With a heft, the she-wolf pulled it into her arms, taking a step backward as she attempted to better secure her grip.

Following the she-wolf's suit, Vernon moved to pick up a bucket of his own. The one he reached for was considerably less empty. Whereas it previously held corn, it now held stacks of unused paper plates and napkins waiting to be stored for the next time Audrey needed to operate the stall. As Vernon adjusted his grip on the large rubber bin, Audrey moved around the wolf to make her way toward the barn.

"So what's botherin' you Vernon?" Audrey asked as she made her way past the wolf. "Tell me what's on yer mind my little Puppy."

Vernon wasn't sure exactly where to start when it came to explaining his dilemma. Just like whatever loaded conversation Dawn was keeping from him, he had a similarly concerning conversation to work through with his mother. Regardless of how he chose to start explaining his problem, it would inevitably come back to his intentions of tithing Dawn, and that in turn would lead to discussing Zach's injury. There was simply no way around it other than outright omitting it. And there was no way the wolf could allow his mother to get excited over Vernon's desire to tithe Dawn without making sure she knew exactly why Dorian seemed so against it. It would be a betrayal of trust, and if he didn't bring it up his father certainly would during the intended mediation sessions between the mammals. At that point, any and all progress that could have been made would risk complete dissolution if his mother saw the event the same way Dorian had.

Vernon followed the she-wolf into the barn, watching as she carefully placed her bin on the floor and slid it against the nearby wall. Vernon was quick to follow suit, moving his own in place next to hers before dusting his paws off on his shirt. Audrey sat gingerly on the rim of the bucket she had placed, flashing Vernon a warm smile while gesturing with a paw for him to take a seat next to her. Reluctantly, Vernon managed to balance himself on the edge of the bucket before letting out a sigh.

"C'mon, tell yer momma what's got yer ears all droopy." Audrey tutted, patting the wolf on the back softly.

Vernon let out a whine, running a shaky paw through his hair. The wolf supposed the best way to explain his situation was to simply lead with his intention, and go on to explain the problems surrounding it. Vernon took a deep breath, taking a moment to hold it as he attempted to muster the courage to get the difficult conversation rolling. The wolf let out a long, tired sigh as he met his mother's gaze.

"I'm fixin' to tithe Dawn Momma." Vernon muttered, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "In fact, that's kinda the rea-."

"TEETH TO TAILS!" Audrey shot up so quickly that it startled Vernon, causing the wolf to lose his balance on the bucket he had been precariously seated on. In seconds the wolf found himself on the dusty barn floor, reeling as the air left his lungs in one forceful burst. The wolf was stunned, the roof seemed to be spinning as he tried to regain his bearings before his gaze managed to settle on the she-wolf across from him. Placing a paw to his brow, the wolf squinted in an effort to steady his line of sight on her, but the fact that she was practically bouncing in her step didn't make it much easier.

"SQUEEEEEE!" The she-wolf squealed with delight as she hopped excitedly in place. Her paws were tensed into tight fists as she raised them in time with her impromptu celebratory dance, fist pumping as she continued to chitter more incomprehensible, exhilarated responses to Vernon's declaration. Audrey spun in place, letting out another joyful squeal before she finally seemed to notice that her son was now sprawled on the dirty wood floor. 

"Opps!" Audrey giggled, extending a paw to the dazed wolf. The she-wolf's smile was probably the widest he had ever seen it, putting anything Qali could manage at even her happiest to shame. It made the wolf reluctant to take her paw for a moment, the ear to ear grin almost frightening in how wide she had managed to make it.

"I'm sorry Puppy, did I scare you?" Audrey teased, rolling her fingers as she beckoned the wolf forward.

Vernon rolled his eyes, clasping his paw into her own. "No, I ju-"

As soon as her paw tightened around his, the wolf suddenly found himself yanked into the she-wolf's arms in a surprising display of raw strength. Audrey wrapped her arms tightly around the towering wolf, squeezing him into an almost painful hug.

"I'M JUST SO HAPPY!" Audrey cried, squeezing the wolf that much tighter as she spoke. Vernon could swear he heard something in his body crack. 

"My little Puppy..." The she-wolf's tone had shifted, her jovial tone seeming to deflate almost as quickly as it had arisen. Gritting through the pressure of the hug, Vernon managed to tilt his head down to check on the she-wolf gripped tightly against him. The smile was gone now, replaced with shimmering eyes and a quivering lip before the wolfess buried her face into his chest.

"My Puppy's all grown up!" Audrey sobbed. Vernon could feel the hot tears already soaking through his shirt as the wolfess wept. "Oh Freyja..." Audrey continued. "It seems like just yesterday my little Puppy was tryin' to catch his own tail!"

Vernon felt Audrey's grip ease, and soon enough the she-wolf was clutching at his shirt as she rubbed her face deeper into the fabric. Audrey's delightful squeals had turned into muffled, anguished howls as she continued to soak through Vernon's button-up. 

Vernon let out a sigh as he placed his newly freed arms around his shuddering mother, gingerly rubbing her back as she continued to sob.

"Ma..." Vernon muttered.

"Now yer fixin' to get tithed!" Audrey managed to pull herself out of his shirt just long enough to glance up at him with moist, shimmering eyes. "Oh gods! My little Puppy!" Was all she managed to get out before her face was buried back in Vernon's chest.

The wolf rolled his eyes at his mother's performance. Audrey always had the habit of being a little bit of a ham when it came to the slightest mention of her pups maturing in any way. Whether it had been something as trifling as losing ones first baby tooth, to their first real date. He could only imagine what Zach had gone through when he came out with the prospect of tithing Vanna to the old wolfess, as well as how long it ended up taking for Audrey to get a hold of herself again. How many tears had been shed? How many squeals of joy had split his brother's ears? And how long would Vernon's own session consoling his mother last by comparison? It wasn't to say Vernon wasn't happy with his mother's response, in fact, it warmed the wolf's heart to see that Audrey clearly supported Dawn and his union. But the wolf knew his situation was one that was pressed for time. There was a much more serious topic he had to touch on and explore before he allowed his mother to revel in Vernon and Dawn's joy. To see if she would still feel the same way after knowing what he knew, and what his father held over them.

"Ma." Vernon said a little more firmly, but the she-wolf remained oblivious, letting out another wracking sob in reply. Audrey took in a sharp breath, her body shuddering slightly as she tried to catch her breath. But soon enough she was letting out another, anguished howling weep into Vernon's shirt. He could feel the hot, moist patch that had formed on his shirt spreading.

With a sigh, Vernon tightened his hug around the quivering she-wolf. Leaning his head on top of hers, the wolf began to gently rub his mother's back in an effort to reassure the old wolfess.

"Ma, please..." Vernon murmured over the weeping. In response, the she-wolf let out another shuddering inhale. "Ma, it's okay."

Vernon squeezed the she-wolf lightly.

"There, there..." The wolf murmured, continuing the soft, reassuring patting as his mother's weeping began to simmer. Each sob was growing quieter now, each inhale less sharp and painful. Within a few minutes, the sobbing had managed to lessen to an almost inaudible level, to the point where Vernon wasn't sure if she was even crying anymore. Placing a paw on top of his mother's head, the wolf raised a curious eyebrow.

"M-." Audrey's ears shot up, her head slowly poking its way out of the hot mess that was the wolf's shirt. Despite the fact that tears were still streaming down the she-wolf's face, she was smiling once again.

"I'm so proud of you Vernon." Audrey said. There was a rich, loving warmth in her tone which was only compounded by the she-wolf's smile. "You've really matured into a fine young mam'."

Vernon could feel tears welling in his own eyes now as he looked down into his mother's loving gaze. He hadn't exactly braced himself for that one, although surely he should have seen it coming.

"A-Aww ma, c'mon, I-"

Audrey raised a finger, booping the wolf on the nose gently and cutting him off in the process. 

"It's true." Audrey said, wiping some of the lingering tears from her eyes. "You are leading the life you want to live." Audrey sighed, patting the wolf on the chest. "And you fought for it every step of the way. How could I not be proud of that?"

Vernon scratched the back of his head awkwardly, doing his best to avert his mother's gaze in a poor attempt at hiding the growing blush forming on his muzzle.

"Sweet sawgrass ma..."

Audrey chuckled. "And yer thriving too." The she-wolf flashed him another warm smile. "Successful job, a proper mate..." Audrey sighed, her muzzle slipping into a slight frown. "You really don't need us old mutts back here anymore do ya?" Her voice was somber, her tone reflection an almost stark realization. As if Audrey hadn't been fully aware of what she was saying before it fully slipped free of her muzzle.

Vernon winced at Audrey's statement, the idea of not wanting to keep in touch with his mother was to him, a preposterous notion.

"Aww ma, you know I'd never stop visiting you." Vernon reassured, rubbing some of the she-wolf's stray tears away with a thumb. "I'd always want to come visit you and-"

Vernon paused, as the gravity of what he was about to say hit him. Visiting the ranch, coming home to relax, the very notion was in jeopardy when it came to his father. If the old wolf remained a stalwart, unmoving roadblock in his plans to tithe Dawn, Vernon would be forced to turn away from his pack. 

"Vernon?" Audrey uttered, the concern in her voice returning as she reached up and cupped Vernon's cheek with her paw. Vernon tried to pull away for a moment, only for Audrey to apply more force to hold his gaze on her own. 

"What is it?" Audrey asked. "Your ear's are drooping again."

Vernon sighed, it was now or never.

"Ma..." Vernon muttered, reaching his own paw up to clasp his mother's. "There is something you need to know." Vernon whined softly, his eyes darting toward the entrance of the barn. He could barely make out the barbeque with the van blocking most of his view. "Something about Dawn..."

The she-wolf tilted her head slightly, raising an eyebrow as Vernon took her other paw.

"What Vernon?" Audrey murmured, frowning slightly.

"I have some idea now why pa has been so against Dawn even bein' here, let alone why he'll more than likely be against agreein' to a tithe." Vernon continued. "And it ain't the night howler thing..." The wolf tilted his head down slightly, taking a moment to rephrase his statement in his head. "At least not entirely due to the night howler thing."

Audrey offered a weaker smile this time, but her expression remained puzzled.

"W-Well, we'll talk it out with old Dori don't you worry." Audrey's grin widened a bit reflecting her hopefulness. "I'm sure we can turn yer old Pa around regardless of whatever is eatin' him!"

"Ma, listen." Vernon whined, giving the she-wolf a small shake. Audrey grimaced sharply, her eyes appearing to be trying to search Vernon's own for some lead on what he was getting at. "This is hard enough to tell you as it is." Vernon said sadly. "So please just give me a chance to tell it."

Audrey remained quiet, eventually giving the wolf a small, affirmative nod.

Vernon let out a sigh, running his paw through his scalp fur nervously.

"I'm so glad you were willing to accept Dawn as soon as I brought her here despite everything." Vernon said, the wolf offering a meek smile. "I know Dawn's past can be a difficult thing to swallow fer some mammals, and I shouldn't have imagined it would be any easier with family." Vernon whined. "I just figured seein' as how you and pa and all of us Hunters are so keen on givin' mammals a second chance, that maybe you'd overlook it. That you'd be willing to give her the chance that I did, and get to know the wonderful ewe I got to know."

Audrey offered a meek smile of her own.

"Well o'course Vernon." Audrey replied, cupping the wolf's cheek again and rubbing it gently.

"Yer pa and I raised y'all to have a good head on yer shoulders." The she-wolf sighed as she appraised the towering wolf, only for Vernon to wince in reaction to her touch. "I trust you." Audrey continued. "We all trust you, so why shouldn't we trust yer mate?"

Vernon pulled his head free of her grip, letting out a soft whine as he looked away.

"Pa doesn't seem to share the sentiment." Vernon muttered.

"Well I can't say I know what's got yer father bein' so cold to her. But I'm sure-."

"I know why now." Vernon cut his mother off again. "At least I think I do."

Audrey cocked an eyebrow, tilting her head in confusion.

"Then tell me." Audrey replied. "Maybe then we can work on it together. You, me and Dawn." Audrey smirked.

"I want that." Vernon replied, glancing over his shoulder again. This time the wolf leaned slightly in an effort to spot his Honey Lamb from a distance. Just around the edge of the van he could barely make out the small group of Hunters gathered together, but for now Dawn seemed to be missing among them. The wolf let out a slight whine before turning his attention back to the confused she-wolf standing next to him. " I really want us all to sit down and talk things out. But..."

"But what Darlin'?" Audrey cooed, her tone laced with concern.

Vernon ran his paw through his scalp again, another whimper escaping his muzzle as he continued to dance around what he wanted to say. He could feel a lump forming in his throat, and grasped at his neck with his paw in an attempt to force it to dissolve.

"I-I'm afraid if I tell you..." Vernon whimpered, moving his paw over his eyes. "Yer gonna hate Dawn just as much as Pa does."

Audrey chuckled, giving the wolf a playful pat on the chest reassuringly. "Oh Vernon, I already love Dawnie like one of my own." The she-wolf shook her head dismissively. "And I'm sure yer Pa doesn't hate Dawn, he just-"

"Do you remember Zach's accident?" Vernon stopped his mother's protest cold. Her concerned expression turning to something almost stone-faced and unfeeling. Audrey's gaze had fallen away from his as all the she-wolf's warmth and mirth seemingly disappeared. 

Vernon could feel the tension rising in his chest as he waited for a response. The longer the she-wolf took to say something, anything, just added more weight to Vernon's looming revelation. That was of course, if his mother wasn't already drawing the connections back to Dawn in her own mind. After what seemed like an eternity, Audrey finally managed to reply.

"Y-yes I do..." Audrey muttered. Her voice was startlingly quiet and weak, something Vernon had been almost uncertain his usually loud and boisterous mother was capable of. It was strange, almost unnatural to hear her speak in such a tone. As if all the joy and warmth in her soul had been snuffed out in an instant.

"But what does that have to do with you a-?" Audrey stammered slightly, as the usually unflappable wolf was struggling with her words. "What does it have to do with Dawn? "The she-wolf furrowed her brow, the puzzled look returning to her face as she stared back into Vernon's eyes. There was a fire in them now, her irises trembling as they searched Vernon's for answers.

Vernon opened his mouth to speak, but his throat seemed to dry up almost as soon as he had, leaving his muzzle hanging open in dumb silence for a few moments. Vernon closed his muzzle slowly, raking a paw down his face as the agony of broaching the topic came to a head. But he had to tell her, he had to make sure she knew. Only then would he know for sure having a family discussion with his father about Dawn was a viable option, or if he would be left with no choice but to expel himself from the pack.

"Z-Zack..." Vernon muttered, the words catching in his throat as he tried to speak. The wolf took a moment to clear his throat harshly before forcing himself to continue. "Zack told me about pa." Vernon continued, his eyes drifting to the floor as he tried to muster the courage to press through the difficult conversation.

" About why pa didn't want me and Dawn at the fair." Vernon continued, running a shaky paw over his scalp. "And more so why he's probably actin' the way he is towards Dawn." The wolf took a slow, deep breath before bringing his eyes to his mother's. Her expression had turned back to one of concern, but there remained a hint of the previous coldness to it. It was enough to make the wolf shudder under her gaze, but somehow he managed to press onward.

"And it's because of his accident." Vernon muttered, the wolf bringing a paw to the back of his head. "The day when Zach got shot."

Audrey visibly shuddered as Vernon uttered the word, the she-wolf wincing as if the words themselves had actually hurt to hear. Audrey's ears sagged sharply, and for the first time, the old mother wolf was the first to break eye contact with Vernon.

"Do you remember ma?" Vernon continued, bringing his paws to rest gently on his mother's shoulders. The she-wolf continued to avert his gaze, her muzzle downturned toward the dusty floor below. "How it happened?"

The she-wolf remained silent, her body almost completely still save for the rising and falling of her slow, methodical breathing. Vernon waited patiently for a response, but as the awkward silence lingered it only served to worsen his building stress and anxiety. The barn had become so silent one could easily hear a pin-drop, especially in the case of a mammal with hearing as sensitive as a wolf's. Yet the only sound that Vernon managed to hear was what sounded like the excitable cry of one of his brothers in the distance before the deafening silence returned. Vernon couldn't stand it any longer.

"Ma, do you-"

"Of course I do!" The she wolf said, pushing Vernon's paws free of her shoulders and taking a step away. Her eyes were glossy with tears now as she looked back at the wolf in disbelief. 

"You think I don't remember that day!?" Audrey spat, her muzzle twisted up into an expression of emotional agony. "What that crazed, native mutt did to my boy!" The she-wolf sniffled harshly. "To yer brother!?"

Vernon was starting to feel sick now, the anxiety twisting his stomach into knots forcing bile into his throat as it squeezed in time with his quickening pulse. But Audrey wasn't done.

"I never forgot that day Vernon!" Audrey sniffled. "The day I almost lost one of my boys." The she-wolf looked down at the dirty boards beneath her feet. "The day when I nearly had to live out a mother's worst fear!"

Vernon carefully walked forward, holding his paws up defensively as he moved closer to his mother. He wasn't sure what to do now. He desperately wanted to hug her, but he still had yet to reveal exactly how that horrible day involved his mate. The wolf couldn't bear to imagine the possibility of his mother pushing him away again once she heard the news.

"Ma, he...I mea-"

"But he also saved a little lamb." Audrey said, the she-wolf straightening her stance in an effort to compose herself. The wolfess dabbed at her tears with a paw. " As painful as it would have been to lose my..." Audrey put a clenched paw over her lips, the she-wolf appearing to try to muster the force necessary to bring herself to finish the sentence despite it causing her visible pain. "One of my puppies..." The she-wolf shuddered. "I can't imagine what it would have been like fer that mother to not only lose her lamb before she even had a chance to grow up, but to be forced watch it happen..."

The she-wolf' head dropped as she placed a paw on her chest, taking in a long, slow, deep breath before letting it out. Audrey repeated the routine a few more times, allowing silence to fill the vacuum left by her emotional outpouring. 

"I can't imagine a nightmare so fierce..." Audrey finally spoke, another shudder traveling through her frame as the words left her muzzle.

Vernon was frozen. Unable to speak as he watched his mother bearing her soul. There was nothing to say, nothing to do but listen.

"It's Zach's job though..." Audrey raised her head weakly. Her sorrowful eyes now fixing back on Vernon's own. 

"Zach's, Yuri's, Wade's, Trenton's and even yer father's." The she-wolf ran a shaky paw through her hair as she let out a tired sigh. "As terrible as it is to say, it's somethin' that comes with the territory." Audrey wiped a stray tear from her eye. "And there ain't a day that goes by I ain't worryin' about havin' to take 'that' phone call in the back of my mind." Audrey shook her head dismissively. "The one that tell's me I ain't never gonna see one of 'em again." The she-wolf said, letting out a world-weary sigh. For a moment she remained silent, her stare remaining fixed on the worn barn floor below as she drew a fresh breath.

"But I'm proud." Audrey slowly raised her head once more, her eyes returning to Vernon's. Despite her tears she was smiling now, even if it seemed forced. "I'm proud of your brother, and I'll never not be proud of him." The she-wolf sighed. "Even if I almost had to lose him. He was a hero to that family." Audrey wiped another stray tear away with a thumb. 

The she-wolf took a step forward, placing a paw on Vernon's shoulder and offering him a kind smile.

"I'm just glad I don't have to worry about that sort of thing fer some of you boys." Audrey chuckled softly, gently rubbing the wolf's cheek affectionately. "Gettin' that call I mean." Audrey said with a sad sigh. "I only wish it was the case fer all of y'all."

"Ma I..." Vernon could feel the tears welling, but he was unable to stop them now. The wolf closed his eyes tightly, turning his head away from the she-wolf. Vernon grit his teeth so firmly the wolf was almost certain they were going to shatter. How could he tell her now, after all of that? There was no way she wouldn't find fault with his mate after he made the connection clear. 

"Vernon?"

"It w-was Dawn ma." Vernon choked through streaming tears. "It was Dawn's fault in pa's eyes."

Vernon felt the she-wolf grab his cheek more firmly, pulling the wolf's eyes back on her. "Puppy what are you sayin'?" The wolfess tilted her head slightly.

Vernon felt hot bile burning in his throat.

"Dawn's arrest..." Vernon whimpered. "It made everyone turn on sheep-folk." The wolf swabbed a paw against one of his eyes aggressively. "Like all that stuff Ully's always sayin', Dawn's arrest got all them natives believin' it!"

Audrey's eyes widened slightly as she seemed to be taking in what the wolf was saying. The wolfess opened her mouth for a moment, only to close it again. The she-wolf furrowed her brow, It was clear she hadn't quite fully processed what Vernon was saying.

"And that wolf who tried to shoot that little lamb..." Vernon was shuddering now, almost as badly as his mother had been just moments before. " I me-" Vernon gasped sharply, doing his best to breath through the sobbing. "He wouldn't have been t-there I-if-!"

"Shhh...." Audrey had pulled the whimpering wolf into a hug once more, placing his head to her shoulder as she began to stroke the back of it. 

"Easy my little Puppy." Audrey cooed. But Vernon was too lost in his own wracking sobs to begin to pull back now. Vernon buried his muzzle in the she-wolf's shoulder, letting out a quiet, anguish-filled howl of his own as he continued to weep.

"There, there puppy..." Audrey tone was almost jovial, as if she were pleasantly surprised by what Vernon had said rather than distraught. But what really left the wolf stunned, was what Audrey followed up with.

"It's okay, It's fine Darlin'. Really." Audrey said, chuckling softly as she pat the wolf's back. 

Vernon pulled away from her grip slightly, looking back at his mother through hot tears in sheer disbelief. The wolf's staccato breathing and quivering sobs made it almost impossible to reply. Vernon had to spend a good minute trying to compose himself before he managed to choke out the barest semblance of a word.

"R-really?" Vernon stammered, sharply snorting in an effort to suck back the dribbling tears. "B-But she-I mean Pa-."

Audrey gently patted the wolf's cheek, interrupting his shaky reply before allowing it to rest softly on it. The she-wolf affectionately thumbed away one of his tears. Audrey frowned softly, letting out a soft, tired sigh.

"I mean..." Audrey shook her head. "I can't forget what happened to yer brother." The she-wolf muttered. "I never will." 

Vernon could feel his lip begin to quiver as another fresh wave of tears began to build up in his eyes. This was it, the moment Vernon was waiting for, the moment his mother sided with Dorian about Dawn.." Audrey said with a weak smile, brushing a few more tears away from Vernon's cheek with her thumb. "I couldn't hold somethin' like that against her considerin' how little she had to do with it."

"B-But ma-" Vernon gulped harshly as the tears welling inside continued to build. "If she h-hadn't caused the night howler sc-scandal Zach-."

Audrey placed a finger over Vernon's lips, stopping him mid-sentence.

"Yes, I'm sure if Dawn hadn't done what she did, that wolf fella would have most likely not been lookin' fer sheep pelts that day." Audrey tutted. "But ultimately she didn't put a gun in that fella's paw." Audrey cooed. "She wasn't the one firin' at my boy." The she-wolf offered a weak smile. "How much blame am I supposed put on her fer that?"

"But I forgive Dawn

"Bu-but I m-mea-" Vernon pawed at his other eye, doing everything in his power to stem the tide of tears still flowing freely. All the stress and strain he had built up inside leading up to the conversation at paw was simply pouring out now, and despite his mother's surprising response, the wolf was still having a hard time stopping the torrent.

"Vernon." Audrey shushed the wolf. "  
I have forgiven her. Hell, if the fella who shot Zach came to my door beggin' fer my forgiveness and a place to stay, if I thought he was sincere enough I would give him both." Audrey smiled warmly. Especially if one of my sons vouched fer his earnesty."

Vernon felt a smile creeping up through his tears as his mother's words registered. The tension dissolving away as the realization set in that his mother was being truly honest. Audrey had held what happened to Zach against Dawn as much as Zach, or anyone else aside from Dorian did. It was like the massive weight that had been building and building as the wolf desperately tried to approach the topic had suddenly lifted, and with it came a spark of renewed hope. Perhaps there was a chance at mending things out with his father, to bring him around to accepting Dawn. Perhaps there would never be a need to even broach the idea of leaving the pack.

"I've always said every mammal who's tryin' to be decent deserves a chance? 'Specially if they're tryin'?" Audrey added with a warm smile. "And i can tell that ewe is tryin' her heart out."

Vernon nodded briskly as a fresh wave of tears began to well up in his eyes.

"Aww, c'mere now Puppy." The she-wolf cooed, pulling the wolf back in for another hug. Vernon was quick to return the gesture, putting as much love as he could into an equally tight hug of his own. The wolf let out a few more shuddering sobs as he squeezed the she-wolf as hard as he could muster. His cries choked with a mixture of relief and joy.

"I wouldn't be much of a good parent if I didn't stick to my own morals now would I?" Audrey said, patting the wolf on the back gently.

Vernon coughed out a laugh in between sobs, mostly in shock of just how well the she-wolf was taking all of this. She certainly seemed to be holding together better than he was.

"Alright, alright, now c'mon." Audrey tutted, patting the wolf on the back more briskly. "There ain't no more reason to be cryin'. In fact we should be celebratin'!" Audrey chuckled. "I want to go congratulate my new 'official' daughter-in-law."

Vernon pulled away from his mother, taking a moment to try to compose himself, The wolf pawed at his eyes again, desperately trying to stem the tears.

"B-but what about Pa?" Vernon whimpered softly.

Audrey rolled her eyes. "Oh we'll deal with yer Pa." The she-wolf muttered, placing her paws on her hips. " You, me, him and Dawn are all gonna have a nice sit down after the barbeque and hash this mess out once and fer all."

Vernon sniffled sharply, sucking back as much of the lingering whimpers as he straightened his stance.

"But I m-mean, Zach's accident..." Vernon muttered.

Audrey dismissively waved a paw. "If it ain't what's eatin' me, it ain't what's eatin' him." The she-wolf crossed her paws, her ears flattening as she did so. " Yer Pa may be stubborn, but he's also a bad liar." The wolfess tapped the side of her snout. "He can see that gal is tryin', that you are both tryin'. And if he doesn't he's lyin' to himself."

"Y-you think so?" Vernon whimpered.

Audrey shook her head decisively. "I don't know what's got his hackles up, but he ain't bein' up front with it." Audrey spat. "If he were, he would have told ya to yer face."

Vernon scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Well, I don't know-."

"I do." Audrey waggled a finger at the wolf. "I've known that hound fer thirty-three years, and I'd like to think I've got him purty figured out by now." Audrey took a deep breath, letting the air out slowly before slapping her paws together. It was so loud and un-expected that Vernon jumped back in response. Audrey chuckled softly.

"But we'll deal with that later. For now, I wanna hug my little daughter-in-law already!" Audrey flashed the wolf a wide grin. In a blink Audrey was already making her way around Vernon with a determined stride.

"Wait!" She was nearly at the entrance to the barn by the time Vernon was able to react, reaching out a paw and just barely grasping her arm in an effort to stop her. Audrey cocked her head at the towering wolf, a puzzled look adorning her muzzle.

"What now Puppy?" Audrey asked, letting out an impatient huff.

Vernon released his grip, placing his paw on the back of his head as he averted his gaze from the she-wolf. Despite everything they had covered, there was still one little caveat the wolf had forgotten to bring up.

"I er..." Vernon muttered, his ears sagging sharply. "I'm not sure Dawn wants to go for it though."

Audrey practically tilted her head sideways, a mixture of disbelief and confusion marring her features.

"Fer a tithe?" Audrey asked.

Vernon nodded meekly, only for his mother to laugh it off, dismissively waving a paw the wolf's way. "Oh o' course she does!" The she-wolf laughed. "That girl is so smitten with you it hurts. You two are the spittin' image of me an yer father after we met." 

Vernon cringed for a brief moment at the comparison before he shook his head dismissively.

"Based on how she reacted to it, I'm not really sure." Vernon muttered.

"Is that what that was?" Audrey asked, tapping her chin. "The little episode of her's at the stand before things got busy?"

Vernon nodded. "I mean, I think so." The wolf shrugged. "She only started actin' that way after I told her I wanted to tithe her."

Audrey continued to tap her chin, the she-wolf clearly pondering over exactly the reason for Dawn's sudden, drastic change in behavior.

"In fact, she's been dodgin' me ever since then." Vernon continued. "I mean look at the way she just ran off like that back at the van." Vernon added, stabbing a claw in the direction of the barbeque. "I ain't never seen her move that quick, let alone behave that way toward me."

"What, she wants to do one of them caprid ceremonies instead?" Audrey asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Vernon let out a sharp exhale, placing a paw to his head in exasperation.

"That's the damndest thing Ma." Vernon muttered, running his paw through his hair. "We actually had a talk about it on the way out here." Vernon sighed, taking a few steps toward the entrance of the barn. The wolf let the paw on his brow fall lazily to his side as he screened the barbeque from a distance. The Hunter girls were still grouped tightly together, but unless Dawn was behind Vanna and Ada, the was no sign of her. The wolf glanced back at his mother with a frown.

"On the train ride up I kinda put the idea of marriage out there." Vernon mumbled. "All the bells and whistles, with the legal document to back it up and everything." The wolf raised his paws in a shrug. "And she was overjoyed. In fact she was cryin' up a storm over just how happy I had made her because I wanted to marry her."

Audrey was softly squeezing at her chin, her eyes squinting at the wolf as she seemed to be mulling over the information.

"I even mentioned gettin' Gus to officiate the ceremony so we wouldn't have to worry about findin' a caprid official who'd be willing to wed us both, considerin' he's a licensed one." Vernon let his paws flop lamely to his sides. "Then I bring tithin' up and suddenly she's got cold hooves." Vernon placed his paws on his hips, shaking his head dismissively. "It just doesn't make a lick of sense."

"O'course it does." Audrey spoke, raising a finger. " She's obviously worried about yer father's behavior toward her." The she-wolf concluded.

Vernon placed a paw to his chin. The wolf wasn't so sure considering how they had at some point been the one to reassure each other about bringing the older wolf around, still the wolf could fully argue against it.

"Mhhh...." The wolf muttered uncertainly.

"Dawn knows how tithin' ceremonies work right?" Audrey asked.

Vernon gave a simple nod. "O'course, it's part of the book she's writin' about us."

Audrey nodded in agreement. "Then she probably knows that generally speakin' y'all got to get the permission of the head of the household to get a tithe." The she-wolf continued, flashing the wolf a confident grin. "And seein' as how that's ol' Dori, she's probably just skittish because of how he's been actin' toward her."

Vernon bit his lip, drawing his paw from his chin to his neck in discomfort.

"I don't know..." Vernon grumbled. "I mean...last night Dawn and I had this long talk about sharin' our feelin's with each other..." The wolf placed a paw on the back of his neck, rubbing it lamely as he looked at the floor. "About how we were a team now, and how when one of us had a fight, it was really both our fights 'er somethin' like that."

Audrey giggled, placing a paw over her muzzle in an effort to cover it.

"That sounds just like me and yer father way back when too." The she-wolf chuckled.

Vernon rolled his eyes in response, only for his mother to give him a playful swat on the arm.

"I'll have you know I was right then, and she's right now." Audrey tutted, waving a finger at the wolf.

"But that's just it!" Vernon retorted, crossing his arms defiantly. "She's the one who spent all that time tellin' me that, and yet here she is hidin' somethin' big from me." Vernon snorted. "I'd be willin' to give her time to spill it, but it's...I mean-" The wolf started to pace slightly, making small circles in the mouth of the barn as he tried to think of the proper way to put into words exactly what he was thinking. Vernon placed a paw on his forehead for a moment, dragging it down his muzzle as he walked before the word finally jumped into his mind.

"It's hypocritical, you know?" Vernon stopped, holding out his arms in a gesture that simply said "I don't know." "If it is pa's behavior, or she's skittish about the ceremony she should tell me. Especially after that whole talk." The wolf crossed his arms, but despite his defiant gesture his ears sagged sharply. Vernon let out a soft whine.

"She knows I love her more than anythin'!" Vernon sighed, the wolf could practically feel his heart in his throat as the words spilled forth. A mixture of amorous warmth and emotional agony dripping from his words. "S-She knows I'd understand..." The wolf let out another soft whine. "Or at least try to..."

Vernon felt a paw grip his shoulder, only to find his mother had once again closed the gap between them. The she-wolf was smiling up at him now, placing her other paw under his chin and giving it a gentle lift.

"Now, now." Audrey cooed. " Chin up, okay? I can only imagine whatever yer ewe is going through is because she loves you just as much." The she-wolf pat Vernon's chest affectionately. "I know when it came to me and yer father, some of the moments that got me all twisted up inside the worst was because I loved that wolf so much I was afraid I'd hurt him." Audrey frowned slightly. "The last thing I could bear to see was that old wolf frown. My heart just couldn't take it."

Vernon chuckled. "Seems to frown a lot now."

Audrey gave the wolf another playful swat.

"I meant because of somethin' I caused Puppy!" Audrey shook her dismissively head. "Yer father's always been a bit of a grouse, even way back when." Audrey let out a pleasant sigh. " I tell ya, nothin' made me happier than bringing a smile to that muzzle of his." Vernon could see a shimmer in the she-wolf's eyes as she paused for a moment, a warm smile forming on her muzzle as she reminisced. "It made me so giddy I could burst!" Audrey cooed wistfully. "Still does..."

Vernon chuckled, placing a paw on his mother's head affectionately.

" I know the feelin' ma." Vernon said, patting the she-wolf's head gingerly.

"But y'all know what helps when it comes to getting out somethin' difficult Puppy?" Audrey asked. "Especially with the one y'all love?"

Vernon smirked. "Naw..." The wolf chuckled. "What?"

"Lettin' 'em know they're loved, regardless of what's twisted 'em up inside. And that nothin' they could say would make you stop lovin' 'em." Audrey smiled up at the wolf, cupping his cheek in her palm.

"Nothing could be a bigger help than that." Audrey patted his cheek gently. "And that's what Dawnie needs, our help. Okay?" The she-wolf nodded.

Vernon tilted his head curiously. He wasn't quite sure what his mother meant by 'help', but regardless he soon found himself softly nodding along in agreement. Audrey's smile widened, giving the wolf a playful pat on the cheek.

"Now let's go find Dawn and have a little talk." Audrey said with a determined nod. "We'll get everythin' sorted out, I promise."

Vernon wanted to object, he wanted to handle this part on his own. But the words failed to come as Audrey made for the barn's exit, making a steady stride in the direction of the barbeque area. She had made it almost completely past the van by the time Vernon had fully processed what was happening, and jogged to catch up with her.

"Wait ma, I should-."

Audrey waved him off as she continued to cross the grassy meadow, the wolfess chuckling softly.

"Oh c'mon Vernon." Audrey shrugged. "If it gets too personal I'll step back. But at the very least I'm going to congratulate my daughter-in-law on the tithe before I leave you both to discuss it." Audrey smirked. "Bringin' it up will kinda force her to talk about it with you, I mean if that's what is botherin' her after all..." The wolfess shrugged. "Then y'all can just take it from there."

Vernon winced slightly, uncertain of the she-wolf's plan. But with no plan of his own to put forth, and his mother more or less spurring the charge forward, the wolf continued to trail her as they approached the barbeque area.

"You spot her Vern?" Audrey asked, the she-wolf slowing to a stop as they approached the nearest table to them. At the moment it remained un-mammaled. Adorned with various paper plates and plastic cups that were held in place by varying sizes of rocks should a wind pick up. Vernon placed a paw above his brow, carefully taking in the area in a slow, sweeping gesture.

Fairly close by was the table the remaining Hunter girls were more or less huddled around, most of whom were in the process of picking at the variety of finger foods Vernon imagined Malcolm had already prepped for the event. He could see Vanna lamely picking at the shrimp plate, with Qali occasionally jumping up to snipe a morsel of food before slipping beneath the edge of the table again.

Further along he could see Malcolm working at the grill, the russet colored wolf running a paw through his sopping mane as he flipped what Vernon could only assume by the smell was some sort of salmon fillet. Vernon had to take a moment to shake off the delectable scent, wiping his maw briskly before returning to the task at paw.

Across from the red wolf chef Vernon could see the drink cooler, and much to his distaste his brother Yuri. The dark furred wolf had taken a leaning stance against it, almost appearing clasped to it for dear life as he stared on with bleary eyes toward Ada and Trenton as they swept up what looked like some sort of broken bottle strewn about the nearby grass. Vernon could only guess that the accident was Yuri's doing, based on the fact that Ada was cleaning up after it. It was one of her specialties when it came to the boorish brother of his that she had for some reason chosen to attach herself to.

As he continued to scan the grounds, passing over Wade, Zach and Xavier in the midst of what appeared to be a very engaging discussion the wolf slowly became aware of his father's overall absence from the grounds. By now he was certain the older wolf would have been back from the fair, and traditionally he would be parading around the barbeque still clad in his work get-up complete with his sheriff's hat. Yet the iconic dusky hat and badge were nowhere to be seen.   
"Pa's not here." Vernon muttered.

"He's inside." Audrey replied, letting out an irritated huff. "He's still stickin' to his guns about stayin' in his study fer the rest of the weekend." The she-wolf grumbled. "Not that'd I'd be willin' to put up with him poutin' around the barbeque and ruinin' everyone's fun."

Vernon sighed. He shouldn't have been surprised that his father had elected to hide in the house rather than come outside and take a chance at getting to know his mate. His father had made his decree, and as such any negotiations would have to be brought to him, not the other way around. That was Dorian's nature, stubborn until the end. Until he either got his way, or Audrey finally talked some sense into him. Still, Vernon had some hope that maybe the old law wolf would have shown his muzzle for the sake of the others. Surely Xavier, Trenton, Ulric and even Yuri would have wanted some time with the old mam'. But Dorian had become fixated with his distaste for the ewe's presence to the point that Vernon's brothers were being made to suffer for it.

"Is that her...and Ulric?" Audrey interjected, drawing Vernon out of his thoughts. Bringing his paw back to his brow, the wolf glanced toward where his mother was gesturing. Vernon recognized the wooly poof in an instant, her trademark coif bobbing slightly as she seemed to be talking with the dusky gray wolf. Vernon winced, there was no mistaking Ulric's lithe and twitchy form appearing to loom over his mate.

"Oh no." Vernon was jogging as the words left his muzzle. Ulric was actually talking to her. And while Vernon was at least thankful the conversation seemed to be calm from a distance, he couldn't imagine what absolutely insane ravings the ewe was being subjected to. 

"Dawn!" Vernon called out, raising a paw as he closed the gap between him and the pair. The ewe quickly turned her head in his direction, quirking an eyebrow as Vernon slowed to a stop.

"....One glove? Who wears one glove?" Vernon could hear Ulric concluding as he arrived, the twitchy wolf throwing Vernon a curious glance of his own.

"What's up Vernon?" Ulric asked, nonchalantly.

Vernon narrowed his gaze at the wolf.

"You been badgerin' my gal?" Vernon muttered, crossing his arms as he glared at the wolf

Ulric shrunk into his shoulders slightly, donning a nervous expression.

"W-Wha-? No-I-?"

"It's fine Vernon." Dawn interjected, taking one of Vernon's paws in her own and flashing him a smile. "Ulric and I were just having a fascinating discussion about Moira Blackwool."

Vernon furrowed his brow, the wolf taking a moment to glance between the oddly chipper ewe and the fidgety wolf. His eyes darting between them again and again as the wolf tried to process what Dawn had said. 

"Fascinatin'....discussion?" Vernon muttered dumbly. 'Fascinating discussion' and Ulric were two things that simply did not go together. The wolf simply didn't have the capacity to explain a single subject without going off into crazy, insane rambling that even a pup would think twice about listening to. Yet Dawn was wearing a genuine smile despite having been stuck talking to the peculiar wolf for who knew how long.

"Yes." Dawn continued, nodding affirmatively. "He's actually shown me quite a bit of interesting historical idiosyncrasies regarding the Queen that actually have some degree of substance to them." Dawn gestured to her phone. "It may prove very useful to my book."

Vernon cringed, rearing his head back slightly in disbelief.

"Y-You're serious Honey Lamb?" Vernon muttered, glancing back toward the awkward wolf. Ulric was now leaning against the table, a smug smile forming on his muzzle. Dawn simply nodded again.

"And he didn't say anythin'...untoward?" Vernon asked, throwing Ulric a judgmental glare. 

Dawn giggled, shaking her head dismissively. "Oh no, he was quite polite."

Ulric crossed his arms, his smile growing into a confident toothy grin. It only lasted for a moment as the wolf seemed to lose his balance, and had to keep himself from falling over the table. The grey wolf scrambled back into place quickly, throwing up a significantly less confident smile as he poorly attempted to play off his folly.

Vernon eyed him silently for a few more moments before letting out a defeated sigh. 

"Alright Ully..." Vernon muttered. "My bad."

Ulric grinned widely as he walked toward the wolf, dusting off his shirt as he approached.

"See!" Ulric whined. "I didn't do anything!" The grey wolf stuck his tongue out teasingly. "Why doesn't anyone around here ever trust me!?"

"Because when we do, you decide it's a good idea to go streakin' across the Meadowlands." That had come from Audrey, the she-wolf finally approaching the group of mammals. Vernon hadn't realized he had left her behind in his rush to 'save' his Honey Lamb from Ulric's ramblings.

The dusky wolf's ears sagged sharply, his eyes wide with a mixture of horror and disbelief.

"MA!" Ulric spat. " I HAD TO DO THAT!" Ulric ran a paw through his messy, draping hair. "THEY PUT BUGS IN MY CLOTHES!"

Vernon rolled his eyes.

"Bugs?" Dawn muttered.

"TRACKING DEVICES!" The wolf proclaimed.

Vernon sighed.

"Alright Ully Darlin'." Audrey's tone was reassuring despite Ulric's ridiculous behavior. The she-wolf approached her lanky son, gingerly placing an arm around him as she placed her other paw on his chest. "I'm sure they did. But y'all need to calm down."

Ulric whined softly, his ears twitching as he nervously fidgeted his paws.

"Y-you believe me Ma?" Ulric whimpered.

"Of course I do my little Ully." Audrey chuckled, patting his chest affectionately. "I tell ya what. We got some nice mineral water in the cooler fer ya. Why don't y'all go get some and leave us here to talk fer a while?"

Ulric glanced at Dawn for a moment, his muzzle scrunching up slightly as his eyes darted around in their sockets. It was clear Ulric was having a hard time processing what was going on. "M-mineral water?"

"Yes sweetie..." Audrey cooed. "Yer favorite."

Ulric nodded meekly.

"It'll calm ya down. Okay?" Audrey added, starting to move the wolf away from the group, pushing him gently in the direction of the drink cooler. Ulric nodded dumbly, shuffling a few steps away before turning back to glance at the group. Ulric's gaze fixed on Dawn momentarily, the wolf squinting for a moment as he appeared to be thinking.

"Those lines on your hooves might be an early sign of calcium deficiency. You might want to look for a supplement or some other method to increase your calcium intake" the wolf mumbled, before finally turning away from the group and making tracks for the cooler.

Vernon chuckled, his muzzle furrowing into a bemused smirk as he watched the wolf walk away. He couldn't believe it. Had his brother Ulric actually treated a sheep, a Bellwether, like an actual mammal?

"Well I'll be flea-dipped." Vernon muttered, turning his attention back to the ewe at his side. "I think Ulric actually likes you?"

Dawn was busy inspecting her hooves, eyeing them curiously for a moment before turning her attention to her mate.

"Oh...I don't know about that..." Dawn murmured, tapping her hooves together nervously. "I mean, he might just think I-I hypnotized him later or something..."

Vernon chuckled, scooping the ewe up in his arms in a swift motion. Dawn let out a quiet 'Eep!' at the sudden movement, the ewe giggling as she playfully tried to push the wolf away from her. Despite it, Vernon managed to get his nose close enough to steal a nuzzle.

"Who couldn't be when faced with a ewe so charmin'!" Vernon cooed.

"Puppy! StaahhP!" The ewe protested between fits of giggling. The minuscule ewe's half-hearted pushes were little match for the wolf, as he easily snuck in a few kisses.

"Well don't I feel like a third wheel." Audrey said with a laugh.

Vernon stopped in his tracks, the wolf becoming acutely embarrassed of his behavior at the realization his mother was still standing among them. The wolf's ears sagged slightly as he drew his muzzle back from its close proximity to his mate. Vernon offered the wolfess a sheepish grin.

"Ehh...sorry ma." Vernon said weakly, earning another giggle from his mate.

Audrey cocked an eyebrow, flashing the pair a knowing grin. "It's alright, it's alright." The wolfess tutted. "As long as we don't have a repeat of last night, it's all fine."

Out of the corner of his eye, Vernon could see an intense blush had formed on Dawn's muzzle, and she was desperately trying to hide it.

"S-sorry Audrey." Dawn muttered.

Audrey chuckled. "Now, now, that's all in the past. Y'all have made good on payin' me back fer it." The she-wolf clapped her paws together loudly. "But now we should be celebratin'!"

Dawn tilted her head slightly, the ewe clearly confused.

"I thought we were celebrating?" Dawn asked meekly.

Audrey chuckled. "Well, I mean sure we are." The she-wolf smirked, running a paw through her hair as she glanced back at the rest of the barbeque. "But I'm talkin' about you and Vernon!" 

The ewe's smile faltered slightly. Her previous confused expression now mixing with visible concern.

"V-Vernon and I?" Dawn murmured.

Audrey nodded excitedly, the she-wolf's grin expanding wide enough to show teeth.

"Yessir!" Audrey cooed. "I can't tell y'all how excited I am knowin' yer gonna be gettin' tithed!"

The last bit of Dawn's lingering smile fell completely, her eyes growing wide as her muzzle twisted into something close to abject horror. She looked at Vernon only for a moment before trying her best to hide her expression. But it was far too late, Vernon had already seen it. Still the ewe seemed determined to play it off.

"O-OH!" Dawn chirped, her voice breaking as she attempted to sound as if nothing was wrong. "O-our tithe?"

Audrey shook her head, raising a finger at the couple.

"Now, now Dawn." Audrey cooed. "I'm sure yer probably frettin' over old Dori." 

Vernon felt the ewe tense in his grip at the sound of his father's name. His mother was clearly on the right track. Suddenly Vernon was feeling a bit more confident that Dawn wasn't suddenly suffering from a bad case of cold hooves, as ridiculous as the prospect had been in the first place. 

"D-Dorian?" Dawn stammered.

"Mhh-hmm." Audrey continued. "But we are gonna straighten that old wolf out, don't you worry Darlin'." Audrey puffed her chest slightly, flashing the couple a confident grin. "We'll bring him around don't you worry.

"W-We will?" Dawn stuttered. Vernon could feel the ewe trembling slightly now.

"Dawn?" Vernon asked, gently turning her head to face him. He could feel her resist slightly, but ultimately relent. However, the ewe averted her gaze from meeting his own. "Honey Lamb? You okay?"

Dawn let out a quiet, worried groan as she covered her eyes with a hoof. 

"Dawn." Vernon cooed, gently pulling her hoof away from her face in an effort to make eye contact. "C'mon, talk to me Honey." Vernon whined softly. "Please."

"I-I can't..." Dawn whimpered. "I-I just.."

"Is it Dori Honey?" Audrey asked, placing a paw on Vernon's arm as she sidled up near the pair. "Because we can work it out, we will."

Dawn closed her eyelids tightly, the ewe turning away from the wolves completely.

"We were gonna have a family meetin' right after the barbeque." Audrey reassured. "Dorian an' me, an' you an' Vern. We'll all sit down in the study and talk it ou-."

"NO!" Dawn shouted, turning back to face the pair as she clutched at Vernon's arms. "WE CAN'T! I CAN'T!" Her eyes were brimming with tears now, which only served to further upset Vernon. The ewe quickly turned away again, trying to hide her eyes with her hooves. Vernon let out another whine.

"Dawn." Vernon whimpered, trying to bring her eyes back to his own. Now the ewe was fighting, doing her damndest to pull her muzzle free of his grip just to keep from looking at him. "Please tell me what's wrong!" The wolf whimpered. He could feel his own tears beginning to brim as the ewe fought back. 

"I-I!" Dawn finally relented, allowing herself to face the wolf. As soon as her eyes finally met his, she began to bawl.

"DORIAN SAID NO!" Dawn threw her face into Vernon's chest, balling her hooves tightly in his shirt as she sobbed.

Vernon glanced at his mother for a moment, raising the she-wolf a concerned brow. 

"Darlin' I-"

"I s-spoke to him..." Dawn whimpered into Vernon's shirt. He could feel her hot breath bleeding through the fabric with each of the ewe's wracking sobs. "In his study, l-last night."

Vernon froze as what the ewe was saying registered, his ears standing sharply to attention as the realization washed over him. 

"What happened?" Vernon barked, gingerly pulling Dawn away from her place nestled in his chest. The ewe was still shuddering with each heavy, agonizing looking sob. Vernon pawed away some of the tears from under her lenses with a thumb, doing his best to remain gentle despite the fact that he had completely tensed up. 

"I-I..." Dawn shuddered, letting out a sharp snort as she attempted to stifle her sobs. "I went in w-while you and Audrey were doing the dishes." The ewe lifted her glasses, rubbing her eyes.

"I-I thought I-..." Dawn gasped.

"Easy now Darlin'." Audrey cooed. The wolfess placed a paw to Dawn's cheek, rubbing it gently with a thumb. "Calm down."

Dawn drew back from her grip, shaking her head dismissively.

"I thought If I-I talked to him maybe I-." Dawn sniffled sharply. "Maybe I-I could get him t-to give me a ch-chance."

"Dawn." Audrey cooed, but despite her attempts to soother the ewe, Dawn simply ignored her. The ewe was on a roll now, and Vernon could tell she wouldn't be able to regain her composure until she had poured her heart out.

"But he told me no!" Dawn spat, gritting her teeth. "I-I hurt Zach. I-."

"We know Darlin'." Vernon cooed, placing a paw on her cheek. The ewe looked back at his in shock, her eyes wide with terror.

"And it's alright Darlin'." Audrey added, drawing Dawn's attention her way. "It's all in the past now." The ewe's wide eyes darted between the wolves. The lamb was clearly struggling, probably unsure if they had understood exactly what she was hinting at.

"And I forgive you" Audrey added, flashing the ewe a concerned smile. " And so does Zach, and everyone else here."

Dawn continued to stare in shock, but Vernon could tell the words were starting to register as a fresh wave of tears began to flow from the ewe's eyes. Before the wolf could interject with a reassurance of his own, Dawn had buried her face back into his chest for another round of heaving sobs.

"N-No! I-I..." Dawn bawled, rubbing her face into Vernon's chest. The moist patch left by his mother's tears from earlier hadn't even dried yet, and he could feel Dawn's own tears spreading into the older stain. 

"It is my fault!" The ewe heaved. "W-why are y-you just going to l-let it go like that!?"

"Because I love you Dawn." Vernon cooed.

"We all love you." Audrey added, placing a paw on the ewe's shoulders. "We love you and we forgive you Darlin'."

Vernon could feel Dawn let out another, hard shuddering sob, her fists tightly twisting his shirt as she convulsed. Vernon placed a paw on the ewe's back, gingerly rubbing it as he lay his head atop her own. 

"It's alright Darlin'..." Vernon said sweetly. "It's alright..."

Dawn shuddered again, her sobs starting to quiet with each hacking weep though never fully going away. Vernon let her sob quietly for a while, trying to give the ewe enough time despite his nerves screaming at him to find out every detail of what father had said. 

In the well of his chest, he could already feel the heat of his anger rising, tying his stomach into knots. Dorian had blamed his mate for Zach's accident in no uncertain terms, he had put her in this state. The shuddering, broken ewe in his arms was the direct result of his father's cruel accusations, and it was clear Dawn had been afraid to discuss it for fear of how Vernon and the others would feel about the accident. After all, if the older wolf blamed her for it, then why wouldn't the rest of his family? And worse yet, the ewe had been sitting on that for nearly a day. Dawn had been holding that from him, from everyone despite how much it hurt her. All because of whatever scare the old 'mam had managed to put into her over it.

"Dawn..." Vernon muttered, his voice growing firm despite trying his best to remain cool and soothing. Vernon gingerly lifted her head, the still sniffling ewe whimpering softly as her eyes met his. "What else did he say?"

Dawn let out another soft whimper, wiping her eye with a hoof.

"H-He told me...I..." Dawn shuddered, it seemed like the ewe was about to break into another fit of sobbing until Vernon placed his paw against her cheek, caressing it gently.

"Tell me..."

Dawn sniffled, her shimmering eyes finally managing to meet Vernon's own.

"T-that I-I'd never be a part of the f-family..." Dawn sniffled harshly. "Th-that I w-was just a cheap little gimmer y-you were experimenting with!" 

That managed to draw a sharp gasp from Audrey. And out of the corner of his eye, Vernon could see the she-wolf had covered her muzzle with a paw in shock. But Dawn wasn't done, between her choking sobs and gasps for air she continued.

"That as l-long as he was he-head of the household th-that..." 

A cry slipped out of the ewe's throat, and she quickly covered her muzzle with her hooves, turning away from the wolf briefly. Vernon watched the ewe take a deep shuddering breath, her hooves tightly balled up as she seemed to be steeling herself to finish her sentence. 

With a final sigh, the ewe sharply turned back to Vernon, her eyes' glazed with fresh tears.

"That I wo-would never be a Hu-Hunter!" And with her final declarative statement, the ewe once again buried her face into the wolf's chest.

Dawn continued to quietly cry, but Vernon couldn't hear it anymore. In fact, the wolf couldn't seem to hear anything anymore. The sound of the wind and the chatter of the barbeque seemed to die away under the deafening roar of the white-hot inferno quickly sweeping through Vernon's mind. His pulse was quickening, and his blood carried the rising heat from his mind to the rest of his body. His veins feeling as though they were surging with boiling hot lava as the flushed into his increasingly tense muscles. With each pump of his heart, his burning muscles contracted like pistons firing, the speed growing faster and faster in time with his thrumming heartbeat.

He could see Dorian's face in his mind, the image of the stubborn, miserable wolf screaming at his little Honey Lamb. The ewe who simply came to him asking for a chance only to be turned away, and cruelly so. To declare that he would simply never accept her, no matter what. He could see her cowering under his shouts, his piercing judgmental stare. Mouthing words like 'Gimmer' and other hateful sheep slurs at the crumpled lamb left to his mercy. The wolf's face was growing redder as the images continued to play in Vernon's imagination, but it was no blush. It was the haze of Vernon's own mind view, the surge of hatred and rage cascading over every neuron firing in his brain.

Vernon gritted his teeth tightly, the sound of the muscles in his jaw popping. His heartbeat was thrumming so loudly now that he could feel his body actively trembling with each 'thud'. Slowly, Vernon gently placed the ewe in his arms on the ground before wordlessly rising to his feet and turning to face the house. Vernon balled his fists tightly as he took in a slow, methodical breath of air, his eyes now fixed on the unassuming Hunter Ranch where his Father was hiding away. 

The wolf exhaled slowly, but it did nothing to stem the raging inferno simmering just beneath his pelt.

Vernon was mad.


	37. Barbeque Brawl

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Barbeque Brawl

"Vernon?" 

Dawn pulled away from the wolf's chest, taking a moment to lift her glasses and lamely swab at the steady stream of tears that were still pouring from her reddened eyes. The ewe had mostly exhausted herself now. She had spent minutes hacking and sobbing into Vernon's shirt. Wailing and whimpering over her meeting with the wolf's father until she had used up nearly everything she had. Her chest was burning from the many sharp gasps she had taken to catch her breath, her throat was hoarse from the wracking sobs. All of her emotional energy had been spent save for lingering tears.

But it was out now, all the pain and anguish she had been keeping a secret from her mate. The burning, agonizing weight that hung heavy on her heart had mostly dissolved away. It had all been forced out with her blubbering hysterics, carried on the waves of her tears until all that remained was the lingering sadness of having gone through the whole terrible experience. As well as the guilt of having kept it from Vernon for so long. But with her mind now mostly cleared of the heavy emotional burden, her composure began to swiftly return. And as it did, the lamb became acutely aware of just how silent her mate had grown. Vernon hadn't said a word since she had buried herself in his chest, and at some point had stopped comfortingly petting her back. It was that growing realization which made her draw back from the wolf so suddenly. The alarm bells in her mind starting to sound as she glanced up to her mate.

Vernon was silent, his features cold and grim as he stared off into the horizon. His eyes were fixed, yet lacking any real focus, as if he wasn't truly staring at anything. His brow was furrowed slightly, and the frown on his muzzle was unmistakable. It was clear to Dawn that he was lost in his own thoughts now, most likely mulling over everything she had said with increasing and worrying intensity. 

"Vernon?" Dawn asked again, placing a hoof on his upper arm in an attempt to draw his attention. The wolf didn't even register it, only adding to the ewe's rising fear. The looming terror that Vernon was certain to act out against his father, and what that would mean for the family.

Dawn looked to Audrey for help, but she found the she-wolf had developed a similar stance to her son. Her eyes fixed, yet distant. The only difference between Audrey and her son was that the she-wolf wasn't wearing a matching frown. Audrey's was more intense, her teeth exposed into a full gritting grimace as her ears lie tightly flattened against her head. Dawn could swear she could hear Audrey growling.

It was clear her admission had clearly gotten to Audrey just as it had gotten to Vernon, and it only helped to spur the ewe into a full-on panic.

Dawn's eyes darted around rapidly in their sockets as she began to frantically scan for anyone else to help, a Hunter to call on in hopes of diffusing the brewing storm. Hopefully, one who hadn't overheard any of the sensitive discussion between the group of mammals, and therefore might act without some degree of emotional bias. But her frenzied search of the barbeque only revealed with a dawning horror that every Hunter had most certainly heard the ewe's outburst in full. From Zach to Wade, from Vanna to Qali, the mammals stared back at her with a mixture of awkward expressions. Sadness, shock, discomfort, all of it in mute silence. Some of them were exchanging glances, looking to one another as if to make certain they had heard the same thing and struggling to process it in their own ways, much as Vernon and Audrey were now doing. The soft breeze and the crinkle of leaves had grown deafening over the eerie silence that now plagued the Hunter barbeque grounds.

Dawn felt herself bob slightly, causing her to immediately jerk her attention back to the wolf holding her. Slowly his muzzle curled into a sneer, and soon the ewe found herself being lowered to the ground. It was a slow, deliberate movement, almost mechanical as the ewe made her way down. A mixture of care and restraint seemed to permeate the action, as if the wolf was struggling to keep himself steady and composed despite the now low growl of his own that had begun to emanate from his throat. It was as if he was struggling to maintain some degree of control over himself despite the clear rising anger now coursing through the wolf. To contain the rising fire within as it tried to claw its way out any way it could. The wolf was a tea kettle that was nearly ready to sound, and his growl was the wisps of the oncoming squeal of steam that had begun to leak out of the only exit he'd allow.

Dawn tried to protest, to remain in the wolf's arms as she began to put together what was happening. But as Vernon pulled away there was little she could do to remain clasped on. His movement was a bit sharper as he returned to a standing position, his terse motion preventing the ewe from getting a firm hold on his arms. Dawn watched as the wolf slowly turned away from her, coming to a stop in the direction of the Hunter Ranch. The wolf's ear's flattening firmly against his head as his growl grew louder.

"Vernon!" Dawn protested, running up to his side and grasping her arms around one of the wolf's legs. "No! Please!"

The wolf's growl stopped almost as soon as she had clasped his side, and the wolf's anger gnarled expression shifted to one of mild surprise as he glanced down at the ewe below. 

"Don't do this!" She continued, flashing the wolf the widest eyes she could muster. "Please Puppy Love! I don't want any more fighting!"

The wolf frowned sharply, letting out a soft whine as he crouched to the ewe's level. The wolf ran a gentle paw through Dawn's wooly poof before resting his paw against her face for a moment, caressing it gently. Vernon let out a tired sigh. Despite the gesture, Dawn refused to release her grip on the wolf's leg.

"Vernon please." Dawn pleaded, leaning into his palm. "Just wait. There has to be another wa-"

"It's too late Darlin'. " Vernon muttered with a frown. "There ain't no other way..."

The wolf gingerly placed his paws on her wrists and carefully pulled himself free of her grip. It didn't require much strength on his part, which made the ewe feel that much more powerless as his gentle efforts overpowered her grasp with ease. Vernon was frowning sharply, and she was certain she saw the glimmer of tears in the corners of his eyes as he gave her a simple shake of the head.

"I'm startin' to think there never really was..." Vernon whined softly.

Once more the wolf rose to his feet, leveling his gaze back on the Hunter Ranch as his deep, thrumming growl returned. His muzzle curled back into a sneer as his eyes squinted at the unassuming home. The wolf began to stomp his way toward the ranch, but only managed to make it a few steps before, much to Dawn's relief, the other Hunter's finally sprang into action.

"Woah, easy now Vern." Wade led with, the gray wolf jogging ahead of the others and blocking Vernon's forward path. Wade held his arms out, creating a wider physical barrier as the other brothers approached. 

"Vernon, you should take a few minutes to calm down mam'." Zach added as he sidled in behind one of Wade's arms. "I don't like the look you've got on that muzzle."

Vernon gave the mammals a derisive snort as Xavier and Trenton arrived, but at least he remained still. For now, Vernon had stopped in his tracks, and the ewe was thankful for it.

"Whatever you are thinking, please take some time to rethink it!" Xavier pleaded. "We can all talk to him, it doesn't ha-"

"My rake..." That had come from Audrey. The she-wolf's ears were still tightly flattened against her head, and now she was fully baring her teeth. Dawn winced as her attention returned to Audrey. She had nearly forgotten about the second fire that had seemed to be brewing.

Trenton immediately broke from the brotherly barricade and dashed to the she-wolf's side. The icy white wolf placed a paw on his mother's shoulder.

"Now, now Ma. There's no need to-"

"I want my rake!" The she-wolf spat. "Or somethin' blunt and heavy from the barn so I can knock some sense into that mutt!" Audrey hissed. The she-wolf harshly pushed Trenton's paw off of her shoulder as she began a march of her own.

"I don't care what kinda misgivin's that hounds got! Y'all don't slur a lady!" The wolfess huffed as she stomped. "Especially not one of my girls!" Dawn watched in stunned silence as Audrey strode past her, walking around the group of wolves as she continued her trip toward the old Hunter Barn.

"Sweet Sawgrass..." Trenton muttered, running a paw through his hair before running after the she-wolf.

"Little help guys!?" The icy wolf spat as he passed the remaining wolves in his pursuit of his mother. Zach, Xavier, and Wade exchanged brief glances, giving the appearance of a silent deliberation going on between the wolves. It took a few seconds of the mammals eyeing one another with increasing intensity before eventually Xavier let out an irritated sigh. The bespectacled wolf took a moment to adjust his frames before tailing after the white wolf and leaving Zach and Wade alone to keep Vernon penned in. 

Vernon was moving now, but only slightly. His body shifting and swaying as he tried to peer over his brothers. The wolf occasionally jerked forward, clearly trying to find an effective way around his brothers by apparently testing the weakness of their makeshift barrier.

"Vernon, seriously!" Zach held his paws out defensively. "You need to cool down!"

"COOL DOWN!?" Vernon lunged forward, snarling at the russet wolf before backing away just as quickly. "Cool down?" He asked again, his tone quieter and quavering.

"Y-you heard what happened!" Vernon continued. "What he said!" The wolf was still growling. "I can't let that stand!"

"So what are you gonna do? Huh, Vern?" Wade asked. "You gonna fight the old mam'!? Beat him senseless!?"

Vernon ran a shaking paw through his hair.

"You actually think...?" Vernon stopped mid-sentence, chuckling weakly. "Not like he wouldn't deserve it." The wolf spat, gesturing a fist in an uppercut motion. "Send him sprawlin' through that desk o' his!"

"Vernon." Zach tried to place a paw on Vernon's shoulder, only for the wolf the recoil.

"Vernon what!?" The wolf spat. "Tell me I'm in the wrong!" Vernon let out a loud snarl. "Tell me Y'all wouldn't want to do the same if pa said somethin' like that to your girl!?"

Zach and Wade were silent, the wolves seemingly struggling to come up with a way to refute Vernon's claim. Zach placed a paw to his muzzle, stroking his chin softly as he thought. But it was clear the red-grey wolf was having trouble coming to a conclusion as the silence lingered long enough for Vernon to try to push past the pair. They managed to hold him back, but just barely.

"Okay, YES!" Zach spat. "Is that what you wanted to hear!?"

Vernon crossed his arms, flashing the pair a satisfied smirk.

"But I trust that my brothers would be there to stop me from making a terrible mistake!" Zach was quick to add, the wolf placing a paw on his head as he looked toward the sky. "To tell me how gettin' into a fist fight with the ol mam' is only gonna make things worse!"

"And it will make things worse Vernon!" Wade added, the wolf managing to get a paw on Vernon's shoulder. "Hell you might as well be throwin' punches if you plan on making good on what y'all said last night!" Wade let out a soft whine. "We need to talk it out!"

Dawn was confused. Up to this point, she had been sure Vernon was ready to get into an actual brawl with his father over what he had said to her. Despite Vernon's general distaste for acting out in violence, something the wolf had taken up after his more brutish teenage years, she could see the glimmer of fire in the wolf's eyes. The same fire that she had seen when the wolf was arguing on her behalf with Nick and Judy after the Bug Burga attack. Vernon's back was against the wall, and every fiber within him was clearly telling him the time had come to 'fight or flight'. To get in and throw a few punches, and most likely get them thrown off the ranch.

She had not only been worried for Vernon and herself, but the ripple of infighting Vernon's actions would cause in his wake. This was especially true in regards to Audrey's relationship with her husband, and what Dawn's admission to what happened in the study would do to it. Her legacy in Dorian's eyes was already stricken with a multitude of black marks, and turning his wife against him wasn't exactly going to improve Dawn's case, or what little of it may have remained.   
Even in the best case scenario, in which Audrey was able to force the wolf's paw into accepting Dawn. A defeated, bitter and spiteful Dorian wearing a strained, fake smile at all times around her wasn't exactly the kind of relationship she would preferred to have with her mates father. Then, of course, there was the damage that would be done to the other Hunter's relationships with one another. Arguments, more fighting, sides being taken. Most assuredly some would refuse to talk to some of the others, and in the worse case scenario, she was certain punches would be thrown. Or at least that was how she had seen things playing out at first.

But it was becoming clear that the wolf had something else in mind based on the argument she was hearing. Something worse, at least to Wade and Zach, than even the prospect of striking Dorian.

Vernon grasped Wade's paw, throwing it off of his shoulder as he made another lunging motion at the wolf.

"WHAT IS THERE LEFT TO TALK OUT?!" Vernon snarled. "YOU HEARD WHAT HE SAID!" The wolf's eyes darted from Zach to Wade and back again, like a caged animal looking for a way out. Luckily the two brothers remained firm in their stance, Vernon's ire failing to intimidate the law wolves. "DAWN WENT THERE TO REACH OUT AN OLIVE BRANCH, AND NOT ONLY DID HE PRACTICALLY SPIT IN HER FACE, BUT HE MADE HIS POSITION ON HER BEIN' A PART OF THIS FAMILY CRYSTAL CLEAR!"

By now Ulric was making his way over to the scene, but instead of taking a stance next to his brothers in an effort to keep Vernon from heading inside, the twitchy wolf simply returned to his place near the chocolate fountain. The wolf took a small swig of his mineral water, eyeing the quarreling mammals warily as he began to pace. Ulric was quietly muttering to himself, but Dawn couldn't make out exactly what he was saying.

"Vernon, please-"

"You tell me what other options I got! If y'all got any other great ideas on how to change his mind I'd love to hear it!" Vernon hissed. "But you and I both know exactly how he is, especially when he makes one of his 'decrees'!"

The wolf glanced back at Dawn for a moment, his expression softening to one of pain and frustration. Vernon let out a soft whine, running a paw through the fur on his scalp before turning back to face his brothers.

"He's given us no other choice but to force him to hear me out!" Vernon huffed. "To show him exactly what is at stake if he sticks to his guns!"

Vernon tried to push past the two wolves again, but the mammalian-made brace they had built between them easily fended the wolf's attempt off. The large wolf let out a growl, attempting to press between them with increasing force. But each try met with the same degree of failure, his brothers holding steady against each of the wolf's onslaughts until finally, the wolf backed off once again. Vernon glared at his brothers.

"Vernon..." Zach frowned. "Please don't do this."

"I have to." Vernon replied, his tone hushed but firm.

"Vernon! We can talk-"

"If you two have any respect for me-" Dawn could hear his voice crack slightly, and the wolf paused for a moment. Vernon reached out, placing a paw on each of his brother's shoulders. The wolf frowned, and Dawn could spot the start of tears forming in the corner of his eyes once again as he met their gaze. 

"Any respect for me as your brother." Vernon continued. "As your friend."

Vernon let out a soft, shuddering sigh. "You won't stand in my way."

"But Ver-"

"I have to do this." Vernon cut Wade off, causing the wolf to let out a worried whine. "I have to. Please. I have to make Pa see how far I'm willing to go for Dawn. I have to defend my mate."

"H-how far?" Dawn thought as she watched in terrified silence. Now she was completely unsure of the wolf's intentions, and that made the fear building inside her that much worse. What could possibly be worse than a physical altercation with Dorian? What was Vernon planning to do?

Wade let out another soft whine, and Dawn could see his eyes were brimming with tears of his own. The dusky gray wolf gave Vernon a soft nod before slowly stepping out of his way. For a moment, Zach looked at him as if he had been betrayed. But his expression soon shifted to one of grim acceptance as he joined Wade in slowly stepping aside.

"Thanks fellas." Vernon murmured softly, his voice trembling as he spoke.

Zach simply looked away from Vernon. While Wade pawed at the tears forming in his eyes.

"Just go on..." Zach murmured. "Get it over with before the others get back and talk some sense into us."

Vernon nodded softly, and Dawn watched in horror as he began to make his way between the pair and back toward the house.

"Wait!" Dawn scurried after the wolf. She had to stop him, to do anything she could to convince the wolf from going through with whatever crazy plan he was dead set on enacting on her behalf. But her objections were cut short before she even got the chance express them as she came to a stop between Wade and Zach. Vernon had once again halted in his tracks as another brother now stood in his way. The hateful yellow eyes and menacing grin of the jet-black wolf causing Dawn to freeze in place before he shifted his attention back to Vernon. With a sluggish motion, the mammal pressed a paw against Vernon's chest and pushed him backward. Vernon stumbled, but only slightly.

"Shit." Dawn heard Zach mutter.

Dawn could only watch in silent horror as Yuri began to speak.

"Well, well, well..." Yuri snickered, lazily placing his paws on his hips as he narrowed his gaze at the larger wolf. "Where are you off to in such a hurry, little Runt?"

The gray wolf let out a terse sigh. "I don't have time for this shit right now Yuri."

Vernon tried to dart around the jet-black wolf, but Yuri moved with him, albeit listlessly. Vernon could smell a hint of alcohol on the wolf's breath as he once again blocked his path. Yuri feigned an expression of offense, placing a paw on his chest as he swayed slightly.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk..." Yuri's tone was one of mocking concern. "Is the little Puppy having a bad day because things didn't go his way?" Yuri snickered.

Vernon tried to move around the wolf again, But Yuri remained one step ahead despite his apparent mild inebriation. And Vernon once again found the wolf standing between him and the Hunter Ranch.

"Yuri." Vernon growled as the yellow-eyed wolf stared back at him blearily. Zach and Wade had done a fairly decent job at calming Vernon down, at least to some extent. But with Yuri blocking his way, the wolf could feel the flames within stoking back up. Of course it had to be Yuri, of course it had to be now. The wolf's patience was already well worn through. Knowing what his father said to Dawn, the slurs he used. The wolf had already been trying to fight back the overwhelming urge desire to hit the mammal. And while his intentions to take a swing at his father had been suppressed and brushed aside by his brothers and what little of his logical mind was still active. The buried urge was quickly finding new purchase when faced with the hateful jet-black wolf standing before him. The desire growing stronger as Yuri stoked the anger within him.

"Oh what!?" Yuri laughed, tilting his head back for a moment before leveling his gaze at Vernon once more. It was a lazy motion, sluggish and stilted by the alcohol. "First Y'all tell me to lay off you last night. To wait till the barbeque!" Yuri feigned another shocked expression. "Now here we are at the barbeque and Runt's going back on his word?!"

Before Vernon knew it, Yuri had slumped onto to him, pulling the wolf into a side hug and pressing his face against his, staring at him with one, wide, filmy golden orb. The alcoholic smell that clung to Yuri only intensified with the wolf so close to him now and Vernon's muzzle twisted into a cringe as the scent scalded his nostrils. 

"Now, that just don't seem too fair does it?" 

"Get off me!" Vernon pushed the wolf away, causing him to stumble slightly. For a moment Vernon thought he was going to slump to the ground, but at the last second the dark wolf managed to right himself, letting out a loud, howling laugh toward the sky.

"No, no, no..." Yuri chided as his chuckling died away. "I'm gonna make sure you keep good on yer promise!"

Vernon scoffed, once again trying to find his way around the wolf, but again Yuri swiveled into his path, spreading his arms out in an effort to better block his path. The jet-black wolf took a moment to gaze around the barbeque ground, grinning widely as he began to pump his paws in the air slightly. The wolf was gesturing to the other Hunters to close in around them, to bring themselves to what he must have seen as the front row for his latest performance.

"We gotta give these good mammals a show don't we!?"

Vernon hadn't given much thought to the scene that was unfurling around him until Yuri had brought it to his attention just how many eyes were now on the pair. He could see Wade and Zach had remained where they had been standing, now exchanging uncertain glances in a clear effort to figure out how to diffuse the situation. While closer to Vernon's side, the Hunter girls had gathered, Dawn included. The ewe was now holding on to Vanna's leg as the girls watched silently in a mixture of worry and concern. The pained expression on Dawn's face was enough to add another painful knot to the wolf's already twisted stomach. The look of sorrow on her face coupled with the steady flow of tears from her eyes, while at the same time reminding him what his father had done, also made him more aware of his actions. He had to keep his cool for the sake of his mate. Despite the overwhelming desire, he had to ignore Yuri's antics and make his move for the house. But the dark wolf was far from finished with his little display.

"Gotta show off that fer once lil' Verny doesn't get his way." Yuri chuckled. "This calls fer a celebration!"

"Yuri, would you shut ya mouth!?" That came from Ada. The hyena stood with her paws on her hips as she narrowed her gaze in the wolf's direction.

"You shut YER hole!" The wolf spat back, swinging his head lazily in Ada's direction. The black wolf bared his teeth, letting out a sharp snarl, but the hyena seemed less than impressed with the wolf's attempt at looking fearsome.

"Everyone coddles him! Even you!" Yuri hissed. "Y-Yer suppos'ta be on my side. To be with me..."

The wolf slung his head back toward Vernon, his yellow eyes fixing on the wolf.

"But no..." Yuri slurred. "Everyone has to bend over backwards fer Vernon!" The wolf sneered. "To make excuses fer Vernon!" 

Yuri stabbed a claw in Vernon's direction, nearly falling forward as he did. Despite the near collapse, the wolf's expression remained fixed in its hateful gaze.

"And when somethin' doesn't go right fer Vernon for once..." Yuri muttered.

"FOR ONCE!" The wolf staggered back, shouting to the heavens before eyeing the other Hunters incredulously. "Everyone of y'all is like..."

"Oh, how can we help Vernon?" The wolf put on a lame falsetto voice, going so far as to puppet one of his paws along with his words, flapping the digits in a mock conversation with his hand. "We should do something to protect Vernon's feelings!" The wolf raised his other paw, repeating the lackluster ventriloquist act with himself. "We should let Vernon just do whatever he wants because he can't stand to be told NO!"

The wolf finally let his paws drop listlessly back to his sides, chuckling to himself as he did so.

"And in the end little Vermin always gets his way..." Yuri grunted, turning his attention back to Vernon. "Ma and Pa accommodate him because he's their favorite."

"Ma doesn't have a favorite!" That came from Zach as the wolf made his way up to Vernon's side. The russet-grey wolf crossed his arms, lowering a judgmental stare Yuri's way. "Our parents love us all equally."

"OH RUT YOU GOODY TWO PAWS!" Yuri spat, baring his teeth at Zach as he did. The wolf took a moment to try and compose himself, running a trembling paw through his tall mane of fur before flicking it at the two wolves standing before him dismissively.

"Ma and Pa always worried about that RUNT the most!" Yuri spat. "Always reached out to him THE MOST!" Yuri stabbed a claw at Vernon, stopping just inches away from touching his chest with the point. " And when it came time for him to take up the job we was all supposed to..." Yuri slurred slightly, taking a moment to wipe at his muzzle with an arm before continuing. "To do what Pa trained all of us to do, he flaked!"

"No one said we had to be police officers Yuri." Wade had now made his way next to Vernon, standing on his opposite side and resting a paw on his shoulder. 

"BULL!" Yuri spat. "Pa's been trainin' us since we were pups for that job!" The wolf retracted his paw, reaching it blindly into his jacket. He fumbled around for a few moments before retrieving a shiny gold badge, emblazoned with the words 'Seaodder Police Department' from his breast pocket and thrusting it in their direction. "There wasn't any talk of us bein' anything else! Weren't any room for it!"

Yuri chuckled darkly to himself as he dumbly tried to place the badge back in his pocket. It took him a few tries, but eventually he managed to shove it back into its resting place. Giving the pocket a brisk pat before turning his attention back on his brothers.

"But Vernon has a bunch of childhood 'episodes'..." The wolf returned to stabbing another accusatory finger in Vernon's direction. "Which I might add, Ma and Pa did nothing but kiss his ass over!" The wolf spat, his yellow eyes squinting as they focused on Vernon. "And suddenly he gets to do whatever he wants!"

"You know Pa wasn't for it!" Vernon interjected with a low growl. "He fought me tooth and nail on bein' an architect!" 

Yuri simply chuckled, only serving to further anger Vernon.

"I had to support myself in Zootopia to pursue it!" Vernon hissed. "The ol' mam' didn't give me nothin' fer it!"

Yuri rolled his eyes. "You were supposed to fail..." Yuri chuckled. "To come crawlin' back on yer paws and knees when no mammal in their right mind would take a wolf fer that job!" Yuri let out a pleasant sigh. "Much less an unrepentant prey-chaser of a wolf like you."

Vernon let out a snarl, lunging slightly forward only to feel his brothers arms wrap around his, holding him from moving any farther forward.

"Easy Vern, easy." Zach said.

"This is what he wants." Wade added.

Yuri let out another barking laugh.

"Then he could finally take put you on the force, and eventually give ya Zach's job right?" Yuri said with a smirk. "I mean, we all know ol' Zachy boy wouldn't be his first choice fer deputy if he had his pick of the crop! He would be happy to replace him!"

Vernon felt Zach's arm slip away from restraining him as the russet wolf let out a snarl of his own.

"Shut yer mouth Yuri!" Zach hissed. "You have no idea-!"

"Only one worse than you is Wade, the gods only know how he made it through the Zootopian Police Academy!" Yuri cut the wolf off.

With that, Vernon's other arm came free as Wade began to growl.

"You keep talkin' like that and I'd be more than happy to let Vern kick yer drunk ass!" Wade muttered. "Hell, I'd help."

"Oh three on one, now that's hardly fair..." Yuri chuckled, lazily stretching an arm in the air and bracing it with the other. The wolf let out a long yawn, his tongue curling as it left his muzzle before slowly bringing his arm back down and pointing a finger squarely at Vernon. "Besides, Vern's the only one of you I got business with..." The wolf slurred. "He owes me..."

Vernon had enough, with the other wolves braced at his sides he knew it would be easy to get around him and avoid this whole mess. Yuri wanted a fight, and the last thing Vernon wanted to do was give it to him. The anger that had welled up was meant for one mammal alone, the one who truly deserved it, and he was hiding out in the quaint little home behind the drunken wolf.

"I don't owe you shit." Vernon spat, lunging forward toward the nearest opening around the wolf. Yuri rushed to fill it, but as he did Vernon swiveled toward the opposite direction, giving the black furred wolf a slight push with his elbow as he made his way past him. Yuri fell to the ground, landing on his rump and reeling his head back as he struggled to right himself. The wolf leaned on an arm, but seemed unable to get up. It appeared the wolf had used up the bulk of his energy spewing the long-winded diatribe he had apparently been saving for Vernon, and now was using what little remained to keep himself from falling back on the grass. Vernon took a moment to dust off his shirt as he glanced back at the crumpled wolf.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I-"

"Did you enjoy it Vern...?" Yuri slurred, a shit-eating grin crawling across his face as he blearily eyed him. Yuri let out a staggering laugh. "Bein' buried to the hilt in that little gimmer of yours that was fixin' to see us all wiped out?" Yuri began to cackle, lolling his head backward as it turned into a mocking howl, a reminder of Vernon's misdeed in the cornfield the previous night.

Vernon balled his fist tightly, looking over his shoulder at the dark wolf on the ground. Yuri let out a few more mocking howls, while thrusting his hips upward. Grinning back at his brother as he continued to simulate the act.

"Tell me Vermin, how'd she taste?" Yuri snickered. "I hope it was bitter."

The wolf placed a paw in the dirt, and with some degree of effort, Yuri managed to rise to a crouched position. The wolf placed his paws on his knees, still laughing to himself. "Honestly Y'all really shouldn't play with yer food like that before eatin' it... it's unsanitary."

Vernon could feel the white-hot fire swelling inside him as the wolf continued to cackle away at his own jokes. It was consuming him all over again, and he knew if he stayed any longer he was sure to spring on the black-furred wolf and rip him apart. It was taking everything he could to resist giving in to Yuri, to give the wolf exactly what he wanted. The claws of his balled fists had begun to dig into his flesh under the strain despite how dull they were, and Vernon was almost sure they were drawing blood. Yet the wolf was frozen, locked in place as he glowered back at his drunken brother. The need to confront his father not quite enough to overpower the burning desire to deal with the wolf that was insulting his mate.

Yuri let out another howling laugh as he finally managed to stand himself up, his evil grin spreading from ear to ear.

"Tell me, is she just the loosest pred-baiter in all o' Animalia?" Yuri chuckled. "Lookin' to spread her hole for the mammal with the sharpest teeth and the biggest pipe?" Yuri's head dipped slightly, and the wolf placed his paws on his knees to steady himself. 

"Or are you just so small you had to go with a prey runt?" Yuri sneered. "Cause ya couldn't please a real female with yer rodent sized cock?"

Vernon was biting his lip now, his mind screaming at him to just up and strike Yuri. Yet the wolf remained still, channeling every last bit of his concentration to stay his paw. But the inferno coursing through his frame had grown too intense to simply leave it be. It needed revenge, it needed justice, however small and ineffectual it might be. It had clouded Vernon's mind and dulled his rational sensibilities. And his hatred of Yuri, looking for any form of release now that it had been all riled up, found a way out through the wolf's muzzle. A simple statement he knew would get under the wolf's pelt, that he knew would shut him up. One that he had thought of before, but never used because it didn't just involve the wolf he had grown to loathe, but the sister-in-law he dearly loved. Something he had never wanted to say, yet the blinding hatred inside had now forced out of him before he could stop himself.

"Y'know, at least Xavier is open with his preference in mates." Vernon grumbled. "He didn't try to hide it by datin' a gal with a dick and lyin' to himself."

The moment the words left his muzzle, the flame burning within his mind was quickly extinguished by sober realization, leaving the empty vacuum once occupied by blind rage to rapidly fill with guilt and regret. He couldn't believe what he had just said, what he had implied about his own sister-in-law. Ada had only ever been kind to Vernon, even doing her best to keep Yuri on a leash around him. And yet, in his desperate need to find something, anything to get under Yuri's pelt he had gone so far as to drag an innocent into the whole mess.

Vernon turned his attention to the group of Hunter girls to find Ada with a paw clasped tightly against her muzzle, tears welling in the corners of her eyes as she looked back at Vernon in a mixture of horror and disbelief. It was only for a moment before she broke eye contact, burying her face into Vanna's side as she began to slip toward the ground. Vanna quickly grasped the large mammal in her paws, easing her down to her knees softly as Ada began to sob loudly into her side. It was something he had never seen Ada do, something he thought the rough and tumble hyeness was incapable of. But it was clear Vernon's thoughtless statement had cut so deeply it had punctured her outer shell, revealing the vulnerable mammal within.

"A-Ada..." Vernon's tone was heavy with shame, his voice dripping with disappointment in himself.

Vanna held the weeping hyena tightly, glaring back at Vernon as she did her best to comfort her. 

"Ada." Vernon said louder, his own eyes starting to brim with tears as he watched his usually tough sister shuddering and weeping as if she were as delicate as Dawn. Ada managed to glance back at the wolf with a bleary, tear-filled eye.

"I'm so sorry." Vernon spoke, his voice trembling slightly. "I didn't mean to-

The wolf was cut off by a sudden, loud snarl from behind him. Vernon barely had time to face the source of the sound before the wind was knocked out of him by a sudden blow to his side. The full weight was pulling the wolf to the ground before he could fully register what was happening. The wolf was pinned to the dirt now, desperately gasping in an effort to get as much air back into his lungs as possible as his mind reeled from the harsh impact against the soil. But Vernon had barely gotten a breath in before he felt something hard slam against the side of his muzzle, sending a shockwave of blinding pain through his upper jaw as his head lurched away from the blow.

He could hear a volley of muffled gasps and cries between the steady thudding in his ears as he tried to bring his head to face whatever hit him, his eyes straining through the blinding headache to focus on the dark figure now looming over him. He was barely able to make out those piercing yellow eyes before Yuri stuck him once more.

The wolf hit him again and again, sending his head from side to side with each concussive blow as Vernon struggled to regain some of his bearings. The wolf was becoming clearer now despite the overwhelming pain of each blow. Yuri's tensed form hovering over Vernon, teeth bared and snarling as he pulled back his balled fist in preparation for another hit. 

"Yuri!" It sounded like Wade, and Vernon could see the dusky grey wolf coming into view over the side of Yuri as another blow landed near Vernon's right eye, the fresh wave of pain causing the wolf to let out a sharp yelp as he jerked away from the shot.

Vernon's line of sight came back on Yuri just in time to see him pull back his fist so sharply that it smacked Wade square in the nose. Clearly it had caught the wolf off guard, causing him to stumble back before falling on his rump as he clasped his nose with both paws. Vernon could already see blood starting to dribble from between the wolf's fingers, but the sight alone was enough to snap Vernon out of his haze. Despite the pain, his reflexes were finally kicking in, and with it a new wave of burning anger.

Yuri's next punch hit the dirt where Vernon's head used to be, the wolf having jerked out of his brother's strike range before forcing himself off of the ground and directly into Yuri. Vernon let out a loud roar as he grappled the wolf, rising to his feet as he attempted to force Yuri to the ground much as the dark wolf had done to him. However, Yuri was quick to push away, managing to slip free of Vernon's grasp as he backed away from the wolf slightly. Yuri was grinning evilly as he watched Vernon with wide eyes, his paws raised to defend himself.

"C'mon Vermin!" Yuri hissed, the black wolf gestured Vernon toward him. "Let me teach you some manners!"

Vernon let out another snarl as he charged the jet-black wolf, slamming into him with all his might as Yuri struggled to resist. The wolf remained standing, but was rapidly walking backward in an effort to keep from falling under Vernon's force. But Vernon refused to relent, pushing and pushing until he finally felt Yuri give way under his charge.

Vernon pulled back just in time to see Yuri fall backward into Ulric, sending the pair through the dessert table with a loud clamor. For a moment the wolves remained crumpled on the ground, giving Vernon enough time to catch his breath from Yuri's previous flurry of blows. Vernon took a moment to wipe his muzzle with a paw, drawing it back to find a few drops of blood now smattered on his paw pads.

Vernon began to growl at the sight of his own blood as Yuri began to sluggishly clamber to his feet.

"Oh, ya mad Runt?" Yuri chuckled, wiping some marshmallows stuck to his pelt away with a lazy paw. "Been too long since someone made you taste yer own blood?"

As soon as Yuri was standing, Ulric bolted to his feet. the wolf was twitching more wildly than usual, his eyes wide with fear as he looked down at his clothes. He was absolutely coated in chocolate, apparently having landed directly on the fountain on his way down. 

"No, no, no, no, no..." Ulric quietly repeated over and over as he stared at his chocolate covered paws. His eyes were as wide as saucers now.

"Get it off, get it off, GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF!" Vernon and Yuri both turned to watch as the dusky grey wolf began to pull at his clothes. Ulric was tearing at his shirt, ripping it down the middle as he desperately clawed at the chocolate soaked fabric.

"GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!" The wolf continued, having pulled the shirt completely free of himself, Ulric began to work on his pants next. He had nearly pulled his belt free of the loops by the time Zach had tackled him, the russet-grey wolf pinning the panicking Ulric to the grass as he squirmed wildly beneath him.

"GET OFF! GET OFF!" Ulric screamed as Zach tried to hold his wildly flailing arms against his back. "ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!?" Ulric spat, twisting and wrenching his head in various directions to try to look up at the wolf above him. 

"IT AIN'T LIKE YOU ATE IT!" Zach yelled, clasping one of his wrists! "SO KEEP YER DAMN PANTS ON!" The reddish wolf continued as he struggled against the wiry wolf trapped beneath him.

"YOU ARE TRYING TO KILL ME!" Ulric's tone was one of startling revelation, as if he had instantly turned to believing his bizarre accusations. "HELP! HELP!" The wolf was raving now, no longer paying attention to his captor as he squirmed to get free. "ZACH IS TRYING TO KILL ME!"

"Teeth to tails..." Zach muttered. "YOU CAN WAIT TO GET INSIDE TO CHANGE YER DAMN CLOTHES YOU IDJIOT!"

Vernon had so lost himself in the insane scene that was unfolding with Ulric, that he had stopped paying attention to Yuri just long enough for the black furred wolf to get the jump on him. Once more Yuri had charged, and Vernon had simply reacted too late to keep himself from getting pulled to the ground again. At least this time Vernon had enough time to cover his face with his arms as a fresh volley of punches tried to find an opening between them. 

"Talk about me all you want!" Yuri hissed. "But next time your tongue gets out of line I'll be sure to make sure you choke on it!"

It would have been funny in a way, just how hypocritical Yuri's actions were in the grand scheme of things. After all he had said about Dawn, one errant comment about Ada was all it took to suddenly have the wolf talking of 'manners' for once in his life. But Vernon was far to incised to pick up on it. The wolf was growling, the rage inside broiling as he looked for his opening. Yuri was really wailing on him now, sending punch after unrelenting punch down at the wolf below. Yuri tried to get around Vernon's braced stance, going for any opening the wolf left with wild swings. But thankfully Vernon was aware enough to keep blocking the spots just before he could land a successful hit. Despite keeping his face out of the continuing fray, his arms were starting to throb from defending the endless blows.

"C'mon Vermin! Do you give up!?" Yuri howled. 

At that moment Yuri stopped punching, instead simply electing to throw all of his weight on Vernon and pinning his arms and face beneath his chest. Vernon could hear the deep rumble of Yuri's laughter tremble through his chest as it lay forced against him.

"Just like when we were pups!" Yuri let out a pleasant sigh as he pressed himself harder down on Vernon.

"I tell ya what Runt. I'll cut you a deal..." Yuri snickered, using one of his free paws to swat sharply at the top of Vernon's head. "If you want to give in..." Yuri cooed. "To make me stop beatin' on ya so bad..." Yuri pressed down again, the wolf apparently trying his damndest to snuff out the limited oxygen Vernon was managing to get as he struggled under the wolf's force. "All you gotta do is tell me who's the alpha..." Yuri chuckled. "And who's the omega."

It was all too familiar for Vernon, exactly like it had been when they were little. He could remember so many times Yuri had pinned him to the floor, holding him down with his paws or sometimes just sitting on him. Forcing Vernon to stay down and pinching his arms or pulling his ears until he forced the wolf to call him an alpha. Yuri always got a sick satisfaction out of that, and it was clear he hadn't changed. The fact that he had been willing to go this far, despite being an adult showed just how childish he had managed to remain. But Vernon had changed. He was no longer the hapless, runtish pup that he had been in his youth. He was bigger, stronger, and most importantly, beyond fed up with Yuri's bullshit. Vernon was done with his games, and he was going to show Yuri.

"I-I'm gonna..." Vernon choked out as he squirmed against his brother's pin, looking for the drunk wolf's weak spot. "I'm gonna!"

"Yer gonna what Mr. Architect?" Yuri chuckled. "Design me a comfy bathroom with a big enough toilet fer me to shove yer head in!?" Yuri shook his head. "That way at least when you shit talk about my girl it's going in the right place!"

Vernon was snarling, wriggling violently in an effort to get his paws free. The fire had consumed him, and his mind had been reduced to nothing more than base instinct. 

"KI-KILL YOU!"

In that moment Vernon found his opening, and with a wild swipe of his paw he slashed at Yuri's muzzle. In a flash the jet black wolf had recoiled, letting out a practically feral yelp as he stumbled off of Vernon. Yuri was cradling his muzzle now, and Vernon could see a trickle of blood dribbling from between Yuri's paws much like Wade had experienced earlier. Despite how dull Vernon's claws were, he had struck the wolf with enough force to draw blood, but Vernon wasn't done now. He couldn't hear anything but the sound of his own heartbeat just barely thrumming over his deepening growl. The inferno blazing inside was demanding that he put and end to this age old feud once and for all. To show Yuri who was the true 'alpha'.

Yuri barely had time to look up at Vernon before the towering wolf had pounced on him, forcing the black wolf to the earth with a feral snarl. Vernon's lips curled around his dripping fangs as he began to beat Yuri senseless. He had started with simply punching him, putting as much force as he could into alternating blows against the wolf's unguarded face as he continued to squeal and whine. Each blow growing more powerful and impassioned than the last until they began to degrade into open palmed slaps and claw swipes. Vernon slashed and smacked until he had completely lost count of the swings, completely drunk in the savage and hateful haze that had clouded his mind as he wailed on Yuri with unrelenting force.

But it wasn't enough. After everything Yuri had put him through growing up, after what he put him and Dawn through now, no amount of punching or scratching seemed to appease the fire that had engulfed the wolf's rational mind. And soon his paws had given up their assault on his face to find themselves squarely wrapped around his throat.

Vernon began to strangle the beaten and bruised wolf, squeezing as tightly as he could as the wounded mammal struggled to free himself from Vernon's grasp. Yuri's eyes were wide as he clawed at Vernon's paws, trying desperately to pull them away.

"I hate you..." Vernon growled, staring into Yuri's wide, yellow eyes as he continued to choke him.

"I HATE YOU!" Vernon snarled loudly, shaking the wolf and causing him to emit another choking gasp. 

Yuri croaked out a snarl, and with a surge of strength managed to pull Vernon's paws free of his throat. His efforts weren't strong enough to completely push Vernon away, but just enough to hold his hands back as the wolf took a sharp, rasping gasp before slipping into an amused chuckle.

"Tell me how you really feel." Yuri wheezed weakly between laughs.

'It was funny?' The thought seared through Vernon's mind like a lightning bolt. All of this, everything Vernon was doing was somehow still funny to Yuri? Even now with Vernon's paws now inches away from once again wrapping around his throat, Yuri still found some sort of sick pleasure in the fight, and it only stood to enrage Vernon further. 

The wolf could feel bile rising in his throat as his hate reached its zenith. At that moment, Vernon opened his maw. But instead of words, an almost feral squeal escaped his muzzle before he suddenly clamped his jaws around Yuri's throat. For a moment, Yuri's eyes were wide in shock as Vernon squeezed his teeth into the flesh of his neck. Yuri let out a shrill, squealing whine as Vernon's teeth dug uncomfortably into his neck, and the black wolf quickly released his grip on Vernon's paws. But instead of clasping them to Vernon's head in an effort to pull it away, the wolf allowed his arms to lay at his side as he fell still, the dark wolf's body falling paralyzed under the dominating gesture.

Vernon could feel Yuri's heartbeat thrumming against his teeth. The pressure of his jaws resting just shy of doing any real damage, but more than enough to make the black-furred wolf hurt. But despite it, despite everything, even Yuri taking a submissive posture under Vernon's clamping jaws, an evil smile had formed on the dark wolf's muzzle. Yuri let out a soft, low chuckle.

Every wound, every emotional scar Yuri had left on him had been forced open in his fight with the wolf. There was a part of Vernon that wanted him dead. To keep pressing and squeezing until the wolf fell motionless. But as the feral rage inside began to burn itself out, exhausted nearly completely from the energy the wolf had exerted into beating Yuri senseless, the wolf's grip around his brother's neck began to weaken.

"There's the Vernon I like to see..." Yuri coughed, taking a moment to lick his lips in an effort to moisten them. "And now everyone else gets to see him too..."

The words hit Vernon in the gut with the phantom weight of a punch as the realization came over him. His rational mind had began to take over again, as the tears continued to dribble from his eyes. Vernon was right, he had changed from the wolf that had lost Dawn in his youth. And he worked hard to do it. He didn't want to fight anymore. Since the day he had seen the brutish, savage wolf in the mirror back in his high school bathroom. The wolf he didn't want to be, the wolf he wasn't.

And yet Yuri had easily goaded him into raising a paw in anger once again, and he had delighted in it. No wonder Yuri had been laughing even when Vernon could have choked the life out of him, when he wrapped his teeth around his throat. Yuri had gotten what he wanted, he had gotten his show. And Vernon had more than likely exceeded the wolf's expectations by acting no better than a feral beast in his efforts to silence the smug, dark wolf.

Vernon fully released his grip, allowing Yuri to take in a sharp, clear breath of air before bursting into a fit of coughing. The black wolf clutched a paw to his throat as he struggled to regulate his breathing, his chest rising and falling spastically as Vernon rose to his feet. With the intense thrumming of his heartbeat in his ears starting to fade, the sounds of the barbeque had begun to filter back in. Vernon was once again aware of his surroundings, and with it came the horrifying realization that he had been so blinded by his rage that he had forgotten about the other Hunters that were still standing around him. That they had seen the entire spectacle in full. That they had seen him act like a monster.

Glancing behind him, Vernon could see that his mother had returned from the barn at some point during the scuffle. The she-wolf was still clasping a rake with one paw, but her other was clasped over her muzzle as silent tears flowed from her eyes. At her sides stood Trenton and Xavier, the pair exchanging a look of unease as they tried to console the she-wolf. 

To their side Wade was still crumpled on the grass, cradling his nose with a paw and tilting his head skyward in an effort to stem the flow of blood from Yuri's jab. However his eyes were trained on Vernon, and his ears sagged sharply as the wolf cringed under Vernon's gaze.

On the opposite side of the wolf were the remains of the dessert tables, the white plastic surface split in half with its contents scattered to the winds. Zach was still straddling Ulric, but both had fallen silent, Ulric even becoming completely still as they both stared back at Vernon in mute shock. But the worst of it came from the Hunter girls clustered ahead of the black wolf on the ground. 

Ada remained attached to Vanna's side, her muzzle twisted into an expression of pure horror as she met Vernon's gaze. He could still see the glistening of tears in her eyes before she buried her head back into Vanna's chest and continued to sob. As Vernon looked up to the large feline, Vanna glared back at him with cold, judgmental eyes. The tigress simply shook her head dismissively, squeezing Ada tighter into her side as she continued to try to calm the large mammal.

Behind Vanna's leg Vernon could see Qali's familiar bushy tail but not much else. After a few moments, the vixen peeked her head out from behind the big cat's leg. However, when she met Vernon's gaze she was quick to look away. A look of shame on her muzzle as she shrunk back into her shoulders and slowly drifted back behind her hiding spot.

And then there was his Honey Lamb. His soul mate. The love of his life with her face buried into the other side of Vanna's thigh as the tigress gingerly patted the back of her head. She was visibly shaking, and as she managed to peek a single eye out from its hiding spot against the tigress, Vernon could see in it the unmistakable look of shock and terror. It was a look the wolf knew all too well, one he had seen from so many prey mammals throughout his life, especially during his troubled teen years. She was afraid of him. Afraid of the fearsome wolf that had exploded out of her Puppy Love. The savage beast who once prowled the ancient forests of Animalia feasting on her kind. 

He couldn't blame her for reacting that way after what he had done. After acting like nothing more than the dumb, brutish beast that the majority of civilized mammals had always seen wolves as. He had once again played directly into every stereotype in the book, even going so far as to bite down on his brother's throat like he was no more than a simple minded animal. How could she ever trust him again, ever love him again after a display like that?

Vernon could feel the tears began to pour freely from his eyes he glanced around at the quiet assembly of Hunters. The shame, the guilt, all of it was pooling rapidly in his chest. Constricting around his heart and making it hard to draw a breath. 

"I-I." Vernon choked weakly, barely able to form words as his eyes darted from Hunter to Hunter. His sobbing mother, Vanna's glare, Dawn's terror-filled eyes. Vernon simply wanted to curl up and die.

"I'm so sorry...Honey Lamb." The wolf reached out a paw toward the ewe, but quickly retracted it in spite of himself. Despite the lingering fear in her eyes, Dawn reached back to him, the ewe crying almost as badly as he was now.

"Ada.." Vernon whimpered, looking up at his still weeping sister-in-law. Ada wiped her nose against Vanna's side as she watched the wolf warily.

"Ma..." Vernon glanced back at his mother. By now she had dropped the rake, having placed both paws on the sides of her muzzle as she stared back at Vernon.

"E-Everyone...I-." Vernon looked down at his feet, the crushing shame and guilt making him feel two inches tall. Perhaps it was better this way. If the family hated him now, it would be that much easier to sever ties with his father. Then again, did that even matter anymore? Would Dawn still be willing to tithe a monster?

Vernon wiped his eyes with his arm, snorting harshly in an effort to suck back his tears.

"I'm so sorry..." Vernon muttered. "I am...s-so..."

Vernon began to sob, the wolf placing his head in his paws as he dropped to his knees in the center of the barbeque. The wolf was at a loss as to how he ended up here, how he had managed to hurt so many of those near and dear to him in such a short span of time. His insides felt twisted and aching as the mixture of emotions ran though him, some conflicting with one another as he struggled to cope with it all at once. The anger at his father, his hatred toward Yuri, what he had said about Ada, and the scene he had made. All of it was eating at the wolf as he crumpled before the rest of his family, unsure of how he could even begin to properly mend it.

Suddenly the wolf felt something warm wrap around him, stopping him in the midst of another anguished sob. Looking down, Vernon found his mate tightly hugging him. The ewe was staring back up at him with shimmering eyes, but despite the tears the ewe managed a soft, genuine smile.

"It's okay Vernon." Dawn whimpered softly, bringing a hoof up to the wolf's cheek and softly caressing it. "Everything is okay."

Vernon's lip quivered as the ewe's statement registered, letting out another choking sob as he placed a gentle paw on her wooly poof. The lamb didn't even flinch, as whatever fear she had previously appeared to have for the wolf seemed to have dissipated. 

"I forgive you."

That was all Vernon could take, and with that he wrapped his arms around the ewe, hugging her tightly to his chest. He could feel Dawn's hooves on his back as she squeezed into him as tightly as she could.

"How can you f-forgive a monster like me Honey Lamb?" Vernon shuddered as another sob choked out of his muzzle. "A mindless wo-wo"

Dawn simply shushed him, placing a single hoof to his still bloodied lip. 

"Vernon." Dawn cooed, lifting her glasses to wipe some of the tears from her eyes. "You aren't a monster." Dawn smiled softly. "You are no more a monster than I am."

Vernon sniffled harshly, making another genuine effort to suck back his tears as held the ewe.

"B-but I sc-scared you..." Vernon whimpered.

"I was scared for you Vernon." Dawn said softly, running her hoof over the wolf's ear and petting it softly. "I could never be scared of you." Dawn leaned up, placing a soft kiss on the tip of the wolf's bruised snout. "I love you."

Vernon tightened his grip on the ewe as a wave of relief washed over him, lifting her slightly off the ground as he leaned backward. The wolf buried his muzzle into Dawn's shoulder, still doing his best to sniffle back his lingering tears as the ewe moved her arms around his neck. 

"You are my soul mate Vernon." Dawn spoke into the wolf's neck as she buried her muzzle into it, nuzzling him gently. "The mammal I want to spend the rest of my life with, predator or not." The ewe cooed into his fur as Vernon gently pet the back of her head with one of his paws. 

After a few moments, Dawn withdrew from his fur. With a hoof, she brought Vernon's face to meet hers, her green shimmering orbs staring directly into his.

"Do you remember what I said last night?" Dawn asked.

Vernon nodded weakly. "T-that we're in this together?"

The ewe nodded. "We have each other to rely on, and depend on." The ewe emphasized the word 'depend' with a finger. "And I'm not going anywhere. Alright?"

A beaming smile forced its way to the wolf's muzzle as he eyed the plucky little ewe in his arms. In spite of everything that he had managed to screw up, aside from all the mammals he had hurt, he still had Dawn. He still had his Honey Lamb. 

The wolf placed a paw under the ewe's chin, and as he did Dawn placed a ginger hoof near his eye, causing the wolf to recoil at the throbbing pain just touching the area seemed to cause.

"Oh Puppy love..." Dawn cooed. "That looks terribly painful."

"It certainly feels it..." Vernon mumbled, gently touching the swelling that had formed by his eye. He couldn't imagine what the rest of his muzzle looked like.

"We should go inside and get some ice for that." Dawn added, as she continued to hover a hoof over various spots of the wolf's face marking each injury with a quiet yet sharp inhale.

"Inside..." Vernon muttered, glancing back over at the house. Dorian was still inside, still waiting for the wolf to confront him. The fight with Yuri had certainly taken his mind off the pressing matters at paw. But now that he held his Honey Lamb, knowing that she still wanted to be with him regardless of the circumstance, he knew he owed it to her to see this through to the end. He was going to stand for her just as she had stood for him. The wolf glanced back at his mate, taking a moment to caress her face with an affectionate paw.

"I need to talk to Pa Dawn." Vernon muttered, softly.

Dawn frowned immediately, the ewe biting her lip for a moment before opening her mouth to speak.

"Ver-."

The wolf cut her off, gently placing a finger to her muzzle.

"I'm a lot calmer now Darlin'." Vernon murmured, glancing over at his brother Yuri. The wolf was sitting up now, his muzzle turned down as he took slow, wheezing breaths. Next to him was crouched Ada, the hyeness still sniffling slightly as Yuri leaned into her side. The hyena caressed his face and neck, seemingly tracing the wolf's wounds much the same way Dawn had been with his.

"For better or worse, Yuri got a lot of that out of me."

Dawn's features remained laced with concern. It was clear she still wanted to interject, but the wolf held his finger in place.

"But I need to settle this with him." Vernon continued. "Fer us." With that, the wolf removed his finger from the ewe's lips, placing a gentle paw under her chin. "You already went to bat fer us with him..." Vernon offered a weak smile. "So now it's my turn, okay Lamb Fry?"

"B-But Vernon-."

"Dawn, do you trust me?" Vernon asked.

Without a moment's hesitation, the ewe nodded briskly. "Of course I do!"

Vernon chuckled softly. "Then let me do this thing." Vernon replied.

Dawn was silent for a few moments, in fact, to Vernon it seemed as if the whole barbeque had grown silent as Vernon waited for her answer. The wolf didn't bother to look away from his mate however, still fearful of the looks he was certain the other Hunters were still giving him. The deafening silence held sway over the grounds save for the wind as the moment stretched on. But eventually, the ewe gave a soft, albeit reluctant nod.

Vernon gave the ewe a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose before releasing his grip and slowly rising to his feet. The wolf let out a sigh before turning his attention back to the Hunter Ranch. Taking one last awkward and uncomfortable look at the mammals around him, Vernon frowned.

"I'm sorry everybody." Vernon said calmly. "Ada, Ma, everyone."

The wolf glanced at Yuri, the wolf still nursing his muzzle with a paw as Ada was trying to pull it free to look over the damage. "Even you Yuri." Vernon muttered. The yellow-eyed wolf stared back at him wearily for a moment, letting out a sigh before looking back toward the dirt.

"If I ain't gonna be around much in the future..." Vernon muttered, his ears drooping as the gravity of what he was saying weighed on his heart. "T-try to remember me fer the good stuff." The wolf ran a paw through his head fur before gesturing to his brother on the ground. "And not stuff like this..." Vernon whined softly. "Please."

With that, the wolf walked away, making his way around the front of the Hunter Ranch before quickly disappearing inside and leaving the rest of the Hunter brood in awkward silence.

Dawn tapped her hooves together awkwardly as she glanced at the remaining Hunters. By now Audrey and Ada had mostly pulled themselves together, the tears having stopped at some point while Dawn was busy tending to her wounded mate. But they remained frozen, most of the mammals exchanging uncertain glances as if they were looking to someone for what to do now. Dawn was at as much of a loss herself, especially now that she had let Vernon off to face Dorian, not knowing what was to come from it. But whatever the wolf had planned, Dawn trusted Vernon to handle it. She could only hope that whatever happened wouldn't put too much strain on the rest of the mammals she had come to love. 

The sound of a car pulling up drew Dawn out of her thoughts, and the ewe quickly snapped her head in the direction of the sound. Coming up the dirt driveway was a massive taxi-cab, one of the ones styled strictly for megafauna, having come straight out of the city. The yellow and orange speckled vehicle was probably even taller than the actual Hunter Ranch, towering over the barbeque grounds and casting a long, tapering shadow as it slowed to a stop. Dawn tilted her head curiously as she eyed the large vehicle.

"Who's that?" Ulric muttered from his pinned position on the ground under Zach. Zach stood up, taking a moment to dust off his shirt as he raised a paw above his eyes.

"Hell if I know..." Zach muttered, scratching his head.

With a click and a pop, the door to the back seat shuddered, and after a moment it began to slide open as two large, hooved hands gripped around its edges. With a forceful heft, the door swung open, revealing a towering, long-necked mammal hidden behind it. The red-haired giraffe stood towering above the entirety of the barbecue, sporting a deep green scarf haphazardly coiled around her massive neck several times. The large cow was dressed in a muted green sweater, open to reveal a cartoon themed undershirt and long black jeans that were tightly fitted to her long, slender legs. Dawn recognized her immediately as the giraffe she had expected to be riding along with them on the train ride up to the Ranch in the first place. The spindly giraffe that was Wade's mate.

Taking a moment to adjust the bag slung over her shoulder, the large mammal turned her attention to the rest of the Hunter family. Giselle placed a hoof over her eyes as she scanned the crowd of mammals below carefully, her puzzled expression shifting to one of excitement and glee as her eyes fell on Wade.

"WADE LOVE!?" The giraffe flapped her hoof in a frantic wave at the wolf several yards away. " IZZAT THAT YOU OVER THERE!?"

Dawn turned to find Wade's face twisted up in an expression of sheer terror. The wolf's eyes darting from Hunter to Hunter as the sweat began to form on his brow. Then just as suddenly, the wolf offered a wide nervous smile, pulling his paws back and uncovering his bloodied nose as he spread his arms wide in a welcoming gesture.

"GISELLE! YOU'RE HERE!" Wade shouted. "Shit." Dawn could hear him whine under his breath as the wolf began to rush over to the towering mammal.

"Wait..." Ada piped up, the hyena staring up at the massive giraffe cow in awe as Wade zipped by. "DAT'S GIZELLE!?"

"He was serious...?" Yuri muttered dizzily. 

Qali's eyes lit up with excitement, and the diminutive vixen clasped her paws under her muzzle as she seemed to bounce in her step. 

"OH. EM. GOODNESS!" The vixen was swooning with delight, nearly falling over as she eyed Giselle in sheer awe. "SHE'S. SO. TALL!"

Vanna clasped a paw to her face, letting out a tired sigh.

"Qali...Seriously..." Vanna muttered, massaging her temples in irritation. 

Giselle nearly stumbled over Wade as the two approached each other, her long, slender legs buckling across one another as she stabbed a hoof out to balance herself. Dawn heard every Hunter draw a sharp gasp as it looked as though she was going to fall, something Dawn was sure would take out several of the Hunter's and herself on her way down if she did. Luckily Wade quickly clasped the side of her leg, which seemed to give her enough of a counterbalance to stay up. Once she was secure, Wade released his grip, backing away slightly as he placed a paw above his eyes to gaze up at the towering mammal.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" Wade's question came off as more of a demand for information rather than surprise. The dusky grey wolf was twitching almost as badly as Ulric usually did, but Giselle didn't seem to pick up on his strange behavior at all, the oblivious giraffe's smile continuing to beam down at the little wolf. 

"Oh, well you know how my father hurt his neck? How he's in hospital recovering?" Giselle asked.

Wade nodded briskly. "Yeah, yeah, you told me. Remember?" The wolf croaked awkwardly. "The text messages...and photos."

Giselle rolled her eyes. "Right, right, sorry." The giraffe tapped her palm against her head, sticking her long tongue out of the corner of her muzzle briefly before turning her attention back to Wade. "Anyway, he was doin' really well in recovery, so 'im and mum insisted I make up my lost weekend with my little Bobbie!"

Wade shuddered as Giselle's hoof came to rest directly on his head, it almost seeming to flatten under the size and weight of it. The giraffe taking a moment to pet him before sliding the hoof under his chin, and the wolf inadvertently leaned into it affectionately before seeming to remember others were watching the display and fighting off the overtly pleased expression. As the giraffe retracted her hoof, she tilted Wade's head toward her as she crouched slightly, bringing her head down in what Dawn assumed was an attempt to kiss him. But the giraffe froze just inches away from his snout. Giselle grabbed his jaw gently, moving it around as she inspected with a concerned glance.

"Oh Love, what happened!?" Giselle cooed "Did you get bopped on ya' nose?"

Wade quickly covered his snout, shrinking in his stance as he pulled away from the giraffe.

"Yeah, yeah..." Wade muttered. "I'm fine babe, really."

"Hold on!" The giraffe chirped, slinging her purse forward before digging a hoof into it. "I think I've got a nappy in my handbag."

"Babe it's fine, re-."

Wade froze as Audrey approached the pair, the she-wolf glowering at her son with a sharp, irritated glare. It was only for a moment, but Audrey's stare was enough to make Wade slink deeply into his shoulders, his fur appearing more pallid as the sweat continued to roll off of his brow.

"Hello!" Audrey turned to Giselle, the familiar warm and inviting smile that had first greeted Dawn to the ranch now plastered on her face. "You are Wade's mate?" Audrey asked.

Giselle nodded enthusiastically as she wrenched a napkin from her purse, bending down to dab Wade's nose with a tightly pressed together end. Wade recoiled slightly with each dab.

"I know, I know..." Giselle chuckled. "I'm a lot taller in person than Wade probably made me out ta' be." The giraffe took a moment to move some of the hair out of her eyes with a hoof. "Sorry if that causes a problem. I totally understand."

Audrey winced slightly, glancing back at the Hunter Ranch for a moment. It was clear to Dawn the she-wolf was trying to appraise exactly how to begin to house a giraffe in what was decidedly an averaged mammal sized home.

"Nooo..." Audrey's tone was uncertain, but only for a moment as she turned back to Giselle. "Of course not, we'll...um..." Audrey scratched the back of her head awkwardly. " W-we'll figure it out Darlin'."

A white streak suddenly pounced on to the giraffe's waist, and in the blink of an eye it had scurried it's way up her neck before coming to a stop at her face. Qali was now pressing her face against Giselle's, the diminutive fox clearly rapt with awe.

"Hi! I'm Qali!" The fox chirped happily. "I've never met a giraffe before! But I've always wanted to!"

Trenton clasped a paw to his face, letting out a tired sigh.

"OH how lovely!" Giselle seemed equally as enthusiastic as the tiny vixen, and completely unfazed by just how close she had gotten. "I've met plenty of arctic foxes in TundraTown! But neva' this closely and I'm always keen to meet more!" 

"Can I touch your horn thingies?" Qali asked.

"QALI! FER FREYJA'S SAKE HOW MANY TIMES WE GOTTA HAVE THAT TALK ABOUT PERSONAL SPACE!?" Trenton yelled up at the tiny vixen.

Qali immediately recoiled as the realization of just how uncomfortably close she had gotten to Giselle seemed to register. 

"S-sorry." Qali muttered, starting to clamber back down the neck of the giraffe before slinking away back to Trenton's side. Giselle simply giggled, before turning her attention back to Audrey.

"I trust my little Fluffy Coppa' has been talkin' your ear off about me?" Giselle giggled. "I've heard enough from Vernon to know he has a bit of a habit of doin' that, so I hope it hasn't already ruined your impression of me."

Wade hung his head in shame as Audrey leveled another scowl at him, the wolf letting out a soft whine as he kicked at the soil below. 

"Oh not at all Darlin..." The she-wolf was quick to put on her welcoming face again as she looked back up at the towering mammal. "In fact I'd say he hasn't talked 'enough' about you." 

Despite the fact that Audrey hadn't looked his way while emphasizing the word enough, Wade still shrank into his shoulders. It appeared that the dusky law wolf's problems, unlike Dawn and Vernon's, had only just begun.


	38. The Omega

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Omega

Vernon rested a palm against the center of the oaken door to his father's office, taking a moment to brace himself for the argument that he knew lie ahead of him. The scuffle with Yuri, for all the trouble it had caused, had at the very least had managed to act as a release for most of the anger the wolf had been feeling toward Dorian. It had cleared the blinding red haze that had consumed his mind and allowed the wolf to think clearly now that the time had come to stand up to Dorian. To try to plan out what he was going to say, and to figure out a way to keep the discussion from exploding into a full on screaming match for as long as he possibly could. Despite what Dorian had said and done, there was at least some part of Vernon that hoped he could still get through to the stubborn wolf.

Aside from the fights he had with Dorian over his choice in career, Vernon had generally gotten along with his father. The wolf could be strict at times, but he had for the most part always been fair. It was yet another aspect of Dorian's personality that Vernon had chalked up to being honed through years of law enforcement work. That patience and the use of a firm paw only when necessary to guide him and his brothers through some of the more difficult parts of their lives. 

Even during Vernon's more troubled years. The constant fights with other students, the acts of vandalism, the angry phone calls from teachers and other authority figures. Through all of it Dorian had been stoic yet caring, trying to be open to the wolf while at the same time not letting Vernon get away lightly for his crimes. Of course, at the time Vernon hadn't cared at all what his parents did. His dark take on the nature of Animalia left by being separated from his childhood friend had made him ignorant and unfeeling toward any olive branch his parents had extended toward him. His mother's sobs fell on deaf ears, and his father's attempts to reach out to him were brushed aside until the day Vernon's facade finally fell through. Even now, looking back on how he treated the pair made Vernon feel disgusted with himself. He could feel his chest tense as he relived the past actions of his younger self, the sharp and staggering pang of regret. He had wronged them so many times, and yet they had continued to tirelessly reach out to him, unwilling to give up on the wolf Vernon once was.

It was memories like that which made it harder to think of his father being so cold and distant. So stubborn and uncaring when it came to Dawn now after how hard they had refused to give up on Vernon during his own terrible lapse in judgment. But blood was a different story the wolf supposed, and even so, his father wasn't entirely clear of being thoughtless and uncaring towards Vernon's wants and desires.

How many times had they butted heads on Vernon's desire to be an architect rather than a policemammal? Vernon couldn't even begin to count. But it was certainly one of the rare times Vernon saw in him what Audrey described as Dorian's stubborn side, at least in any sort of long-term form. Dorian had remained unrelenting in his push to see Vernon join the North Meadowland Police Department, and in the end, it was Vernon who had to support himself with the help of Gus in order to have any chance at making his dream a reality. His father had washed his paws of the matter, and declared that he would be no help when it came to pursuing what the law wolf called a 'frivolous hobby'. And even with Audrey doing her best to mend the fences between the pair, Dorian remained unsupportive of Vernon's efforts throughout his years in Zootopia, so much so that Audrey had to keep any help she sent Vernon's way a secret in order to keep things quiet at home.

The whole affair had taught him a lesson about just how pig-headed his father could truly be when it came to what he believed was right. Even if it trampled the actual desires of his own kin. The wolf sat firm in his beliefs that he knew what was best for his sons, and Vernon imagined that with Dawn, Dorian's ruling wasn't any different. And so while Vernon wanted to give it his best when it came to talking some sense into the mammal, to keep the conversation calm and cool for as long as he possibly could. The wolf knew that one way or another it was going to end in shouting, and more likely than not Vernon would have to threaten to leave the pack. 

The question that left the wolf with was a simple one. Would Dorian blink? Would he balk in the face of never talking to Vernon again? Or would the wolf simply allow Vernon to walk away from the family because of his unwillingness to meet the wolf in the middle?

With a sigh, Vernon removed his paw from the door, balling it into a fist before lightly rapping on the wood.

There was a long silence, so much so that for a moment Vernon thought that perhaps the wolf wasn't actually in his office. But after what felt like an eternity of standing in silence at the threshold to the wolf's den, a voice finally croaked out from behind the door.

"It's open." The voice was low and grumbly.

Vernon placed a wary paw on the doorknob, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat before turning it.

"It's now or never." Vernon thought, as he opened the door with quiet resignation.

The familiar room was dimly lit, something his father seemed to prefer when in his office. The low lighting causing shimmers of gold and green to reflect off the surface of the various trinkets and furnishings scattered throughout the room. Some of it had been collected by Dorian himself, but the bulk of the contents of the room had belonged to Vernon's grandfather, and several other Hunters throughout the generations. The room had come to represent the collective history of the Hunter lineage since the founding of Zootopia, and because of that it almost gave the room a feeling as if there were an audience now watching as Vernon entered. The eyes of hundreds of Hunter pack members from long ago looking down on them from every corner of the room. Every book on the shelf, every mural on the wall, every bauble or trinket on Dorian's desk loomed like a silent jury awaiting the judgment of the accused. 

Vernon could already smell the brandy from the moment he opened the door, the fruity yet acrid alcoholic scent stinging the wolf's nostrils as he crossed the room. But now as he approached the desk, and the law wolf pulled himself away from his laptop, Vernon could see just how surprisingly haggard the old wolf looked. It was clear he had started drinking the moment he had gotten back home, and while he wasn't drunk, the smell of alcohol clung to him like a pungent blanket. The wolf held a half-finished glass of the amber liquid in a paw as he narrowed his glassy grey eyes on Vernon.

"Well..." Dorian muttered, closing the lid of his computer as he shifted his attention toward the wolf. "I'm surprised you didn't show up sooner."

Vernon simply nodded as Dorian swished his drink around in his glass. They remained locked in a silent stare for a few moments, neither wolf saying anything as the two appraised one another. Vernon couldn't be sure what Dorian was thinking, but surely the old wolf had to presume that Vernon's presence wasn't just to have a friendly father-son chat.

"You here to talk?" Dorian muttered, his eyes sharpening their gaze on Vernon as he spoke. There was another awkward silence before Vernon nodded again.

Dorian let out a tired sigh, placing his glass on the table before reaching into the shadows on his desk for the large decanter filled with more of his favorite brandy. Vernon's father wasn't a heavy drinker, that was something the wolf knew fairly well. Dorian had a tolerance sure, but he usually drank very lightly. The old law wolf's reasoning came from seeing first paw how many families were torn apart by alcohol abuse thanks to his profession. That said, his father tried to be understanding when it came to heavy drinkers, especially those on his force. When it came to law mammals, Dorian had a saying. 

'There are two kinds of cops.' Vernon heard the wolf's voice in his mind. 'Those who never touch a drop, afraid of what it will do to them. And those who drown themselves in it to cope with what the job did to them.'

It was only once in a blue moon that Dorian drank to cope. A grisly murder, or horrifying crime that would push the wolf into one of those rare drinking fits. But there was no mistaking that by the stench and the look on his father's face he was well in the midst of one. Dorian began to fill his glass as he gestured a paw over the desk.

"Pull up a chair then..." Dorian muttered. "Let's get this over with..." The wolf grumbled as he topped his glass before slipping the decanter back into the dark.

Vernon glanced around for a moment before spotting a large green and gold armchair sat next to the book case. The wolf casually walked over to it, placing his paws gently on the back of the antique chair before shoving it toward the desk. Without wheels, it took a few moments for the large piece of furniture to slide across the thick rug covering the hardwood in front of the desk. But eventually, the wolf managed to get it close enough to be satisfied with the distance.

With a quiet groan, Vernon sat down in the plush green chair. The wolf squirmed slightly, taking a moment to get comfortable before finally turning his attention back to the older wolf. Vernon was quiet as he scanned the mammal. He was uncertain exactly where to start with his grievances. Whether it was his father's treatment of Dawn, his stance on the tithe, or his feeling towards Zach's injury. A variety of different phrasings and questions burned through the wolf's mind as he placed a paw to his head, each with a million different ways to approach the wolf in tone and attitude. But in the end one very simple phrase seemed to pervade every question, one that perfectly encapsulated how the wolf felt about everything. What he needed to know. Vernon let out a tired sigh, locking eyes with the law mammal as he gripped the armrests of the chair.

"Why?" Vernon asked quietly.

Dorian quirked an eyebrow.

"Why?" The older wolf repeated.

Vernon shook his head softly.

"Why did you talk to Dawn like that?" Vernon replied, squinting his eyes in an effort to hold back tears. "When she came to you, pouring out her heart and soul and begging for a chance to prove herself to you..." The wolf continued. "How could you just tear into her so mercilessly..?" The wolf clenched the armrests tighter as he strained to keep the tears in.

Dorian's gaze remained fixed on Vernon, his muzzle remaining expressionless as the wolf continued.

"To be so cruel as to not only ignore how hard she was trying to reach out to you..." Vernon whined. "But to basically spit in her face."

Vernon leaned up in his chair slightly as his gaze remained locked on Dorian's. He could make out the lines of broken blood vessels around the old wolf's steely grey irises. 

"Why pa?" Vernon grit his teeth. " I want to know the reason."

Vernon furrowed his brow, his glare turning accusatory for a moment.

"The REAL reason." Vernon emphasized before leaning back into his chair.

An awkward silence lingered in the room, both wolves having fallen silent after Vernon's heart-wrenching statement. Vernon's chest was physically aching as he waited for the wolf's response, the pain of what Dawn had said she had experienced squeezing around his heart so tightly that it had taken everything in his power not to scream or cry while delivering his question. He needed to know, and he wanted it straight from the old wolf's muzzle. No more filters, no more 'Zach said', he wanted to hash it out face to face. And he wouldn't settle for anything less than the truth. After all, he'd be able to easily sniff it out otherwise.

Dorian's muzzle twisted into a sneer as he broke eye contact with his son.

"I told y'all not to go back to the fair." The wolf muttered. "But what did you do? You j-"

"Oh, so that's the reason?" Vernon cut him off, pounding a paw against the armrest as he tried to meet his father's gaze.

"I ask for a modicum of respect from any mammal my sons bring home." The wolf continued. "And what have you two done?" Dorian tapped his glass against the desk. "You've both gone a spited me at every turn!"

"When Dawn came to you..." Vernon growled. "We hadn't gone back to the fair yet, nor did we intend to." The wolf hissed. "And there ain't a damn rule on the books that says it's illegal to be a pred-prey couple in public!"

"There is about causin' a stir!" Dorian snapped back, taking a sip of his brandy. "Makin' a scene!"

"A scene we didn't start!" Vernon huffed. "A scene that it was your job to control!" The wolf continued. "Your job to protect the innocent!" Vernon had momentarily leaned out of his seat only to flop back into it lamely. "And instead you sided with the damn mob!"

"I told y'all not to go to the fair the first day didn't I!?" Dorian came back with, the wolf rising slightly out of his chair. "About how-"

"You didn't tell us anything!" Vernon snapped back. "You forced Zach to do it!"

Dorian let out a derisive snort.

"Regardless, you were told!" the wolf glowered at Vernon. 

"You didn't do it in person because you knew you were in the wrong!" Vernon fired back with.

Dorian ran a paw through the fur on his scalp before slamming his glass against the table, nearly causing some of the brandy to slosh out.

"Vernon! Can Y'all even begin to grasp any mammal's life outside yer own?!" Dorian spat. "About the strain and risk Y'all two put on this family's reputation among the Meadowlander's because you chose to flaunt yer relationship with th-"

Dorian paused, the wolf's eyes squinting as he seemed to try to rethink his phrasing, but Vernon had already caught it.

"Go on, say it!" Vernon snarled. "Tell me how you really feel about Dawn and not that 'reputation' bullshit!"

Dorian growled at his son, the old wolf's ears flattening tightly against his head.

"It was never about that. Not at all." Vernon continued. "You had it out for Dawn from the first moment she stepped into our house." The wolf leaned forward in his chair, trying to meet his father's gaze. But his eyes continued to dart away. "Before a single rule was broached or broken you were ready to dump on her!"

"Vernon..." The wolf growled quietly, standing slightly in his seat.

But despite his father's warning tone, Vernon slumped back into his chair, now comfortable in his assertions.

"What, you thought I'd forget about our first dinner here?" Vernon continued. "After the way you treated Dawn then?" Vernon let out a scoff. "Hell, if it hadn't been for ma we would have been havin' this chat that night!"

The wolf leaned up on his armrest, his eyes shining with ire as he glared back at his father. "So don't feed me this tripe about how the Meadowlander's were set to scorn the family over Dawn." Vernon continued. "Every male in this family is datin' outside their species, so if that hadn't done the damage then nothin' would." Vernon gestured a paw lazily. "Even with Dawn's history."

"You don't know the Meadowlander's like I do Vernon, I-!"

Vernon tapped his nose idly. "Hunter's smell bullshit."

Dorian's growl deepened, but despite it Vernon continued.

"I saw you. You know I did." Vernon said firmly. "Today at the fair."

Dorian eased back into his chair under the sudden accusation, the wolf's tensed muzzle softening slightly as his guilty eyes tried to stray away from meeting his sons.

"When that crowd of mammals bought out the food at the stand in record time?" Vernon continued. "And you were standin' there prayin' you were gonna get another excuse to tell us 'I told y'all so' only to find out that the crowd was there because they were on a food run." The wolf spat. "That if anythin' us bein' there ended up helpin' ma's business and the Hunter reputation you seemed to be so damn worried about!"

"That doesn't matter!" Dorian spat. " What matters is that after everythin' that happened yesterday you decided Y'all just knew better, and went and had another go at temptin' disaster!" 

"Ma did." Vernon replied, crossing his arms.

"What?" Dorian replied.

"Ma made the call fer us going back to the fair." The wolf continued. "We weren't gonna go, but she insisted." Vernon ran a paw through his scalp fur. "I ain't tryin' to pass the buck. But ma was the one willin' to prove that point for us."

The older wolf slowly slunk back into his chair, taking a quiet moment to appraise his dwindling glass of brandy before scooping it up in a paw and taking a swig.

"Of course she did..." Dorian grumbled. "But my point still stands." The wolf continued blearily. "Everyone in this family seems to have an unrealistic expectation that things will always 'just work out', even yer ma." The wolf took another sip of his brandy. " None of y'all spend enough time really thinkin' the long-term consequences through 'cept fer me! None of y'all!" Dorian spat.

"Like Zach didn't?" Vernon replied.

Dorian's eyes widened, and the wolf slowly sat back up. With a trembling paw Dorian set his glass back on to the desk. Slowly the wolf reached into the dark, grasping his decanter out of the inky blackness beyond the warm glow of the desk lamp.

"Yer 'little ewe' tell you what I said?" Dorian muttered as he filled the glass.

Vernon grit his teeth slightly at the hateful way the word 'little ewe' had sounded coming from his father's lips. An almost mocking, spiteful lilt to his tone as he said it. Vernon gripped his armrests again, digging his claws into the upholstery. 

"She told me everything..." Vernon muttered. "Of course I had already heard from Zach by then about what you told him that morning before the fair."

Dorian finished pouring his drink, sliding the decanter back into the darkness beyond his desk.

"And what a surprise yer brother doesn't take it seriously enough as it is." Dorian muttered, taking a swig of his brandy.

"At least it makes more sense than yer other bullshit reasoning." Vernon retorted. "Trying to play like you had it out fer Dawn only because we weren't listen' to yer unreasonable demands!" The wolf crossed his arms. "Although I still don't fully believe that's why you got it out fer my mate."

Dorian started at Vernon in wide-eyed disbelief. His expression one of dumbfounded shock as he stared at Vernon in silence. The dead, awkward air lingered within the darkened chamber for what seemed like an eternity before Dorian managed to speak again. But when his voice returned, it came with a roar.

"Don't fully beli-!" Dorian shook his head. "DON'T FULLY BELIEVE!?"

The icy white wolf slammed his glass against the counter hard enough to crack it, and brandy began to seep slowly from the pressure wounds. Vernon flinched slightly at the sudden sharp noise, but quickly regained his composure as the older wolf began to pull napkins from his desk drawer. Dorian quickly grabbed a second glass, pouring what remained of his brandy into it before mopping up the spill with a wad of napkins.

"YER BROTHER NEARLY DIED VERNON!" Dorian spat as he sopped up the spilled beverage.

"IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT LITTLE GIMMER OF YOURS WAS PLANNIN' TO ENSLAVE ALL THE PREDS IN ZOOTOPIA OR WORSE! BUT SHE NEARLY KILT YER BROTHER!" Dorian shouted.

Vernon rose in his seat as the fire within him started to burn. 

"Don't...call...her...that..." Vernon growled, his voice low and trembling as he balled his fists. It was one thing to hear from Dawn that Dorian had used such a terrible slur, but it was entirely different to hear it directly from the older wolf's muzzle. Vernon had nearly lost himself right there, but somehow managed to keep the ire down enough to respond in a relatively calm manner.

"That's what yer concerned about?" Dorian said with an odd chuckle as he ran a paw through his head fur. "Yer brother NEARLY DIED!" Dorian spat, pounding a paw against his desk.

"Is that gettin' through that thick skull o' yers!?" The wolf continued. "Or are we gonna sit here discussin' my phrasin' all night instead?"

"That..." Vernon muttered, easing slowly back into his seat. "Wasn't Dawn's fault." Vernon looked his father square in his steely grey orbs. "You can't blame her for that."

"I CAN'T?" Dorian laughed again. "I can't blame her for that can I?"

"Dawn didn't put that gun in the wolf's paw." Vernon continued, gripping the armrests on his chair in an effort to maintain his composure. "She didn't push Zach in front of that little ewe."

"She might as well have!" Dorian hissed. 

"But she didn't!" Vernon spat back.

Dorian rolled his eyes. "Well correct me if I'm wrong then, but didn't she try to frame all predators as savages in order to have an excuse to remove them from society and treat 'em as second class citizens!?"

Vernon grit his teeth. Under the circumstances, he didn't want to agree with the old mammal on anything, but Vernon was hard pressed to deny a cold, hard fact. The wolf gave a slow, reluctant affirmative nod.

"But she's done her time for it!" Vernon added. "And she's tryin' to make a clean break!"

"And the day she got caught, didn't it turn a bunch of preds on sheep-folk over the alleged conspiracy?" Dorian ignored Vernon, electing to continue his rant as if he hadn't spoken.

Vernon furrowed his brow. His father's logic was already flawed, but he knew the wolf would refuse to hear it at this point.

"But she didn't ma-"

"And yer brother was shot by one of them wolves wasn't he!?" Dorian snapped, leaning over the desk slightly as he eyed Vernon with shimmering, glossy eyes. "Shot tryin' to defend a little ewe who was bein' targeted because of what Bellwether did!?"

"But she still didn't force that to happen!" Vernon interjected. "She didn't choose to make things play out like that!"

Dorian chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose she would have preferred her plan went off without a hitch..." The wolf rolled his eyes. "But like I said, things don't always work out."

Vernon stood up, letting out a snarl as he glared at his father. despite the mild inebriation, the white wolf didn't flinch.

"She knows she was in the wrong, and she spends every day payin' penance for it!" Vernon snapped. "Even with all she's done, she's still poundin' her hooves to the pavement to try to make amends fer her actions!"

Vernon ran a trembling paw through his scalp fur.

"Teeth to tails! Doesn't it count fer anythin' that she saved the city from her pa's attempt to finish what she started!?"

At that Dorian seemed to wince, his ears flatting against his head as he slipped back into his chair. The wolf broke eye contact, now staring at his glass of brandy as he idly swished it in his paw. The amber liquid flittered with light as it swayed in the glass.

"Tell it to yer ma." Dorian muttered. "After what she and I had to endure when Zach nearly died."

"I did!" Vernon snapped, his eyes fixed on the dour wolf seated in front of him. "And like me, she thought connecting Dawn to that was a bridge to far!"

Dorian scoffed.

"Besides if any mammal is to blame for what happened to Zach, then by your own logic, it's your fault!" 

Dorian squinted at the wolf, a glimmer of fire shining in his eyes as he met Vernon's gaze. The wolf's muzzle peeled back into a hateful sneer as he glared up at his son.

"What?" Dorian growled.

"You knew Dawn's mother didn't you?" Vernon continued, his tone trembling as he desperately tried to keep his cool. But despite it, the edge in his voice was starting to swell. "You were friends with her since you were kids..."

Dorian's eyes remained fixed on Vernon, the grey lenses scanning the wolf as he began to pace in front of the desk.

"Which is why you always tried to look out for her, even when she took up with Dawn's pa." Vernon continued. "And when he started abusing her you tried to get her to press charges, but she wouldn't."

Dorian furrowed his brow, his glare remaining leveled at the wolf as it appeared he was struggling to follow what Vernon was getting at.

"But when Dawn was born, and you knew from my interactions with her that she was being abused too, what did you do?" The wolf turned on his heels, stabbing an accusatory finger at the old wolf. "Did you call child protective services to have Dawn removed for her own safety?"

Dorian opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came. The wolf seemed to be mouthing wordlessly as he struggled to come up with something to retort with, but Vernon wasn't done.

"You knew it was going on!" Vernon continued. "Even before I was friends with Dawn!" Vernon huffed. "And while you couldn't get Clover to press charges against Aster, you damn well could have had Dawn removed from that house!"

"Y-you..." Dorian struggled, the icy white wolf seeming to try to pull himself to a standing position but failing as he nearly spilled his brandy again.

"And because of what you didn't do, Dawn remained in an abusive household!" Vernon stabbed his claw at the mammal again. "And it allowed Aster to turn her into what she grew up to be, and set her on the path to her gettin' involved in the night howler scandal!"

"THAT'S INSANE!" Dorian finally managed to spit, the wolf clambering to his feet and stabbing a shaking finger toward Vernon. "YO-!"

"It's no less insane than blamin' Dawn fer what happened to Zach! It's the same thing!" Vernon snapped back with.

"That's entirely different!" Dorian growled.

"How!?" Vernon retorted. "It's just as far removed!" Vernon placed his paws on his hips. "If you can blame her for Zach, why can't I blame you for messin' her up in the first place!" Vernon hissed. "All because you were too soft on her mother to do anythin'!"

"YOU BITE YER DAMN TONGUE BOY OR I'LL-!" Dorian was in Vernon's face now, the stench of alcohol so strong that Vernon's muzzle curled back in response to the sting. But despite the inadvertent recoil, Vernon met his father with equal fervor.

"OR YOU'LL WHAT!?" Vernon spat, a thrumming steady growl rising in his throat. "SEND ME TO MY ROOM BECAUSE I'M IN THE RIGHT?"  
Dorian continued to glare in silence as Vernon continued, the wolf's shining white teeth bared as if he were ready to attack.

"FACE IT!" Vernon spat. "IF YER WILLIN' TO BLAME DAWN FOR ZACH, THEN I CAN JUST AS EASILY BLAME YOU FER HURTIN' DAWN!" The wolf growled. "FOR RUINING MY BEST FRIEND'S LIFE! FOR KILLING HER CHILDHOOD THROUGH YOUR OWN INABILITY TO ACT!" Vernon snarled. "SHE'S ONLY THE MONSTER YOU HELPED MAKE HER!"

"VERNON!" Dorian snapped his teeth, his steely grey stare remaining leveled on his son. The white wolf placed his glass on the desk before covering his eyes with his paw. The wolf held his paw there for a moment before sweeping it over his scalp.

"Why are you goin' to bat fer a CRIMINAL!?" Dorian spat. "Actually arguin' fer her over YER OWN FLESH AND BLOOD!?"

Vernon's eyes went wide, his nostrils flaring as the rising heat within him reached its boiling point. His father was clearly trying to circle the wagons, switching back to something to blame Dawn for that he felt was an unquestionable truth now that Vernon had framed his other arguments as hypocritical. But the wolf wasn't having it.

Vernon snarled, slamming his fists on his father's desk hard enough to make his glass of brandy jump. "THAT EWE IS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!"

Despite Vernon's powerful declaration, Dorian appeared unmoved. His muzzle remaining curled in a sneer as he stared back at his son. 

"AND SHE'S DOIN' HER DAMNDEST TO MAKE IT RIGHT!" Vernon continued, the wolf clenching his teeth between each angry bark. "TO MEND WHAT SHE DONE WRONG!"

Vernon huffed and panted as he stared deep into his father's unflinching grey eyes. The wolf was still tired from his scuffle with Yuri, and the energy it was taking to yell at the older wolf only served to tire him further.

"SHE JU!-" Vernon's voice broke, his tone quavering as he struggled to find his words. "ALL SHE W-!" Dorian remained silent as he watched the wolf. Vernon gesturing at nothing as his frustration managed to get the better of him. 

Vernon let out a long sigh before slumping back into the antique armchair lamely, the wolf lolling his head back against the cushion as he placed a paw over his eyes.

"All she wants..." Vernon mumbled. "All we want..." The wolf corrected himself. "Is to be given a chance."  
The wolf leaned up slightly, parting his fingers to allow one of his eyes to fall on his father. The law wolf had picked up his glass of brandy again, but his eyes were still fixed on Vernon.

"Is that too much to ask pa?" Vernon whined. "Doesn't she deserve at least that?"

Dorian swirled the last bit of brandy in his cup around idly before drinking it down in one full swig and tapping it against the table. For a moment the wolf turned his head, his muzzle scrunching up as he clearly was having a hard time processing the gulp of the potent spirits. Dorian cleared his throat, letting out a few stray coughs before finally letting out a long, tired sigh.

"I stand by my reasons..." The wolf muttered. "All of 'em."

Vernon stared back at the wolf in disbelief.

"And I ain't to be swayed on it." Dorian continued. "That ewe made her bed, and she's gonna have to lie in it!" The wolf grunted.

Vernon was out of his chair in a flash, his paws on the table as he glared at his father with renewed rage.

"HOW CAN YOU BE THAT WAY!?" Vernon cried.

Dorian was nearly as quick to his feet as Vernon was, the white wolf's face now inches away from Vernon's own as he glared into his eyes.

"TELL ME SHE AIN'T ACCOUNTABLE FER HER ACTIONS VERNON!" Dorian snapped back. "TELL ME SHE DIDN'T HAVE THE CHANCE TO STOP BEFORE SHE WENT TO FAR!?"

The white wolf slumped back into his chair sharply, seemingly winded by his own outburst. Perhaps the brandy was starting to overpower the older wolf. But despite it, Dorian reached back into the dark for his decanter, and began to fill his empty glass once again. As the amber liquid flittered in the dim lighting, slowly filling the crystal glass, Dorian pointed one of his fingers that was wrapped around the bottle toward Vernon.

"Time..." Dorian muttered.

"What?" Vernon replied.

"You asked me what difference there was between me needin' to protect that ewe when she was little versus how yer brother got shot." The wolf continued. "And the answer is time."

Vernon frowned.

"At a certain point we all become accountable fer own actions." Dorian continued. The wolf topped off his glass before sliding the decanter back into the dark. "And no amount of excuses about yer past and yer troubles is valid when it comes to what you choose to do." The wolf grabbed the shining glass of amber liquid, idly swishing it in his paw as he watched the brandy shimmer in the dim light. 

"It doesn't matter that I didn't step in, what matters is that when the time came she acted of her own accord." Dorian sighed. "She chose to do what she did, and she's payin' the price for it."

Vernon grit his teeth, the growl in his throat growing louder and louder as he seethed. While one could argue that some degree of what his father was saying was true, it once again was a senseless misdirection that only furthered to undermine the wolf's blatant hypocrisy. 

"So now yer judge and jury too? The courts y'all uphold don't know when someone is punished enough, but you do?" Vernon hissed.

The older wolf remained silent, seemingly finding Vernon's question one not worthy of dignifying with a response. But the wolf was fine with that, after all he had a much better question for him.

Dorian scoffed, turning his head from Vernon and staring at the darkened window across from the desk. The sun was setting now, and the fading orange lighting was slipping further and further up the side of the nearby mountains as dusk was setting in. 

"So at what point..." Vernon growled. "Did that wolf trying to shoot that little lamb become 'his own actions' huh?" Vernon hissed. "At what point did Zach's 'choice' to jump in the way of the shot become his ow-!"

"DAMNIT VERNON!" Dorian snarled, slamming his glass on the desk. But Vernon ignored it, shoving his face back into his father's and glaring at him with hateful eyes.

"DAMNIT WHAT!?" Vernon snarled. "IT'S NOT MY FAULT YOU KEEP MAKING POOR ARGUMENTS TO JUSTIFY YOUR TREATMENT OF MY MATE!" The wolf continued to growl, his unblinking eyes fixed on Dorian's own. "I CAME IN HERE ASKIN' FER THE TRUTH BUT YOU JUST KEEP AVOIDIN' IT!"

"I AIN'T AVOIDIN' NOTHIN'!" Dorian spat. "YER DAWN IS A CRIMINAL!"

Vernon turned away from the wolf, the seething rage within burning so hot it was getting hard for the wolf to see straight. Vernon's forehead was pounding now, most likely from a mixture of the pain from the wounds by Yuri and his growing annoyance in dealing with his father. Vernon placed a paw on his muzzle, pinching the bridge of it as he tried to calm himself with slow, methodical breaths. 

As the wolf calmed himself, a deafening silence had shrouded the room in the absence of the shouting. Vernon wasn't sure what his father was doing with his back turned to the mammal, but it was clear he had nothing to add to his declaration as the silence lingered. With the flame inside quieted for the moment, Vernon let out a final shuddering sigh before turning back to face the wolf.

"What happened to you..?" Vernon whined softly. 

Dorian just stared blankly back at him, the wolf's head swaying ever so slightly as Vernon assumed was the fault of the buzz of the brandy.

"You believed in rehabilitating criminals." Vernon continued. "In giving any mammal who was actually trying a chance to better themselves!"

Dorian broke his line of sight with Vernon, looking off into one of the dark corners of his study.

"You can see Dawn is trying! You know it!" Vernon whimpered. "I can see it in your eyes!"

For a moment the white wolf seemed to frown, his eyes continuing to evade Vernon's as he looked increasingly uncomfortable.

"So why?!" Vernon protested, leaning his paws on his father's desk once again. "Why won't you just give her that chance!?" Vernon whined. "To give us that chance!"

Dorian eyed the drink in his paw, swishing it lamely in his grip as he remained silent. The wolf seemed to be lost in thought, at least to some degree, his eyes following the strands of light as they shimmered through the liquid in the glass for what seemed like minutes before he seemed to muster the energy to reply.

"The mammal who believed in those sorts of things..." Dorian muttered. "Died the day yer brother almost did."

Despite what sounded like strong conviction in the tone of his statement, he was still avoiding Vernon's gaze. It was another lie, or at the very least a half-truth, and Vernon could smell it a mile away.

"THAT'S BULL!" Vernon snapped, his muzzle twisting into a snarl as glared down at the white wolf.

Slowly Dorian raised his head, his muzzle twisted into a sneer of its own as he glared back at the wolf.

"How...DARE YOU!" Dorian spat.

"How DARE I!?" Vernon chuckled in disbelief. "Did you give up believing in Hunter's intuition too!?" Vernon hissed. "At the very least if you are going to try to bullshit your way through a conversation you could start by LOOKING ME IN THE EYE WHEN YOU TRY TO LIE TO ME!"

Dorian pounded a paw on the desk, causing the assorted ornaments scattered about to jump as the wolf bared his teeth at Vernon.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IN NOTHIN' NO MORE! I DON'T TRUST NO ONE NO MORE!" Dorian snarled. "AND I AIN'T ABOUT TO BUDGE ON LETTIN' YOU MAKE ANOTHER LIFE RUININ' DECISION WHILE I'M STILL ALIVE!"

Vernon's ears sagged as he glared back at his father in a mixture of disgust and disbelief. His father had always been fairly straightforward with his feelings towards Vernon's attempts at becoming an architect. But it never made hearing it straight from the wolf's muzzle any easier to stomach.

"She's just another bad decision Vernon." Dorian lowered his voice as he eased back into his chair. "I tried and failed to fight you on that frivolous career of yours, but I can't let somethin' as major as yer choice in mate get muddied up!" Dorian shook his head dismissively. "Don't you understand? I'm lookin' out fer your best interests here!"

"Is it in my best interest to leave the mammal I love just because you say so!?" Vernon replied with a derisive snort. 

"Vernon."

"Why are you so quick to write her off!?" Vernon snapped back. "To just ignore your principles and turn your back on her!? On us!?"

Dorian furrowed his brow. "You don't know what's best fer you. What bein' attached to that gal is going to do to your life! To this family!" Dorian took a swig of his brandy. "However you think she's feelin' for you is nothin' but a ruse! It's-"

Vernon slammed a paw on the table so hard several items spilled off of Dorian's desk. For the first time, throughout the entire argument, the white-furred wolf flinched at the impact, his ears bowing against his head as he looked up at his son. The room had fallen deathly silent as Vernon glared down at the mammal before him, a mixture of rage and disgust burning in his eyes as he struggled to contain himself.

"Don't..." Vernon said coldly. "Don't you dare..."

But despite Vernon's cold plea, the wolf continued.

"It's a mistake Vernon. It's-"

"Then it is my mistake to make." Vernon muttered. "I trust that ewe with my life, and nothing you have to say is going to sway me otherwise."

The room fell silent as the two wolves simply stared at one another, their eyes locked in a wordless showdown of emotional response. They were both searching, looking for the mammal who was going to flinch first as the quiet grew more deafening with each passing minute.

Vernon was trying his hardest to keep the tears he could feel rising inside from making their way to the surface, but he could feel himself starting to slip.

"You said..." Vernon muttered, balling his fists tightly as he spoke. "That at a certain point we all become accountable for our own actions."

Dorian simply watched Vernon in silence, the wolf's eyes squinting slightly as he kept his focus on the wolf.

"And you were done being accountable fer my actions twelve plus years ago." Vernon continued. "When I became recognized as an adult by Zootopian and North Mammalian law." Vernon sniffled slightly as the hot tears began to stream quietly from his eyes. "You didn't stop me from bein' what I wanted to be, and you ain't gonna stop me from bein' with who I want to be with."

Dorian grimaced sharply, the wolfs ears flattening against his head.

"I'm going to tithe Dawn." Vernon continued. "With or without yer approval."

The white wolf's ears suddenly stood to attention, Dorian's expression a mixture of shock and disbelief, but only for a moment. Soon enough the wolf started chuckling, slapping his knee with a paw as he laughed to himself.

"That's a good one boy..." Dorian snickered. "But Y'all know that's not how tithe's work."

Dorian stabbed a thumb into his chest, flashing the wolf a bemused smirk.

"You know the tradition Vernon." The white wolf shook his head. "Y'all need my approval to be able to go through with the ceremony. To agree to countin' that gal as one of our own."

"That only applies to Hunters..." Vernon replied coldly.

Dorian's quiet chuckling stopped almost as soon as the word's left Vernon's muzzle. His steely grey eyes now searching the wolf for what Vernon assumed was some hint of a tell, something to sooth Dorian's growing fear that Vernon's hinting statement was in fact, a serious one. But as his scanning lingered, Vernon could see his ears drooping slower and slower until they had flattened against his head.

"What?" Dorian asked, the wolf letting out a chuckle in clear disbelief. "What did you say?"

"The only mammal who can call the shots in my life is me pa." Vernon spoke, his tone firm despite the tears still forming at the corners of his eyes. "You didn't get to call it fer my job, and you ain't gonna call it fer who I get to choose fer my mate."

Vernon took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as the white wolf watched him in stunned silence. 

"So if you ain't going to let me tithe Dawn the way she deserves..." The wolf continued. "If you won't allow her to take the family name...then..." Vernon paused for a moment as the tension in his chest tightened. He knew the words would be difficult to even say, but the old mam' had left him no other choice. 

"Then holdin' on to that name ain't worth it." Vernon continued. "And I refuse to keep it."

Dorian opened his muzzle to speak, but no words came. His maw hung open dumbly for a few moments before the wolf closed it again. Dorian fell quiet for what seemed like minutes, the wolf staring at the brandy in his glass as he twiddled the container between his paws. His other paw was clasped against his chin, tugging slightly at his muzzle as he apparently was mulling over Vernon's statement.

"You...you can't." The wolf finally croaked. His voice was almost inaudible as he continued to stare at his glass. "W-We ain't native wolves, you can't just-!"

"We have native blood in our veins." Vernon continued. "Never much needed to rely on it before, but now's the perfect time to start invokin' some of those traditions." Vernon shook his head dismissively. "Or did you forget what great-great grandma did? How she ended up becomin' a Hunter in the first place?"

"But you can't just-!" Dorian stood up, shock and dismay lacing his features as he stared back at the grey wolf. "I mean it ai-!" The wolf stammered, running a paw through his head fur. "She left because-!"

"She didn't see eye to eye with her pack." Vernon concluded the law wolf's statement. "So she threw away her name." Vernon grit his teeth as the tears continued to pour. "She chose to become an Omega in their eyes rather than submit to whatever unjust demands they asked of her!" The wolf roughly swabbed a paw at his eyes in an effort to stop the stream of tears, but to no avail.

"And I'm doing the same." The wolf said.

Dorian stared at him in silent disbelief, and Vernon could swear he could see tears starting to form in the old wolf's eyes. But as quickly as he had seen them, they were swept away as the wolf's features twisted into a snarl. Dorian bared his teeth, letting out an almost roaring growl as he threw the glass he was holding against the nearest wall. Out of the corner of Vernon's eye, he could briefly see the shards of glass glimmering like stars against the dim lighting as they fell before disappearing into the darkness.

"YER GONNA JUST SPIT IN YER FAMILIES FACE LIKE THAT!?" Dorian snarled. "AFTER EVERYTHIN' ME AND YER MOMMA DID!? YER JUST GONNA TOSS OUR NAME OUT FER SOME LITTLE CRIMINAL GIMMER!"

"SHUT YER DAMN MOUTH!" Vernon snapped back, clasping his muzzle almost as soon as he said it in surprise of his own outburst. But it was only for a moment, the involuntary reflex the result of the fleeting last gasps of the mammal that gave a damn about how he spoke to his father. 

"SO WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO BOY!? HUH!?" Dorian hissed, slamming his paws on the desk sharply. "JUST WALK OUT OF HERE AND WHAT!? MAKE UP A NEW NAME FER YERSELF!?"

"I'll be tithing as a Bellwether." Vernon replied coldly.

Vernon could swear he saw the wolf's eye twitching, the flesh below his fur grew increasingly crimson as the wolf tried to choke out a response.

"I-! YO-Y-!" Dorian sputtered, the wolf was clearly grasping now. With another sharp pound against his desk, the wolf managed to force out some semblance of an argument.

"Y-YOU TALK ABOUT HONOR!" Dorian spat. "AND YER GONNA TAKE THE NAME OF THE FAMILY THAT IS MOST KNOWN FER TRYIN' TO KILL ZOOTOPIA!" The wolf sneered.

"I'll wear it with pride." Vernon was shuddering now, trying his damndest to keep from screaming back at the wolf. " I'd rather live under whatever shame bein' a Bellwether may carry than live under a name that doesn't stand fer anything anymore."

Dorian sat down slowly, moving in an almost mechanical fashion. The wolf was simply staring at his desk as he slumped back into his seat as the room once again fell into a deafening silence. The only thing Vernon could hear now was his breathing, the air still pumping in and out of his lungs as he prepared for the worst. The silence went on for what felt like eons as Vernon waited to hear something, anything from the old wolf. He wasn't sure what to expect now that he had laid it all out there, but the odds looked grim.

"Get out..." Vernon heard the wolf mumble.

It stung to hear it, but the wolf knew the risks. He knew that his father might not budge no matter how hard he threatened to leave the family. That the wolf's stubborn nature might force Vernon's paw into making good on his threat. But still, now that he was standing there, actually facing what he feared his father might do, it still cut just as deeply as he imagined it would. 

Vernon tried to move, to step away from the desk. But his legs seemed to be locked to the floor. A part of his mind was still struggling to come to terms with his father's choice.

The white wolf slowly raised his head, his eyes shimmering despite his muzzle being twisted into a painful looking grimace. Vernon was certain he could see tears now.

"GET OUT!" Dorian snarled. "GET OFF THIS RANCH AND RUN BACK TO THAT CITY OF YERS!"

Vernon was emotionally torn. He could see his father clearly didn't want to do what he was doing, the tears were proof enough. But Vernon wasn't going to budge either. He was going to stand for his mate, for what the Hunter families beliefs stood for even if his father no longer believed in them.

"I'LL BE OUT FIRST THING TOMORROW MORNING!" Vernon snapped back, a fresh wave of tears forming in his eyes. "THEN YOU'LL NEVER HAVE TO SEE ME AGAIN!"

Vernon spun on his heels, turning back to the door from which he entered the office. The wolf began to rapidly storm out of the room, trying desperately to choke back the tears as he trudged out.

"AND Y'ALL CAN KEEP YER PRECIOUS REPUTATION INTACT!" Vernon spat.

"GOOD!" He heard Dorian retort. " US HUNTERS DON'T NEED ANYMORE TROUBLE FROM AN...OMEGA LIKE YOU!"

Vernon stopped at the door, turning to glance back at the white wolf seated at the desk. The wolf sat there, his paws gripped to his muzzle despite the look of rage etched into his muzzle. It was clear that much like Vernon, the wolf had reflexively tried to stop himself, knowing he had gone too far. 

"I'll be glad just to never have to see you again." Vernon muttered through his teeth.

And with that Vernon left the wolf's office, slamming the oak door sharply behind him. There was a mixture of emotions now at war within the wolf. Pain, anguish, rage, sorrow, all clamoring to be expressed at once as the wolf clutched his head in pain. But that only managed to upset the wolf further as he managed to skim one of his numerous bruises with a paw, adding a fresh sting of pain on top of his already agonizing headache. Everything felt as though it was weighing down on the wolf all at once, his emotions creating a sort of phantom pressure all around him. Squeezing at his heart, pressing down on his lungs and stealing his breath. The walls of the hallway seemed to be inching closer and closer in his minds eye. Slowly enclosing around the wolf and adding a layer of building claustrophobia to the myriad of other sensations plaguing his troubled mind. It all felt so stifling, so unbearable. He needed to get away, to out of the house, to get some fresh air into his lungs as they struggled to function around the well of pain that pulsing in his chest.

The wolf had barely finished slamming the door before continuing his trudge down the hall, running a paw down the wall to steady himself as he stormed toward the porch. Coming up to the screen door that separated the two rooms, the wolf nearly wrenched the screen free of its frame before remembering through the painful haze of thoughts swirling around his mind at once that the door needed to be pushed rather than pulled.

Vernon let out an angry, almost feral roar as he slammed the door open and stomped out onto the lonely enclosed porch.

The cold, crisp air hit the wolf in a sharp blast as he passed from the lingering warmth of the house's heating, only adding to the sting of the hot tears that rolled down his cheeks. Vernon took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the piercing cold autumn breeze as he ran a paw through his head fur. Leaning back, he could barely make out the orange tinted moon that sat partially obscured by the edging of the porch frame.

Silence. Pure, blissful, non-judgmental silence was all that surrounded the wolf now. The caress of the autumn wind and the welcoming glow of the harvest moon leering down at the wolf on the tiny porch below. It was sobering to say the least, and as the wolf managed to drag himself over to the nearby porch swing to get a better view of the orb that hung in the increasingly darkening sky Vernon could feel the painful emotions that swirled within him begin to relent.

He wasn't happy with what happened, that was for sure. In all honesty, he didn't want to have to turn his back on the rest of his family. To never be able to visit the place where he grew up again for the rest of his days. But he could live with it. He could get by without visiting the ranch, without seeing his father again. Because the alternative was non-negotiable. He had already lost Dawn once, and nearly lost her again during 'Zootopia's Last Night'. And he would be damned if he was going to let anyone take her away from him again. 

As the wolf watched the now fully visible moon, for the first time since that cold, terrible night in tundra town he felt a strange yet familiar urge. The need to partake in something he rarely, if ever did. But if there was ever a time it felt more appropriate, more necessary. It was now.

The wolf closed his eyes, turning his muzzle skyward before letting out a long, mournful howl. He forced every bit of his anguish, his frustration, his sorrow, everything he had into the long, drawn-out call as it carried across the winds. In the distance, he could hear a few other wolves pick up the call. Answering with quiet, mournful howls of their own as they shared in Vernon's pain. Some were recognizable as members of his own family, probably still assembled at the picnic grounds. Their quiet howls of anguish were all too telling that they understood exactly what had happened, and even those of his brothers who were not the kind to be drawn into an involuntary howl could be heard among the calls.

But most of the call had come from strangers, the calls of wolves he'd probably never meet. But in that moment, his pain was shared with those strangers in the dark. And the feeling of solidarity was enough to put the wolf at ease as he drew his howl to a close.

A slow, quiet creak broke the wolf out of the comforting trance the howl had left him in.

"Vernon?"


	39. Where do we go?

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Where do we go?

"Vernon?"

Dawn shrunk in her shoulders as the crestfallen looking wolf glanced her way. The ewe already felt bad enough having eavesdropped on the conversation between the wolf and his father for multiple reasons. Hearing what the old wolf had to say about her, while she had already heard as much the day before, was still just as hard to take the second time around. But also having to silently endure watching her Puppy Love trying desperately to plead with the wolf, to attempt to make Dorian see things from his perspective, only to be met time and time again with outright denial was agonizing to witness her mate suffer through. Especially knowing it was all for her sake.

Vernon had thrown away his name, tossed it aside as if it meant nothing to him, all because of his devotion to her. And based on what little Dawn knew of the tenets of native wolf beliefs, she knew it was more than just a simple, inconsequential gesture. If Vernon intended to honor it the way the wolves of old did, it would mean that he would never return to the ranch, or speak to his father again. Not to mention the wolf would be very limited when it came to seeing the rest of his family members in one place.

The Hunter Brothers seemed to have very busy and demanding lives, and Dawn could only imagine that big get-togethers such as this were almost impossible to make their schedules fit into, especially without a mammal like Audrey most likely being the organizer of events like this. The ewe imagined that when it came to the she-wolf, all she had to do was call and her boys would drop everything and answer.

But when it came to their situation, aside from stopping in and visiting Wade due to the fact that he lived in the same city, Dawn couldn't see any mini-"Hunter reunions" in Zootopia ever happening. After all, Dawn and Vernon were busy mammals too, and at this point, their shared apartment wasn't fit to hold more than one guest at a time. Dawn was certain the future for family get-togethers only held disappointing phone calls that would simply grow farther and farther apart until eventually Vernon simply gave up on the idea, all because of the choice he made.

Essentially the wolf had elected to cut himself out of the Hunter family tree, to fully disassociate with them just has his great grandmother had with her own pack. The only difference was that in Vernon's case the ewe knew it was self-imposed. Dawn was already well aware that the Hunter family did not take any pride or tradition from their native blood-line, and so it would be Vernon's job to truly enforce such a declaration. 

It would be up to him to never visit his family, to never speak to his father again no matter the circumstance, all because he held his love for the ewe above everything and everyone else. Because he felt she deserved to be included, to experience all the rights and responsibilities allocated to those who enter into the Hunter pack. He felt they deserved the right to be joined in body and soul for eternity under the glow of the full harvest moon while surrounded by his own flesh and blood.

It should have made the ewe feel proud. To be filled with nothing more than pure love and adoration for her mate. But the circumstances had dampened any sort of real joy she could garner from witnessing how tirelessly her mate had defended her honor after seeing just how great the cost had turned out to be. She could see the pain in Vernon's eyes, she could hear it in the linger of his howl as it crept through the crisp autumn air. And while she knew she would probably be unable to get the wolf to admit it to her, the pain of the sacrifice he had chosen to make was something that would never really leave him. Much the same way her past actions haunted her.

Vernon let out a quiet whimper, his deep green eyes darting away from the ewe's own as the wolf scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"W-what did you hear?" Vernon muttered.

Dawn wrung her hooves nervously, her eyes drifting down to the worn wooden boards of the porch flooring.

"I-I heard most of it...I think." Dawn murmured. "I mean, I was o-outside from around the part where your father b-brought up the fair..."

Vernon slumped backward into the porch swing, causing the loveseat to begin to sway back and forth slightly under the sudden shift in weight. The wolf drew an arm over his face, covering his eyes. For a moment the wolf let out a soft hiss, quickly pulling his arm away as Dawn surmised he skimmed another on of his cuts before gently placing his arm back over his eyes in a slightly different position.

"You were listenin' to that part too!?" Vernon whined. "I though y'all just heard the howl!"

Dawn cringed, biting down on a knuckle as Vernon's words hit her. For some reason, she assumed Vernon had been aware she had overheard the bulk of the argument. It was a foolish assumption for which the ewe had no real basis, as even among company the small ewe managed to disappear from the radar of other mammals larger than she was. The fact that the door Vernon previously closed to the office was slightly ajar when he left should have been enough to tip the wolf off. But also she had been sure the wolf had seen her before starting his trudge toward the porch. Still, Dawn figured that it was a lot to expect of Vernon considering what he had just experienced.

Vernon let out a tired groan before dragging his arm off of his eyes and allowing it to hang lazily off the side of the swaying seat. Placing his other paw on his chest, the wolf took in a deep breath before letting it out a long, drawn sigh.

"I'm sorry you had to hear any of that Floofs." Vernon shook his head. "I'm sorry fer all the fights, all this grief...everythin'..." The wolf muttered quietly. "Y'all deserve better than this."

"Oh hush now Puppy." Dawn cooed as she made her way over to the old wooden porch swing. Taking a moment to hold it steady with her hooves, the ewe managed to stop the gentle rocking the wolf had created by throwing himself against it. Thankfully the porch swing proved to be considerably lower to the ground by comparison to the dining room chairs, allowing the ewe pull herself onto the cushion with little difficulty. 

The old swing was a bit of a relic upon closer inspection. With its out of date floral printing and the various scratches cut into the wood it was clear the old piece of furniture had seen a few decades sitting outside of the Hunter Ranch. Dawn couldn't help but think that perhaps the reason it was so low to the ground in the first place was that it was made with Audrey's newborn pups being able to reach it in mind. The image of the little Puppy she remembered trying to clamber up onto the same seat she was now sitting on would have been more than enough to warm her heart had the current circumstances been different.

Dawn went down on her knees, sliding herself up alongside the wolf before placing a gentle hoof atop the paw on his chest.

"I happen to think I don't deserve a mate nearly as wonderful as you are." The ewe cooed.

Vernon continued to look away from her, instead his eyes seemed to be fixed on the distant glowing orb in the sky.

"Pfft...wonderful." Vernon muttered sarcastically.

"Yes wonderful." Dawn reaffirmed, patting his paw to emphasize her point.

"A wonderful mate doesn't act like I did..." Vernon grumbled. "I'm purty sure if you were set up with a nice ram y'all wouldn't have to worry about him bitin' down on someone's throat."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Oh Vernon, that again?" The ewe shook her head. "I already forgave you for that."

"Yeah, and I still can barely wrap my head around why." The wolf shook his head dismissively before pulling away from Dawn's grip as he edged himself into the corner of the swing. The wolf leaned up slightly, allowing the ewe to get a good look at the wolf's face now that she was closer to him. The pale moonlight against his fur revealed that the smattering painful lumps and flecks of dried blood all over his muzzle had only seemed to expand since she had last been able to check, and the bruise near his right eye had swelled up enough at this point to force it partially closed.

Dawn sucked in a sharp breath between parted teeth as she eyed the damage. The ewe could only imagine just how excruciating the pain must have felt to the wolf.

"I mean, I acted like I was nothin' more than a savage." Vernon grumbled. "I let Yuri get the better of me and...ugh..." Vernon cradled his head in his paws. "The look on yer face when I saw it...I just..."

"Vernon." Dawn scooted closer to him, placing a hoof gently on the wolf's knee. Vernon's response was to further tighten into a ball, his legs tucked tightly against him in what Dawn could only assume was an effort to edge her out.

"It felt like daggers." Vernon whined. "Like icicles jabbin' directly into my heart."

"I wasn't afraid of you." Dawn shook her head. "You know that."

Vernon ran a paw up his face, slowing down slightly as he passed near his bruised eye before dragging it through his hair.

"I know, it's just..." Vernon allowed his arms to drop listlessly to his side. " I never ever wanted you to see me like that...." The wolf looked down into his lap as he let out a quiet sigh. "I didn't even think I was capable of bein' like that anymore..."

The wolf glanced back toward the amber colored orb hanging in the sky. By now the chorus of crickets under the blanket of growing dark had swelled into a full symphony as the stars began to come out.

"I haven't felt like that since...since the factory. And before that...I-"

"Vernon." Dawn tried to interrupt, but the wolf continued.

"I just felt so damn powerless." Vernon whimpered softly. "I hate feelin' powerless...I've hated it ever since I lost you the first time Floofs."

Dawn moved in closer to the wolf, tryin to find an opening around his legs she could easily maneuver through to reach the vulnerable wolf as he continued.

"Bein' here...with everything going the way it has..." Vernon murmured. "I just feel like such a powerless damn pup again." 

Finally, Dawn found her opening. With a quick push the ewe had managed to squirm past the wolf's legs, slipping into the small space between him and the back of the seat before laying her arm across his chest, drawing the wolf's attention back to the diminutive lamb. Vernon winced slightly as Dawn stared back up into his emerald eyes. It was only for a moment before his eyes darted away again, back to the moon hovering in the night sky.

"And that...I mean..." Vernon placed a paw to his head." It just broke me." The wolf whined. "I let it all get the better of me and I ju-"

"You don't think we all have those moments Vernon?" Dawn spoke softly, tugging at the wolf's shirt in an attempt to draw his attention back on her. "What did you think I meant when I told you that you were no more a monster than I was?"

Despite her efforts, Vernon kept his eyes on the skies.

"We've all had moments where we've broken down..." Dawn cooed. "Where we've been pressed to our limits to the point of snapping and done things we regret after the fact." The ewe tugged at Vernon's shirt again. "Lamb sakes, you know I have!"

"Mhh..." Vernon muttered quietly in a half-hearted agreement.

Dawn was growing tired of the wolf's evasive attitude, and quickly reached up to grab the wolf's chin with her hoof. She grasped it as gently as she could while still maintaining a grip to avoid causing the wolf any more undue pain, before tilting his face back in her direction. The lamb made sure his eyes were finally on hers again before continuing.

"Vernon, you want to talk about dealing with inner demons?" Dawn asked, furrowing her brow. "You are looking at the expert on the subject!"

The wolf, unable to move, merely quirked his eyebrows quizzically.

"I spent so long burying them, shoving them deep down inside. I was so afraid to even acknowledge I had those feelings that I didn't even realize how they had started to affect the way I was thinking until long after they completely consumed me!" Dawn raised her voice slightly as she adjusted her grip on the wolf's muzzle. "I had no one to help, not a single friend to share my pain with or even stand to my defense, and all those horrible feelings just welled deep down inside with no way to release them!"

Dawn frowned, breaking eye contact for a moment as she looked down at her lap.

"When that Pandaro's box finally burst open, it took the ZPD's best to put an end to it. To finally slam that case shut and drag the real Dawn back to the surface. To pull me back from the brink of insanity." Dawn whimpered softly.

"I had to take mandatory psychiatric therapy to deal with the dark pit I had let myself spiral into!" The ewe brought her gaze back to Vernon's. She could feel tears starting to form, but the lamb did her best to suppress them as she continued. "And I'm still seeing Dr. Gnu because I'm still recovering even now!"

Vernon just stared back at the ewe, his left eye open wide in shock with his right doing it's best to join it despite the swelling.

"So don't you start going on about being a monster, okay!?" Dawn replied. The ewe was slightly dragging his muzzle from side to side in a playful manner, doing her best to drag a smile out of the sullen wolf. It didn't take long before she could see the smirk Vernon was struggling to hide.

"You are an angel compared to me!" Dawn continued with a giggle. "A moment of weakness is not going to change my opinion on that!"

Vernon tried to look away, the wolf letting out a soft chuckle of his own in the face of Dawn's continued playful antics.

"Trying to suppress those feelings you hate only makes them more powerful. To lock them away without any form of an outlet is not going to help anyone." Dawn said, releasing her grip on the wolf's chin and patting him gingerly on the chest with a hoof. "It certainly didn't work very well for me now did it?"

"Floofs..." Vernon shook his head.

"We even talked about this just last night, remember?" Dawn continued. " About what Dr. Gnu told me about burying emotions and letting them fester?"

"I remember..." Vernon murmured softly.

"And do you remember what else I said last night?" Dawn asked.

Vernon rolled his eyes. "You mean about bein' honest with each other, and leanin' on one another and such?"

Dawn gave the wolf a brisk nod. "Exactly, an-"

"And..." Vernon interrupted. "I'd like to point out you didn't exactly keep to that rule either all things considered." The wolf playfully tapped the tip of the ewe's nose with a claw to accentuate his point. Dawn crinkled her muzzle in response, the ewe drawing away slightly before giving the wolf a playful swat and sticking her tongue out in a childish retort. The wolf simply squinted back at the ewe, a knowing smirk plastered on his muzzle until Dawn finally gave in and addressed the issue. 

"Okay, okay...that's fair." Dawn giggled. "This trip has been extremely stressful for the both of us." Dawn continued, leaning her head back against the wolf's chest as she began to rub it with an affectionate hoof, drawing small circles with her finger. "And we were both so caught up worrying about expressing those feelings to each other and being open and honest about them that we both ended up keeping secrets and letting our emotions get the better of us."

"Mhh..." Vernon nodded softly in agreement. The wolf had leaned his head back onto the armrest, his muzzle tipped up toward the porch ceiling as he ran a paw through his messy mane of head fur while glancing back at the lamb out of the corner of his eyes. Well, at least the good one anyway, it was hard to make out the matching pupil that was partially obscured by a pulsing lump of fur. Seeing it so swollen still made the ewe's heartache for him despite how non-plussed the wolf seemed to be over it. It made it particularly hard for Dawn to look him directly in it.

"I was wrong not to tell you what happened with Dorian right after I went to talk to him." Dawn sighed, her attention drawing to the soft circular motions she drew on the wolf's chest. "I know that." Dawn slumped slightly before reluctantly turning her attention back to the wounded wolf. "I just...I was just so worried about making the relationship between everyone worse." Dawn murmured. "Not even just between you and Dorian, but between him and Audrey, or the rest of your brothers and sisters."

As the ewe rested against the wolf's side, she could feel his arm slip in around her back. The wolf gently placed his arm around her, drawing a gentle claw up her arm before bringing his paw to rest on her shoulder and pulling her slightly closer to his chest. Slowly, Dawn felt the weight of the swing shift, and soon it was swaying softly in the slight breeze that seeped through the mesh netting of the porch. The motion was consistent and continued without losing momentum long enough for Dawn to realize that the wolf was the one keeping the old, worn, wooden structure swaying in the rather relaxing manner.

"I mean, they've been so nice to me." Dawn sighed. " Almost everyone was willing to welcome me with open paws. To leave my history at the door and just embrace me as one of their own."

The ewe pulled away for a moment, sitting up slightly as glanced back up at her mate, her eyes catching his own as they shimmered in the moonlight.

"And I was going to repay my newfound family by driving a deeper wedge between Dorian and the rest of them?" The ewe asked, gesturing hoof toward the wolf to emphasize her point. Vernon simply watched her in silence as the ewe shook her head dismissively. "It was just that much more of a reason to keep from telling you until we got back home."

Dawn let out a shuddering sigh as she curled back against the wolf's side. The slight chill in the air was starting to creep down the back of her neck, and it made the wolf's pelt seem that much more inviting to snuggling up to as she nuzzled against his chest. As soon as her head returned to its place above the wolf's heart, Vernon's paw had taken it's place back on Dawn's shoulder, the wolf gently running it up and down her upper arm in an effort to provide some warmth.

"Well at least you were gonna tell me..." Vernon replied, the wolf chuckling softly as he spoke.

"I-I thought it would do less damage...somehow...I don't know." The ewe huffed, unceremoniously burying her face and muzzle in Vernon's shirt. "That having a phone line separating you and Dorian would prevent...well..." The ewe's voice was slightly muffled as she spoke through the fabric.

"This?" Vernon asked, raising the ewe a curious eyebrow as he gestured to the general area of the ranch.

Dawn pulled her head up slightly, allowing her to speak clearly once again. "Well, this wasn't exactly what I expected would happen." The ewe murmured. "Although I can't honestly say if what I was expecting was better or worse than what actually happened."

The ewe reached her arm around the wolf's chest, squeezing herself against him as tightly as she could muster in an effort to hug the wolf with her free arm. "But I should have told you anyway." Dawn murmured, her glance shifting back to the wolf above her "It was wrong of me to keep it from you."

Vernon's ears were sagging now, and he had returned his attention back to the looming orange moon hovering in the dusky sky.

"Can't imagine it could get much worse..." Vernon mumbled letting out a soft, tired sigh. "I mean even if y'all told me right after it happened I can't imagine things would have played out much better. Once I heard what he did I just sorta..." Vernon raised his free paw before allowing it to flop lazily off the side of the swing. It dangled limply as the seat swayed softly back and forth. "Shut down.” The wolf ran a paw through his head fur. "And well...I mean...like I said, my emotions got the best of me."

Dawn reached out to grab the wolf's muzzle once more, directing his focus back on her.

"Nobody's perfect Vernon."

Vernon frowned, the wolf's ears dipping lower as he eyed the lamb quizzically.

"And that's okay." The ewe continued, patting Vernon reassuringly. "There isn't a mammal out there that is perfect."

"We all make mistakes, and have moments where we break down." Dawn caressed the side of his bruised muzzle, and the wolf leaned into the affectionate gesture, placing a paw atop her hoof as he watched her speak . "Moments that make us feel small, and weak, and insecure."

The ewe pulled free of the wolf's gentle grip, moving her hoof up to the wolf's ear and scratching just beneath the limp muscle. Almost as soon as she began the gentle scraping of the skin under his ear, the familiar soft thudding of her mate's tail began to sound out softly as it 'thumped' against the faded floral printed padding of the loveseat. Vernon closed his eyes, furrowing his brow as he leaned toward the ewe's hoof and making it that much easier to reach. Dawn couldn't help but smirk as the tip of the wolf's tongue poked out from his muzzle. It was a sure sign she was working one of the wolf's weak spots just the right way.

"Last night you brought up something else Dr. Gnu said." Dawn cooed as she continued her massage. "About how learning to stand up for myself and make myself heard was something I wasn't going to just suddenly become a master at overnight." Dawn retracted her hoof slightly, and the wolf's head followed. Vernon's trance-like state causing him to follow the source of overwhelming pleasure subconsciously. "It would take time and practice because the whole thing was still new to me."

Despite seeming to be lost in a haze of warm, pleasant thoughts, Vernon managed a soft, affirmative nod.

"T-true." Vernon moaned quietly.

"Well, it's the same thing with us." Dawn concluded, giving the wolf's cheek a gentle stroke as she pulled her hoof all the way back to its resting place on the wolf's chest. Vernon's eyes flew open almost as soon as the ewe pulled her hoof away, his expression briefly one of confusion and disappointment before the wolf seemed to shake off the lingering haze that had overtaken his mind. The wolf shook his head briskly for a moment before turning his attention back to the ewe at his side.

"Huh?" Vernon titled his head curiously. "How so?"

"This relationship stuff." Dawn added, gesturing at nothing in particular with her hoof before placing it back on Vernon's chest. "All of it."

The ewe sat up slightly, thrusting herself forward in short, terse movements until she was satisfied with her position. Dawn raised a hoof, holding one finger up with the others balled up as she grabbed at it with her other hand, eyeing the confused looking wolf.

"Communication." The ewe wiggled her extended digit slightly with her other hand before extending her second finger and moving to it.

"Teamwork." Dawn extended her thumb before pressing it down with her other hoof's index finger.

"Figuring out our strengths and weaknesses when it comes to working as a pair, and playing them the right way."

The ewe gave a simple shrug as she let her arms drop to her sides. "We're new at this, both of us. We're learning the ins and outs of being together. Of having a real relationship." 

Vernon raised a curious brow, but despite appearing slightly confused the wolf was idly nodding along.

"It's going to take time to master it all." Dawn said with a chuckle as she gently pat the wolf's chest. "We're still getting used to the fact that we have someone who is invested in our lives. Someone who loves us unconditionally. Someone who is there to lean on, and who we need to be open and honest with so they can actually help." The ewe cooed. "And we are going to hit a few potholes along the way."

Dawn leaned up to the confused wolf, placing a gentle kiss on the tip of his bruised nose.

"But that's why we have each other Puppy Love." The ewe smiled softly. "So when we slip we have someone to lean on. To go to with our problems and look out for us." The ewe gently pet the wolf's chest. "And when it comes to serious decisions, we have each other to confer with on what is the best route to take."

The ewe laid her head against the wolf's chest, nuzzling him softly as she gripped against his side. 

"Perhaps if we had been communicating properly from the beginning things would have been a little easier, but at the very least it has given us something to learn from." The ewe muttered. "And we can use these experiences to better our relationship, to make it stronger."

Dawn leaned her head up on the wolf's chest, allowing one eye to fall on his around the frame of her skewed lenses.

"To make each other stronger." The ewe cooed. "Because we are a team now. And everything we do, we do together from now on." Dawn gave the wolf's chest a quick pat.

"Alright?"

Vernon offered the ewe a warm smile, nodding softly in agreement.

"Alright..." The wolf replied.

"And from now on we'll try a little harder at 'being honest with each other'." Dawn offered Vernon a meek grin as she gingerly walked her fingers up the wolf's chest in a playful manner. "Sound fair?"

Vernon chuckled at that, the wolf bringing a paw to his muzzle in an effort to stifle the snickering.

"Sounds good to me Honey Lamb." The wolf said with a pleasant sigh, giving the ewe's poof a gentle but playful tousle with his paw. "After all, we got the rest of our lives to practice at it, don't we?" 

Dawn giggled softly, shuffling her way up the wolf's chest until her head came to nestle just under his jaw. Dawn let out a contented sigh as she wrapped her free arm lazily around the wolf's neck.

"I'd like nothing better..." Dawn cooed as she nuzzled under the wolf's chin affectionately.

With that, Vernon gave the ewe a soft squeeze, pulling her into a hug with the arm that was still draped over her shoulder. The ewe did her best to return the gesture in kind with her free arm. The two remaining as tightly gripped to one another for as long as they possibly could, putting as much energy and emotion as they could into the short hug. It was Dawn who used up her the bulk of her energy first, her grip quickly slackening as she settled back into simply laying next to the wolf with her arm draped over him. Vernon was quick to follow, letting out a soft groan as he slipped back into a more relaxed pose.

They lie like that for a while in the quiet of the autumn night, the sound of crickets and the gentle creak of the porch swing growing to dominate the scene in the absence of their words. The whole time Dawn remained nestled up under Vernon's chin, listening to the gentle and soothing thrum of the wolf's heartbeat as she let herself slip into the mood of the moment. The ewe wasn't sure how much time went by as she lie there, enjoying the close company of her mate. After everything they had been through, over not just the course of the day, but the trip in general, the quiet relaxation the moment had offered proved far too enticing for the ewe to not at least indulge in to some degree. To keep her muzzle still on the matters yet to be discussed as she watched the wolf's free leg periodically push off the porch to keep the swing's rhythm even and steady. 

Perhaps and hour had gone by, perhaps longer. The moon had certainly shifted in the amount of time Dawn had chosen to lose herself in the simple, much-needed warmth of her mates embrace. It was beyond the edge of the mesh frame of the porch by the time thoughts of what remained un-discussed began to filter back into the ewe's mind. Obscured by the porch overhang as it crawled upward into the darkening sky.

She didn't want to acknowledge those thoughts, to even bring them up now that she and Vernon had slipped into such a comfortable state. But the ewe had questions she needed to ask the wolf. To not only do her best to what she believed would help the wolf, but also to figure out exactly just what they were going to do now. It was time to start practicing being honest with each other, fully and completely. She could only hope the wolf was as ready to start practicing it as he said he was.

"Vernon?" Dawn muttered weakly.

"Mhh?" The wolf's reply was quiet and drowsy, almost as if he had been half asleep.

Dawn began to wring her hooves nervously, biting her lip as she mustered the courage to ask her question and effectively ruin the lovely moment.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" The ewe murmured quietly, idly walking her fingers around on the wolf's chest. Her muzzle remained downturned as she spoke, uncertain if she could actually ask the question while looking at the wolf.

" I mean I know you want to get married, to get the partnership license and everything but..." The ewe once again began to wring her hooves as she clarified the nature of her question. "I mean, are you sure you want to go through with leaving your pack?" 

Vernon was quiet for a moment, the wolf drawing a long breath before letting it out in a slow exhale.

"In the interest of stayin' honest." Vernon murmured softy. "I can tell y'all that I'm absolutely certain I can go through with leavin' my pack." The wolf said with a sigh. 

"Can go?" Dawn asked, glancing back up at her mate with a curious eyebrow. The wolf's head was still resting on the armrest of the seat, but Vernon had placed his paw over his eyes. 

"I can do it. There ain't a doubt in my mind." Vernon added, running the paw through his head fur gently before glancing back down at the ewe. He was frowning softly, the wolf's ears sagging as he let out a soft whine. "But I'd be lyin' If I said I’m happy I have to go through with it.”

The wolf pulled himself up, sliding the ewe more to his side as he leaned his back against the arm rest. Despite the move, the wolf managed to keep his arm around her. Dawn slid closer, allowing herself to remain leaning against the wolf while sitting alongside him. The ewe watched as Vernon glanced out at the dimly lit meadow beyond the porch, out toward the twinkling stars on the horizon.

"It was supposed to make the ol' mam blink." Vernon muttered.

"What?" Dawn asked.

The wolf glanced back down at his mate, pulling her into another soft side hug before continuing.

"It was a gambit." Vernon continued, letting out a mournful sigh. "Sorta of the big gun I was savin' if pa proved to be particularly stubborn. To show him just how serious I am about you." Vernon offered a weak smile. "About us."

"Oh Vernon..." Dawn whimpered softly. It wasn't surprising to hear, but it still was another thing the ewe felt she could add to the pile of 'things that were her fault' she had been building in her mind. 

"It wasn't something I wanted to have to use." Vernon continued, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "But I knew what the risk was long before I decided to take it."

Vernon turned his attention back to the ewe, his features taking a more stern and serious look as he eyed her with suspicion. Dawn tried to look away, but the wolf placed a finger under her chin, steering her eyes back in the direction of his own.

"So don't you go blamin' yerself for it now." the wolf chuckled weakly. " I know how that mind of yers works. I knew the risks, and I made that call, not you."

Dawn was somewhat shocked. The wolf had practically read her mind.

"B-but..." Dawn murmured, but the wolf was quick to continue.

"I know, I know. We're a team." Vernon added, rolling his eyes slightly. "But that means at the very least we share the blame, it ain't just you. Okay?" The wolf slipped his finger free from her chin, tapping her nose softly before drawing his paw back. "So that means no convincin' yerself it was something you made me do, and lettin' it eat ya up inside."

Dawn wanted to protest, to find some way to object to the wolf's reasoning. But she knew anything she had to say would just end up being hypocritical of everything she had said before. Vernon was right, they were a team now. And Vernon's actions were on the behalf of both of them, even if the ewe found it more natural to put herself at the center of the blame. 

"O-okay." Dawn muttered.

The wolf raised an eyebrow. "Promise me."

Dawn hesitated for a moment. Her throat felt rather dry as her mind struggled against itself to even allow her to utter such a promise. The inkling to blame herself, and the mountains of reasons had easily made a road block in her thoughts that being honest with her mate and accepting shared responsibility was trying desperately to force its way through. Dawn opened her muzzle for a moment, but when no words came she quickly snapped it shut again, looking down at her hooves nervously.

"Look..." Vernon sighed. " I didn't even discuss it with you before I made that decision Darlin'. I never asked if you thought it was a good idea, I just went and did it." The wolf added.

"Mhh..." Dawn mumbled softly, still struggling with her answer.

"And you would have told me not to do it. We both know that." The wolf chuckled softly. "So how are you gonna go about blamin' yerself for that?"

Dawn squirmed uncomfortably against the wolf as she stewed in her own thoughts. The wolf's line of reasoning was certainly true, but still the ewe could easily see her presence alone as the catalyst for the whole situation. It was a hard notion to shake, to agree to put out of her mind or accept less blame than she thought she deserved. But somehow, the ewe finally managed to squeak out some form of a response.

"I-I'll try." It was a weaker response than she had wanted to make, but it was the only way the ewe could comfortably muster to agree to the wolf's terms, even if it was fairly non-committal.

"That's all I'm askin'..." Vernon said, bringing the ewe into another soft hug. "And if you can't, then at least you can talk to me about it?"

Dawn offered a meek smile, nodding briskly. "Of course." The ewe stated confidently. It was a promise the ewe was certain she'd have an easier time keeping to. The lamb hugged the wolf back, letting out a pleasant sigh as she squeezed tightly. Dawn nuzzled into his shirt, taking in a whiff of the wolf’s earthy scent she had grown to love so much. 

Unlike their hot and heavy time together under the stars the night before, it was a relief to be able to take in the wolf's musk without it driving her completely crazy. Still, the ewe didn't linger. Her remnant estrus was only dulled, not gone. And the ewe didn’t wish to risk sparking up those slumbering embers before they returned to Zootopia. As Dawn reluctantly ended the hug, she slipped back to simply resting her head against the wolf’s chest to one side, turning her attention to the darkness that lie beyond the porch. There were so many stars out now, shimmering like diamonds scattered across a black satin shroud. The sheer number the ewe could make out by the naked eye would be enough to make Gazelle’s most sequined studded gown look as though it were little more than a pauper's rags. There were so many more to see without Zootopia’s city lights there to obscure most of them.

“I’ll admit, I am gonna miss this place.” Vernon said with a wistful sigh. “I mean I love Zootopia in a way, but I’ve always loved this place more.”

Dawn glanced up to catch the wolf glancing out onto the moonlit meadow, backed by the dark silhouette of the nearby looming mountains that separated ‘The North Meadowlands’ from the Canidean Border. “As much trouble as they went through to integrate nature into the very foundation of the city, it’s still nothin’ like bein’ in a place like this.”

Dawn felt the wolf’s chest swell as he took in a deep breath of air. “The crisp, clean air.” Vernon exhaled slowly. “The night sky filled to the brim with stars.” The wolf continued. “The seasons changing naturally, and how it changes the landscape.”

The wolf slipped his free arm behind his head, leaning on it as he continued to stare off and away into the dark of the Meadowlands night.

“It was a great place to grow up.” Vernon continued. “And it was always nice to be able to come back to it whenever I wanted.”

Dawn frowned softly, her grip on the wolf’s shirt tightening a bit as another gust of wind danced across her exposed skin.

“And I’ll miss Ma…” The wolf lamented. “And even Pa despite the way he’s been actin’ through this whole mess of a trip.” Vernon turned his attention back to the ewe at his side, rubbing her upper arm as he offered her a soft, genuine smile. “But as long as I have you Dawn, I’m fine with leavin’ it behind.”

The wolf placed a ginger kiss atop the ewe’s head, pressing through the wooly poof in order to get to her scalp.

“Y’all are the most important mammal in my life…”The wolf cooed. “And you come before anybody else.”

“B-But Vernon…” Dawn protested. But the wolf was quick to place a finger to her lips to silence her.

“I want to give you the best of everything I’ve got to give. You deserve it.” Vernon continued. “Caprid wedding, tithing ceremony, all of it.”

Dawn grasped the wolf’s finger, pulling it away from her lips slowly as she looked up into Vernon’s shimmering eyes. Slowly she maneuvered her hoof around the finger and down the back of his palm before allowing her hoof to intertwine with his fingers. The lamb flashed the wolf a warm smile as she thumbed the side of his paw affectionately, squeezing the rest it softly.

“You don’t need to give me anything Vernon.” Dawn said, wrapping her other hoof around the wolf’s already clasped paw. The ewe gave the cobbling of hands a gentle shake. “I already have all I could possibly want just by having you with me.” 

Dawn leaned up, pressing her lips against Vernon’s own. The ewe was careful not to be too forceful, afraid that even the slightest pressure accidentally skimming one of the wolf’s wounds would cause him discomfort. But as the wolf leaned into the kiss, placing his paw on the back of her head in a clear effort to pull her just a little closer, the ewe’s worries instantly fell away, allowing Dawn to fully give in and wrap her arms around the wolf’s neck in turn. It was somewhat reserved, gentle kiss, yet the ewe could easily feel the overwhelming force of the emotions that it carried along with it. It was as if they were connected in that instant, not just physically, but mentally. Their emotions melding into one as they both took comfort in each other’s love. The pair filled with the overwhelming feeling that no matter what happened, they would survive together, and that pact was sealed in their shared solidarity by the pressing together of their lips. 

They lingered like that for what seemed like a blissful eternity to the ewe, simply locked together in silence, savoring the lovely feeling as the crickets sang above the air of the crisp autumn evening. It was yet another moment Dawn would have loved to simply live in forever, but eventually, albeit reluctantly, the tender kiss came to a slow end. The ewe's heart was fluttering as she stared back up into her mates glimmering eyes. 

Dawn would feel bad for whatever came about among the rest of the Hunter pack in regards to Dorian, she was certain of that. And she pledged herself right then and there to do whatever she could to help ease the damage she might end up doing to those relationships, even if it failed to raise her standing any in Dorian's eyes. Even if she was to be limited to phone conversations at most thanks to the fact that they were leaving the pack. But the most important thing was that her and Vernon's relationship was okay. That they were together, a united front whose wellbeing was paramount. And while she loved Audrey, and her sisters, her love for Vernon came first. 

Dawn let out a shuddering sigh as she curled back up against Vernon's side, allowing the wolf to drape his arm over her shoulder once more. The ewe nuzzled up softly against the wolf's chest, permitting herself to easily return to listening to the comforting beating of the wolf's heart as she drew her hooves up and down his chest idly. She was content, for the most part. But there was still the issue of exactly what they were supposed to do for the rest of the trip intruding on the edges of her mind. Their choice to leave the pack, and Dorian's subsequent threat made it clear they were leaving the ranch tomorrow. But Dawn was uncertain of what to do between then and now.

“So…where do we go?” Dawn asked, letting out a comfortable sigh as she took her place back under the wolf’s chin. “From here I mean.”

Vernon gently pat her head, stroking the wool against the back of it softly.

“You mean how are we handlin’ the rest of this trip?” The wolf asked.

Dawn nodded softly against his chest, not even pulling away from her comfortable spot above his thrumming heart to make the gesture clear. But despite it, the wolf seemed to easily recognize the gesture.

“Welp…” Vernon sighed. “I figured we’ll spend the night in one of the guest rooms instead of bunking with the others fer obvious reasons.”

“Are you sure Audrey will approve of that?” Dawn asked quietly.

“She ain’t getting’ a say this time around.” Vernon muttered. “After what Pa did anyway she ain’t really got any grounds to object to us doin’ what we want.”

“But Vernon…I mean…” Dawn stopped herself, taking a moment to figure out how she was going phrase what she wanted to say. “I mean, Audrey…”The ewe trailed off for a moment as she wrung her hooves. “Leaving the pack is going to crush her Puppy.”

The wolf was silent for a few moments, allowing the steady thrum of the cricket song to once again dominate the air surrounding them. But as Dawn waited for an answer, she slowly came to realize one of the crickets sounded slightly off. The strange noise was closer than it should have been, and sounded softer and pleading. It was only then that the lamb figured out that Vernon had been letting out soft, low whines as he was mulling over her words. They were so low and strained they had simply blended in with the chirping around them.

“Well…” The wolf finally broke the quiet stillness, albeit fairly weakly.” I can’t help that…it’s on Pa, not me.”

The wolf let out a tired sigh, running his paw through his scalp fur as he did. “If she thinks she can change his tune on the whole affair, she’s welcome to try.” The wolf continued. “But we can’t wait around and hope that happens, it’ll make our resolve look weak in the ol’ mam’s eyes. So we have to just keep movin’ forward with the plan to leave.”

Dawn let out a disappointed sigh. Audrey was a tough wolfess, and by her own admission had butted heads with Dorian before and came out on top. But after seeing first hoof not once, but twice, just how strongly and vehemently Dorian remained against her acceptance into the pack, the ewe found herself questioning if even the wolfess had the slightest chance of breaking through to the mammal. If this situation were anything like the battle Dorian had with Vernon over being an architect than there was no true victory to be had. The old wolf had ultimately refused to support Vernon's frivolous endeavor, and Audrey seemed unable to bring him around on that particular issue, going so far as to aide Vernon in secret when she could. 

“Okay…so what then?” Dawn asked.

"Well, then we collect our belongings from our rooms and move it to the guest room." Vernon continued.

"Perhaps we could take a detour to the kitchen?" Dawn asked, glancing up at the wolf. Vernon raised a curious eyebrow as the ewe reached out to him. Dawn gently traced the swelling above his eye with a hoof.

"I still want to get some ice on that Puppy." Dawn sucked in another harsh breath of air as the wolf pulled back slightly.

Vernon shook his head, letting out a soft moan as he placed a ginger paw to the swollen lump.  
"Fine by me..." Vernon mumbled. " 'Sides I need to take a few moments at the gals room to talk to Ada and apologize again."

Dawn smiled, the wolf was seemingly able to read the next thought right off the top of her head. "I was gonna suggest..."

Vernon squeezed the ewe into a small hug.

"What, you think I wasn't gonna?" Vernon asked, letting out a chuckle. "I don't really regret knockin' Yuri around too much, just how I went about it. But when it comes to my sister, I ain't lettin' that go without making amends."

"Good." Dawn replied, patting the wolf's chest softly. "Because if you weren't I was going to drag you to her myself and force you to apologize for that comment!"

Vernon feigned an offended expression, drawing a paw to his chest. "What? I thought we were a team now? What about my say in this!?" The wolf chuckled.

"You already made one call on behalf of both of us already, it's only fair I get to make one too." The ewe giggled softly.

"Alright, alright..." Vernon said with a pleasant sigh. "We'll hit the ladies bunk fer your stuff second and I'll talk to Ada...provided Vanna even lets me."

Dawn rubbed the wolf's chest affectionately.

"Don't worry. I think I can handle Vanna." The ewe replied. "I mean she can't be as difficult to persuade to see reason as Dorian, can she?" The ewe glanced back up at her mate with a look of concern.

The wolf was clearly doing his best to stifle his snickering as he nodded softly. Dawn quirked a curious eyebrow.

"What?" Dawn asked.

"Sorry, I just was picturin' you tryin' to 'handle' Vanna." The wolf said, still trying to stifle his chuckling.

Dawn gave the wolf a playful swat on his muzzle, only for the wolf to recoil in a clear expression of mock pain. Vernon clutched a paw to his face, rolling his eyes as he leaned his other paw against his head.

"Ow! My mate is abusin' me!" Vernon lamented. "I'm a battered hound! Oh!"

Dawn simply crossed her arms, sticking her tongue out at the wolf's hammy performance. This only drew another chuckle from the wolf as he settled back down into his seat, curling back up to the ewe's side.

"But honestly, she ain't really the type to hold a grudge." Vernon picked up where he left off, shaking his head dismissively. "Unlike my Pa she actually lives up to the whole 'mammal's who are tryin to do better' idea."

Dawn let out a relieved sigh, after all she was certain she had an apology of her own to give the large tigress considering she had kept her talk with Dorian a secret from her as well. 

"After that's all squared away, we'll head to bed early and be out of here before breakfast." The wolf concluded.

"Before breakfast?" The ewe lamented. "I was kind of hoping for one more helping of Audrey's cooking before we had to leave."

Vernon shook his head dismissively.

"As much as I love Ma's cookin', do you really want to be sittin' at that awkward breakfast table full of mammals after what happened tonight?" The wolf asked, raising an eyebrow.

Dawn could feel herself cringe as she drew back slightly, her muzzle crinkling as she bit her own tongue. No matter how sweet the taste of Audrey's pastry delights, it would be impossible to enjoy them under the uncomfortable limited exchanges and awkward silences she was sure would come.

"Oh...yeah..." Dawn groaned softly.

"I mean, knowin' Pa, he wouldn't show like the last few days." Vernon muttered scratching the back of his head. "But I ain't keen on sitting across from Yuri anytime in the next century if I can help it."

"I think that's more than fair." Dawn replied. 

"But..." Vernon added, flashing the ewe a sly glance. "That ain't to say we can't sneak a few pies out with us before takin' a zoober back to the train station." The wolf flashed Dawn a wink and a smirk as he gave her a playful nudge. 

Dawn giggled, giving the wolf a teasing swat with her hooves. Vernon was quick to return the volley, adding playful soft swats of his own as the two play fought on lazily drifting porch swing. The ewe was having a good time, until she accidentally managed to swipe and one of the wolf's sore spots. Unlike before she could tell the pain was real as the wolf drew back suddenly, letting out a slight whine.

"Ooh! Easy Floof's." The wolf whimpered. "I'm still all bruised up here."

"Oh Puppy, I'm sorry!" Dawn pleaded, wrapping her hooves around the wolf's midsection once more and giving it a tight squeeze. 

She felt the wolves paw come to rest on her hair, before giving it a playful tussle.

"I'm just playin' Darlin', it wasn't that bad." Vernon said with a snicker.

Dawn drew back, her muzzle scrunching annoyance as she puffed her cheeks at the wolf.

"Don't tease me like that!" The ewe tried to stifle her giggling, but the wolf's own chuckling was infectious. "I don't want to actually hurt you!"

The wolf simply rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright...I'm sorry Mutton Chop." The wolf relented, opening his arms and gesturing for the ewe to return to his arms. "Fergive me?"

Dawn let out a slight huff, but it was purely for show as a smirk quickly returned to her muzzle. Slowly the ewe pulled herself back into the wolf's arms, allowing him to wrap her up in his embrace. The wolf proceeded to bury his muzzle in her wool as he held the ewe against him.

"Always..." Dawn replied, hugging the wolf with as much strength as she could muster. "But can you promise me something?" Dawn asked as she drew back from the hug. The ewe glanced up at the wolf with a look of concern, causing the wolf to raise a concerned eyebrow.

"What is it Floofs?" Vernon replied.

Dawn released her grip around the wolf, allowing her to wring her hooves as she nervously broached the subject.

"W-when we get back to Zootopia..." Dawn murmured softly, her eye's darting away from the wolf's as she tried to find her words. "C-can you promise me we'll talk about all this?"

"About Pa?" Vernon asked.

The ewe nodded briskly.

"I know we might not be able to fix this..." Dawn murmured softly. "B-but for the sake of everyone else...we could at least try?"

Vernon smiled softly back at the ewe, the wolf reaching out a paw to gently caress the side of her face. Dawn was quick to lean into the gesture, placing her hoof atop his paw as she let out an affectionate sigh.

"I promise." Vernon replied as he gently thumbed the ewe's cheek.

With that the wolf leaned back down against the arm rest of the chair, and with his paw guiding her, drew the ewe back to her place against his breast as he pushed the porch swing into another lazy sway with his leg. As Dawn nestled snuggly up against the wolf, doing her best to soak up the comfort and warmth it offered the ewe found herself feeling oddly optimistic about what lie ahead of them. Despite all that had happened. The fighting, the arguments, Dorian's actions, at the very least the ewe had the faintest glimmer of hope to cling to that maybe, somewhere down the line things could be mended. 

Perhaps relations with the Hunter family would never be perfect, but they may improve with time. And while it was still a less than desirable situation that Dorian had seen fit to go along with Vernon's choice, perhaps once everything cooled down, and with Vernon open to trying to fix things the older wolf could eventually be talked into a state of general acceptance of the two being a couple. He didn't have to truly be happy with it, nor did Dawn crave his acceptance, but at the very least the couple could try bring the family as a whole back together.

As long as Vernon was open to her, and they worked together no matter how sensitive the subject was, there was a chance that this wouldn't be the last Hunter reunion they would ever get to attend. If not for her sake, than for her Puppy Love.


	40. Unshakable

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Forty: Unshakable

Agony. It was the only word that could possibly come to mind as she watched the exchange play out between the two wolves she loved so dearly. It felt like a twister full of daggers was swirling within her chest, and every hateful utterance or spiteful statement was like another errant blade caught in the squall dragging itself along her very core. She found herself immobilized as she watched the warring wolves, hidden in the darkness behind the slightly opened corner door to her husband's study. Watching in mute horror through the tiny slit as the two wolves gnashed their bared fangs at one another. She desperately wanted to step in, to stand between the pair and try to force them to reconcile before it went too far. But with each increasingly heated statement came a fresh pang of pain within her chest that forced her to remain still. Trapped there, unable to do anything but watch. Her one paw wrapped on the doorknob trembling while the other gripped lamely at the rake she had carried indoors. And each time she had nearly found the power within herself to enter the room, another snarling accusation or verbal attack between the wolves would send a fresh surge of paralysis to run through her.

Audrey had always taken pride in her ability to read mammals, especially those closest to her. It was a trait she thought she had in common with her husband, even if it was something her family had never taken it up as one of their signature traits in the same way the Hunters pack had. Even without such a tenant hanging over her families head, she had always been able to bring enough to the table to stand on equal footing with Dorian. It was something she had finely honed over the years, and it had helped her nip a number of brewing spats and arguments in the bud well before they could even get off the ground.

When it came to her family, she could read the subtle nuances of body language and the tone of someone's voice quite well. And that always managed to be more than enough to give her deep insight into just how serious an underlying situation or problem was, especially when it came to Dorian. But the fight she was witnessing now told her just how out of practice she had grown in the years since the boys had left the ranch. 

With her children gone, the relative quietness of rural life had dulled her senses. And despite her husband's relatively rare grumpy days, the wolf was generally honest with her about everything. It was the kind of thing that prevented the need to probe any deeper into his statements, to study for any hidden meaning, and without a job like Dorian's that put such a skill to practice every day she lacked the opportunity to regularly exercise it. 

And that's why she had failed to notice the storm clouds that had begun to form the moment she had revealed to Dorian who Vernon was bringing back to the ranch to join the family for the reunion. Clouds that had continued to build on the horizon from the moment the pair had set foot on the ranch. Looking back, perhaps she had been ignoring them, but more than likely she had naively believed that whatever the problem at paw was, it was probably nothing more than a trifle. But either way, the she-wolf cursed herself for simply brushing aside the red flags long enough to allow this whole mess to come about.

It was far too late to intercede now. She had blithely let the pressure continue to build without taking a long enough time to actually look for the root cause. She wouldn't be able to make any reasonable headway trying to act as a mediator between the two. If she chose to run in at any point as the wolves argued, to get between them and try to prevent the whole argument from spiraling any more out of control than it already was, they would simply argue around her. They had both been allowed too much time to entrench themselves within their own minds. To build their barriers as high as they could as they stared each other down. At this moment they were past the point of negotiation, past the point of being open to reason. As painful as it all was to watch from the sidelines, the argument needed to play out before the she-wolf could finally do anything to fix it. If only she had known just how far the two would force each other to go in an effort to get the other to budge.

She had dropped the ball completely, and she hated herself for it. She had assured Vernon she would talk to Dorian about his behavior as soon as things had gone completely sour during the first night's dinner, and while she had done so behind the privacy of their bedroom doors, she had failed to pry deeply enough into his hidden motivations. 

At the time the source seemed feasible to write off as it simply being related to the ewe's former reputation, and while she hadn't been able to get Dori to outright admit it, he had begrudgingly promised to try better the following day. It was a big pill to swallow after all, even with the ewe's more recent heroics to diminish from her past actions. And while Dori and herself lived by letting the past go in favor of those who were trying to make amends, that didn't necessarily mean it was always easy.

Even Audrey was somewhat reluctant about the ewe when she first heard about her over the phone. After all, until Vernon had reminded her that Dawn had turned out to be the same lamb that he had been friends with in elementary school, all Audrey had to go on was her involvement in the night howler scandal. And despite her willingness to give mammals a chance, it would be a lie to admit she was ready to welcome the diminutive ewe with open arms from the start. 

But as she listened to her son go on and on about his mate, pouring his heart out to the she-wolf about her, she knew whatever misgivings she had would need to be put aside in favor of simply trusting her son's judgment. And by extension, she knew it would be as difficult, if not more so for her husband.

Meeting the ewe was what changed all that for her. She was such a small, timid little thing, shaking like a leaf as she quietly fiddled with her hooves in the passenger seat. At first glance, it just didn't seem possible that the slight, delicate ewe she was looking at had been capable of hurting anyone. The way she carried herself, her mannerisms, and the way she spoke to Audrey when the wolfess was able to finally draw her into a conversation. Well, even Audrey's rather rusty senses could easily tell that Dawn was more sick to death about the whole reunion than anyone else. But when it came to talking about her son, the ewe's entire demeanor seemed to change. She was still nervous yes, but there was something behind her eyes, a determination in the little mammal that reminded her so much of herself at that age, and the heart she wore on her sleeves proudly when it came to Vernon. The love was genuine, and it had melted the she-wolf's heart in seconds. And she was sure given enough time and exposure it would do the same to her stubborn old husband. She couldn't imagine the Dorian she knew being unable to see that same overwhelming love that the ewe held for their son. 

But after the disastrous events of the couples second night out she should have known there was more to Dorian's problem than simply the ewe's past exploits. Even more than the supposed 'Hunter Family Reputation' or Zach's accident. And it was something in hindsight she knew she should have headed off at the pass right then and there. She shouldn't have simply made him sleep alone, she should have hashed it out. But at that point, she hadn't even known the full extent of the secrets he was keeping. Not until it had all come pouring out of Dawn at the family barbecue.

She could still see the crumpled little ewe fresh in her mind, gasping for breath as she sobbed through her retelling of her confrontation with Dorian. Of the words her husband used as her tore into the little lamb who had been brave enough to face him. It wasn't typical of Dorian to speak like that, even at his angriest. It was abnormal, and in the decades she had been by the white wolf's side she had never once seen that side of him. Yet she could tell the ewe's claims were true by the earnestness of her tears, and all the current performance going on before her right now did was simply eliminate any shadow of a doubt about Dorian's erratic and inappropriate behavior. The heavy drinking, the screaming, the shattered glasses scattering across the dim study. These were not the actions of the Dorian she knew and loved. Something was wrong, and the situation was escalating faster and faster as she watched the older wolf dig in deeper.

She tightened her grasp on the handle of the old faded rake she had pulled from the barn as Dorian began to imply that Dawn had simply been using Vernon's affection for her. The muscles around her heart tightening as images of the whimpering ewe returned like a hot flash in her mind. It was only the fact that Vernon cut him off, preventing him from further defaming the ewe that kept Audrey from breaking her own vow not to intercede. The rake in her paws was aching to swat the law wolf upside the head, but Vernon had managed to keep his cool for the both of their sakes. And as the she-wolf relaxed her grip, she found her attention drawn back to the old rake in her paws.

The rake was another mistake. Not that Dorian didn't deserve a swift swatting after the things he had said about Dawn. But more so that she had let her emotions blind her so much that she had left a ticking time bomb in her brief absence.

Vernon had always been a hot-blooded pup when it came to his emotions, something she knew he had inherited directly from her. Whenever he felt an injustice was being done he was sure to speak up, and most often Audrey had been the one to encourage that behavior in him. But that quality had proved to be a double-edged sword during Vernon's adolescence just as it had been with her own, a quality of hers she still struggled to keep under control to this day. His rebellion against them and the system that had taken his friend away was proof of just how difficult the wolf's sense of righteous indignation was to contend with. In moments like this, the case was much the same. And with Dorian being the root of the problem and not the voice of reason in this situation, who would be left to try to talk Vernon down with her just as emotionally compromised as he was?

And so while she was seething over Dorian's behavior as she trudged toward the barn, she had left her son behind to seethe without any mammal that could capably talk some sense to the wolf in his state. She had left the barbecue without her watchful eye, and as always Yuri had used that window of opportunity to torment the already troubled wolf without her there to reign him in. 

She couldn't blame Vernon for the state she found him in upon her return, his muzzle wrapped around Yuri's throat. Nor could she truly blame Yuri at this point, as his behavior toward Vernon was always abhorrent. No, in her mind the blame fell squarely on her shoulders. But that didn't make it any less horrific to see. Her sons, her little pups quite literally at one another's throat had managed to shake the she-wolf to her very core. The only positive thing she could say that had come from the situation was that it had managed to fully reawaken those dulled senses within her. Despite the tears that were flowing as she watched Vernon's tearful apology to the rest of the family and his mate, her mind was clear and sharp in regards to what needed to be done. The time had come to take back control of her home, of her family, and the only way she would achieve it was by keeping her emotions tempered and focused at where they were needed the most. Bringing the rake along just offered extra bargaining power, a totem meant to give her all the more strength and resolve to follow through. But all of that power seemed to leave her as soon as she heard Vernon declare he was leaving the pack. 

At first, she hadn't been sure she had heard it correctly, but as the wolf reiterated his intention it felt as though her heart had suddenly stopped. It had felt as though a fist had landed squarely in the center of her chest. Audrey clasped lamely at her aching bosom as tears began to form in her eyes. 

'No...' She mouthed inaudibly. 'No, no, no..." The wolfess whimpered softly.

It wasn't surprising just how much Vernon was willing to put on the line for his mate, but what shocked her was just how bold a move he was making. Had she been in the same situation, the wolfess couldn't have even fathomed pulling from the families accursed native roots. Not for lack of desire, but simply because she wouldn't have even remembered such a small clause in wolf cultural history. Of course, she knew what he was trying to do almost immediately. It was an obvious drastic measure to make Dorian listen to him, a plea to get the older wolf to understand just how strongly he loved his mate. But her bigger concern was the rising fear that Dorian wouldn't back down despite the severity of it.

"Dorian, don't..." Audrey muttered weakly. "Don't do-"

"Get out..." It was barely audible, but the silence hanging over the room had amplified the white wolf's response to such a degree that it sounded as if he had shouted it directly into her ear. Once again the she-wolf's heart seemed to stop as she fell to her knees behind the door. The wolf had made her fears a horrific reality, and his sharp reiteration only managed to act as another punch to Audrey's gut as she began to silently weep.

"GET OUT!" The white wolf snarled. "GET OFF THIS RANCH AND RUN BACK TO THAT CITY OF YERS!"

Audrey bit down on a finger in an effort to keep her sobs from growing loud enough to be heard.

'How could he?' She thought to herself, the burning pain in her chest swelling with each sob she tried to keep down. 'How could he do this!?'

"I'LL BE OUT FIRST THING TOMORROW MORNING!" Vernon snapped back. Audrey could see the shimmering tears forming in his eyes despite his attempts to look imposing. It was clear he hadn't expected Dorian to take him up on his gamble, just as she hadn't. "THEN YOU'LL NEVER HAVE TO SEE ME AGAIN!"

"AND Y'ALL CAN KEEP YER PRECIOUS REPUTATION INTACT!" Vernon continued, but Dorian clearly wasn't backing down. The white wolf leaned up in his seat, placing his paws on his desk as he glared back at their son. 

"GOOD!" He heard Dorian retort. " US HUNTERS DON'T NEED ANYMORE TROUBLE FROM AN...OMEGA LIKE YOU!"

Audrey felt almost as if she were going to drop dead on the spot. The agonizing pain that tore through her insides as Dorian's vile decree registered was almost impossible to bear. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of her as she tried her damnedest to keep her paw clasped tightly around the doorknob to keep from slumping to the floor completely. Her vision was blurry now, the steady stream of tears almost blinding her as she struggled to watch the scene. She could see the vague blur of Vernon storming away from the desk, only becoming clear again as she wiped a shaky paw over her eyes. As Vernon came to a stop at the far office door, it was only then that she noticed it seemed to be slightly ajar, something she was certain hadn't been the case early. 

A slight squint managed to catch the glimmer of the familiar orange and brown patterning of Dawn's tortoiseshell glasses barely visible through the slit. The ewe was quietly watching the fight from the other side, eavesdropping just as Audrey had been.

The horrific realization was enough to fill the she-wolf with overwhelming nausea. Her stomach muscles clenching tightly as the myriad of emotions whirled through her head. It was bad enough for Vernon to be subjected to this, to suffer being spurned by his father over Dawn's past, something Audrey saw as trivial. But for Dawn to see it too made it that much worse. Disbelief, shock, horror, sadness, guilt, each emotions fighting to hold the dominant spot as they flushed over her whole body in wave after agonizing wave. And now it was topped off with a fresh heaping of terrible shame over her beastly husband's behavior.

'Stop, stop him!' Her mind was screaming. 'Apologize Dori! Don't be dumb! Apologize before it's too late!' It was what she wanted to say, what she wanted to yell to her husband, but it died in her throat as bile rapidly filled the empty space. She could see the regret imprinted on every line and wrinkle on Dorian's face. The wolf had clamped his paws over his muzzle as if in spite of his own hideous retort, and she could see that tears had started to steadily stream down the old wolf's face. But despite the look painted across his muzzle, the older white wolf remained silent. It only served to twist the knife that much deeper for Audrey as she struggled to comprehend what was going on in Dorian's head. It was clear his own actions were hurting him probably as badly as she was suffering now, yet he refused to admit it. To relent and apologize. Was his pride really so all-consuming that the wolf just couldn't bring himself to overpower it?

"I'll be glad just to never have to see you again." Vernon muttered sharply, and with that her son disappeared behind the far door, slamming it shut tightly in his wake and leaving the law wolf in a perturbed silence.

Audrey wanted to retch. She was so disgusted, so repulsed by her husband's behavior that she actually threw up into the back of her mouth. This monster wasn't Dori, it couldn't be. And yet it wore his pelt, it spoke in his cadence and used his mannerisms. It was as if her husband had been replaced by some sort of crazed zealot, the kind that brought to mind many of her experiences with the more devout native wolves in the area.

Slowly the white wolf seemed to ease in his chair, his ears slowly sagging down against his head as his posture slipped into more of a deep slump. But the disturbing silence remained, it's deafening and disgusting thrum hanging over the stilted air left in the study. Only to be broken by a familiar, yet devastatingly mournful howl that Audrey could hear petering through the office window on the crisp Autumn winds.

Dorian's ears shot up sharply, high and pointed as the weary howl mingled in the stagnant air. The wolf rising to his feet for a moment as he turned to face the window. He stood like that for long after the primary howl had come to a close, only slumping back into his seat as a chorus of multiple, weaker howls filled the vacuum of silence.

But for Audrey the howl was the final straw. Among the torrent of unbearable emotional turmoil beneath her surface, the small flicker of a flame that had been stoking beneath it all had begun to grow. The same fire that she knew she and her son shared, whether through influence, genetics, or purely a sense of morality that seemed to be ingrained in the both of them. She could feel the flames of rages burning through her others emotions as if they were kindling, feeding and growing until it had become an inferno in her mind. Her grip on the rake in her paw tightened as the heat flowing through her veins caused all over her muscles to start clenching. With a burst of energy, she was standing again, rising with the flames inside her body as her muzzle curled into a hateful sneer.

She had never been an 'abusive' mammal, never on to strike any of her loved ones in anger or otherwise. But in that moment, the only images that were flashing in her head were still shots of beating Dorian down with the rusted old rake. Of wailing it over the wolf's head over and over until she managed to knock some harsh form of sense into her brutish husband.

In a flash, Audrey kicked the door to the study so hard it nearly came away from its hinges. The door clacked loudly against the bookshelf to its side, knocking a few books to the floor as the she-wolf stomped into the room. However the white wolf didn't seem to react to the sudden noise, his head remaining tilted toward the desk as she rounded the corner.

As she approached the desk, Audrey raised the rake high in the air, ready to strike in a moments notice. But just as she was about to let the serrated steel fly, she finally caught sight of the wolf's face.

Dorian was still seated slumped at his desk, his shimmering eyes blearily focused on the empty glass in his paw, although not truly looking at it. His stare seemed to be as though he was looking far and away. Through the glass, the desk, and the nothingness beyond. His ears hadn't even perked to the sudden flurry of noise, remaining sagged sharply against his head as he seemed oblivious to the world around him. His features were etched with a mixture of agony and misery, every worry line in his fur exposed and wound up tightly as the wolf let out a soft, mournful sigh.

Audrey had used many descriptive statements to describe her husband throughout life. Stern, loving, stubborn, sweet, foolish. Those were all terms that at one point or another or sometimes simultaneously she had used to describe her husband. But in this moment Dorian looked like nothing she had never seen before. He looked so drawn and weary, as if he had aged twenty years during the course of the weekend. In fact, he kind of reminded her of Father Hunter during his final days in the hospital. There was only one word that came to mind that perfectly encapsulated how Dorian looked in that moment, pitiful.

Wearily the wolf managed to look up at her, her bleary eyes taking a moment to adjust to what he was seeing before a mild look of worry set in. Dorian ran a paw over his eyes, sopping up the tears as quickly as he could while turning away.

"Y'all fixin' to use that?" Dorian mumbled, drawing his finger and thumb to the corners of his eyes before dragging them down his snout.

Audrey glanced up at the rake still hanging aloft in her paws, taking stock of the object for a moment before reluctantly lowering it to her side and taking a seat in the chair Vernon had left in front of the law wolf's desk.

"I might..." Audrey replied. The she-wolf could still feel the anger boiling beneath her pelt, but Dorian's pathetic look had managed to diminish it to some degree. At least enough to place it back into the category of 'last resort'.

Dorian let out a soft, inaudible grumble, idly twiddling the glass in his paw as his dull stare returned to it. The dim light of the study danced along the sides of the tumbler with each jaunt. 

"Heard all of it...?" Dorian murmured weakly. "I take it?" The white wolf's steely grey eyes rose to meet his wife's. In turn, Audrey gave a curt nod.

Dorian let out a beleaguered groan before shifting his attention back to the glass. The wolf remained quiet for a short while, allowing silence to once again dominate the study as he seemed to ruminate carefully over his words.

"Sh-Shouldn't have had to see that..." Dorian muttered.

"No." Audrey corrected, leveling a glare at the wolf. "That shouldn't have happened."

The white wolf's ears perked slightly, his expression a mixture of confusion and disbelief as he looked his wife's way. At least, that was the emotion he was trying to convey, but underneath Audrey could see the obvious signs of guilt.

"Shouldn't ha-?" Dorian stopped, lazily shaking his head. "It ain't my fa-!"

Audrey dropped the head of the rake on his desk with a loud clatter, cutting the wolf off midsentence.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Audrey spat, doing her best to keep her voice from wavering. "As far as I'm concerned this weekend is almost entirely yer fault!"

"My!?" Dorian sputtered. "I-ME!? I mea-!" The wolf's voice cracked as he placed his glass down firmly on the desk. The wolf opened his mouth to speak again, but nothing came, and soon the white wolf simply closed his muzzle. Dorian let out another weary sigh as his head sagged despondently, his eyes once again finding his glass as he reassumed his dead to the world stance she had found him in. He lingered like that for a while, until Audrey was forced to push the conversation forward.

"Dorian." Audrey asked, her voice firm but with a lilt of concern. "Something is wrong." 

The wolf lazily lifted his head. "What?"

"Somethin' is wrong with you Dori." Audrey continued. "I can see it." The she-wolf reached out a paw, gingerly placing it on the edge of his desk as she stared into his eyes. "I can see it in yer eyes, I can see it deep down in there."

Dorian let out a slight scoff.

"How long?" Audrey asked.

"How long what?" The slightly buzzed wolf replied.

"How long has whatever it is been eatin' you up without me seein' it?" Audrey asked.

The white wolf let out another sharper scoff, his posture straightening as slipped into his former composure. The wolf wiped his eyes again before slapping a paw against his desk.

"You know how long!" Dorian shook his head. "You heard what I said to the boy! Do I need to repeat it?"

Audrey crossed her paws. "Y'all mean that nonsense about Dawn's past?"

Dorian sneered. "Nonsense!? NONSENSE!?" The wolf chuckled blithely. "The ewe is a criminal! One of the worst criminals Zootopia, naw, Animalia has ever seen! And I'm just supposed to just let her into to this family cause she says she's 'changed'?" The wolf emphasized the word in a mocking tone. "It's Bull!"

"That's bull!" Audrey replied bluntly.  
Dorian simply laughed in response.

"Why, because she saved the city once?" The wolf shook his head. "Doesn't exactly negate the first crime does it...?" The wolf drew an arm across the room idly. " And who knows what was goin' through her head that night in -"

"She saved our boy Dorian!" She snapped back. "Who knows what her father would have done to him!"

"She's also the reason our boy ended up there in the first place!" The law wolf was quick to retort.

Audrey simply shook her head. "Yer still lyin' to me."

Dorian choked back a laugh. "Lyin'? LYI-!?"

"Yes lyin'!" Audrey snapped back. " Unless you've been drunk all these years and I never met the sober Dori, because the Dori I know and love don't think that way!"

Dorian scoffed, turning his head away from the she-wolf.

"She's been rehabilitated Dori." Audrey continued. "Paid her debt's to society and is tryin' to make a clean break."

Dorian grumbled, the sound something between acknowledgment of Audrey's words and annoyance. However, he continued to avert the she-wolf's gaze.

"You and I both know how y'all have always said over and over again how important it was to give mammal's in that situation the chance to prove themselves without just writin' em off." 

Dorian grumbled again in a way that was nearly identical to the one before.

"Fer the gods sakes, y'all drilled it into the boy's skulls over and over again!" Audrey added. "And yet yer surprised when you see yer boy takin' that to heart?"

"The key word bein' there..." Dorian muttered, his eyes briefly finding Auddey's before shifting back to the window. "Is tryin'."

Audrey scrunched her muzzle up in distaste, tilting her head slightly.

"You tryin' to tell me you don't think that girl is tryin'?" Audrey asked, raising a curious brow. She could already tell the wolf was trying to throw her off again, his renewed stance a defensive posture that was a clear sign he was circling the wagons. But what topped it off was the fact that he crossed his arms tightly as he turned to answer her.

"Well if this weekend is any reflection of her attempt's at tryin'..." Dorian flashed Audrey a scowl.

Audrey rolled her eyes.

"So she screwed up." Audrey replied, extending her arms out and offering the dour old wolf a shrug. "Mammals make mistakes."

Dorian scoffed.

"And Dawn was probably the most remorseful about breakin' those rules next to Vanna!" Audrey continued. "Certainly more upset with herself than you've ever gotten with any of the other boys and gals when they broke that rule!"

"Oh p-"

Audrey stood, placing the rake down as she loomed over the white wolf's desk. "Tell me we haven't ever bungled up things involvin' family!?" Audrey shook her head. "Y'all gonna tell me yer Pa welcomed our relationship with open paws!?"

Dorian's ears dropped, the trace of a guilty expression crossing his muzzle as he struggled to remain defiant under the she-wolf's accusation. Dorian seemed to struggle for a moment, raising slightly in his seat in a lame attempt to stand toe to toe with his mate before ultimately deciding to sit back down. The white wolf opened his muzzle, but Audrey was quick to cut him off.

"How many times did Pa Hunter catch us gettin' frisky huh!?" Audrey snapped. "And if you want to talk about the family reputation you sure as hell remember the time he caught us in the back of the food stall tryin' to multiply like bunnies!"

Audrey could see a deep crimson flushing through Dorian's muzzle as his eyes shifted back to his empty glass. The seemingly uncomfortable wolf once again returning to idly playing with the tumbler as he let out a few awkward coughs. Audrey crossed her arms, flashing the white wolf an accusatory glare. Despite the fact that he wasn't looking directly at her, she could see his posture slacken further under her gaze.

"At least Vern's got a better grip on his howlin' than you did at that age! You couldn't even stand a little foreplay without lettin' everybody know what we were up to!" Audrey scoffed. " And we got the same speech about soilin' the Hunter name over gettin' caught by yer old mam' that I'm sure you gave that little ewe last night over just bein' around Vern and the family!"

Dorian glared up at his wife fiercely, a renewed fire in his eyes as he jumped to his feet to meet her gaze with equal fervor. But behind the sudden intensity, she could see the hint of anxiety setting in by the way his pupils quavered. It was the same way Ulric's pupils danced under the same circumstance. "Why are you even defendin' that little G-!?" Dorian stopped short of completing the slur, most likely out of fear as to how the she-wolf would reply.

"Gimmer?" Audrey completed his statement, making sure her delivery of the phrase was dripping with enough disgust to further shame the wolf for his abnormal behavior. "Is that what you were gonna say?" 

Dorian's ears sagged as the wolf slowly slinked back into his seat.

"Because I think you've used that word enough fer a lifetime over this weekend." Audrey shook her head. "Seems like its a fairly recent addition to that vocabulary of yers."

Dorian scoffed as he returned to playing with his glass.

"Dorian." Audrey lowered her voice, her tone taking on a more pleading sound as she eyed the pitiful heap of a wolf. But despite the change in her approach, the wolf seemed to ignore her attempt to draw his gaze. She waited only for a few moments before grabbing the white wolf by the bottom of his muzzle and tilting his head up to face her. But even that effort was somewhat thwarted by the law wolf averting his gaze.

"Dorian!" Audrey shook his head slightly in an effort to force him to look at her. He was clearly trying to resist, but eventually, the continued shaking caused the wolf to buckle. With a tired sigh, Dorian looked up at his wife, and while he tried to retain some sort of determined look in his steely grey eyes, the way they quivered slightly told her that it was hurting the wolf just to meet her gaze.

"In the thirty plus years we've been together y'all ain't never used that kinda language." Audrey said with a frown. "Not even when interrogatin' criminals! Not even when you were fightin' with yer Pa over me!" Audrey continued to gently shake his head in time with the words she felt the need to emphasize. She could see the hint of guilt in the wolf growing as she spoke. From the faintest trace of something he was hiding deeply behind his facade of confidence and carelessness into a visible rising panic that was barely being contained.

"I could never imagine my mate would be capable of sayin' somethin' like that to anyone, no matter how angry he was!" Audrey continued. "So stop lyin' to me and tell me what this is all about!"

"I-I..." Dorian averted his gaze, only for her to shake his muzzle again.

For a moment she thought she finally had the wolf pinned to the wall. That she had finally pierced the massive barrier he had been building around himself for most of the reunion. But suddenly, Dorian pulled his muzzle free of her grip with a jerk, pushing her arm away with a dismissive paw before recoiling into his chair.

"I ain't allowed to call a mammal scum!?" Dorian sputtered. "After what she did to my boy!" Dorian extended an arm toward Audrey, feigning a look of horror and disbelief as he slipped right back into his lame act. "OUR boy!" The wolf emphasized the word as his ears sagged down in clear disappointment.

"Because of that..." Dorian stopped, again taking a moment to change his phrasing clearly due to Audrey's previous objections. "Because of her, we nearly lost Zach!"

Audrey crossed her arms, looking down and away from her mate as she tried to steel herself for what she thought might be coming. Dorian was slipping, and his desperation was growing more and more obvious with every passing moment. With each failed attempt to lie directly to her face, the law wolf's movements became increasingly jittery and jerky. His even tone faltering more and more as the speed and delivery of his rebuttals increased. He was clearly uncomfortable, and was looking for any out he could get the she-wolf to accept. But just how far was Dorian really willing to go to try and worm out from under the investigative pressure she was putting on him? Would her husband be so callous as to try to play on her emotions in an effort to avoid discussing a topic? It would be a new low for him. Then again, her husband seemed to be pulling out all the stops when it came just how low he could sink tonight.

The second the wolf's pleading eyes met hers, that phony entreating expression of sympathy she could practically predict the exact words that were going to come out of his muzzle.

"After what she did, how can you-"

"Don't..." Audrey said with a low growl, her ears flattening against her head as she glared down at her mate. The usually bold white wolf seemed to shirk in his stance, his head cowing slightly into his shoulders. But despite his defeated posture, the wolf maintained eye contact.

"Don't...what?" Dorian asked.

"Don't. You. Rutting. Dare!" Audrey hissed, balling her fists tightly as she loomed over the wolf. Audrey glanced back at her rake, quickly scooping it up in a paw before raising it high over her head.

Dorian flinched, but only for a moment as he desperately tried to keep up his act.

"I'm jus-!"

"You think I can't tell when someone's tryin' to manipulate me!?" Audrey spat, causing the wolf to shift his attention back down to his glass. The shame coming off the older wolf was palpable.

"How could you...?" Audrey whimpered softly as she lowered the rake, letting it drop lamely against her side. "How could you try to use somthin' like that on me?" 

Dorian looked up for a moment. Now the guilt was truly shining through on his muzzle. 

"Yer wife." Audrey felt tears starting to well up in the corners of her eyes. "Yer mate."

Dorian let out a soft, mournful whine.

"The one you pledged to yer honesty an loyalty to above all others under the harvest moon all them years ago!" Audrey's tone was a mixture of sadness and rising anger, the two emotions battling it out to take command over the situation as she struggled to come to terms with what her mate had tried to do.

"To even imply..." Audrey's throat went dry, the words dying in her throat as the powerfully painful concept burned a hole into her mind. "That I don't care about my son's accident because I'm sidin' with that girl over you...I..."

The she-wolf balled her fists tightly, turning away from the wolf for a moment in order to try to regain her composure. The tears were silently streaming from her eyes now, but she managed to keep an even and calm tone as she spoke.

"I've never been so insulted..." Audrey continued, biting her lip harshly as she fought to suck back the tears. "And so ashamed of you..."

"A-Auddey..." She heard Dorian murmur.

"Did our tithe mean nothin' to you?" The words carried the same disbelief in their tone as the mere thought had made her feel the moment it had popped into her mind. "Were you just spittin' into the wind when you spoke those words to me or did they actually mean somthin'?"

"Auddey." Dorian said more firmly, but Audrey couldn't bring herself to look at the wolf as he spoke. "I didn't mea- I mean I...I..."

Audrey turned on her heels, glaring sharply at the crumpled wolf sitting in the chair behind the table. The wolfess grit her teeth tightly as she stabbed a claw at him.

"You know how terrified I was when I got that call!" Audrey spat, her vitriolic tone causing the law wolf to jerk slightly in his chair. "How terrified we both were!" 

Dorian nodded dumbly, his muzzle remaining shut as he guiltily eyed the she-wolf.

"I was a wreck fer weeks!" Audrey ran a shaky paw through her hair, pushing it free of her tear-filled eyes. "I could barely sleep, I could barely eat, I was just so damn terrified that at any moment I was gonna get another call tellin' me...t-tellin' me..." Audrey couldn't even bear to finish the sentence, her darkest fear far too painful to even mention aloud. 

The she-wolf began to pace in front of the desk as the suddenly mute white wolf continued to watch.

"There ain't a day that goes by where that buried fear ain't livin' in the back of my mind, worryin' that this day is the one where I'm finally gonna get that call!" Audrey turned to face Dorian as she came to the front of the desk, slamming her paws out on the face of it with a sharp snap as she glared down at her husband. The white wolf seemed to be growing smaller and smaller by the minute as he slunk deeper into his padded green chair, the skin under his muzzle almost matching the chair's hue.

"But I had to learn to live with that risk since yer first day on the job." Audrey said with a whimpering sigh. "And we both had to live with it when most of those boys went down the same road you did." 

The she-wolf ran a paw through her hair again, but despite her best efforts a few stray strands kept slipping free and dangling over her face. "I mourn every damn day, every time ANY of y'all go to work. And my heart rejoices every time you make it back in one piece!" Audrey sniffled. "It hurts me to stay quiet whenever one of y'all gets hurt, whenever there's any kind of problem, because I always go back to the day I almost lost my pup..."

"Auddey..." Dorian said weakly.

"Of course I ain't gonna tell y'all not to go!" Audrey spat. "To force you not to do what y'all wanted because I was scared!" Audrey lamely wiped a paw over her eyes to clear the fresh wave of tears that had started to form. " I ain't so selfish I expect everyone around me to bow to my every whim!" Audrey's nostrils flared as she let out a sharp exhale. "I just wanted my boys to be happy! I wanted my family to be happy!"

Audrey let out a quivering sigh as a chill ran up her spine. It all hurt so much, too much for this old wolfess to take. But somehow she had managed to stay standing despite the overwhelming pounding in her chest. The feeling agony that hung heavy in her chest made it almost impossible to breathe, but somehow, she managed to press onward.

"And I thought you wanted that too..." Audrey said softly. "But whatever yer runnin' from...your willin' to throw away everythin' just to avoid it! Even yer family!"

"Th-that's off base." Dorian sputtered, the wolf clinging to whatever remnants of composure he had left as though it were a life raft in a stormy sea. "I-I ain't runnin' from anythin' I-!"

"BULLSHIT!" Audrey snapped! "Dorian Everett Hunter, you are many things, but you ain't a good liar!"

"I ain-!"

"HUNTERS CAN SMELL BULLSHIT!" Audrey cut him down mid-sentence. "Yer the one who taught me that, and yer boys." The she-wolf crossed her arms once more as she appraised the wolf. "And lookin' at the state yer in now it wouldn't even take a Hunter to sniff out the bull yer tryin' to sling."

Dorian grit his teeth, letting out a sharp snarl as he shot to his feet. The wolf slammed a fist against his desk as he met Audrey's gaze.

"DAMNIT AUDDEY, I AIN'T DIS-!"

The she-wolf cut off Dorian by slamming the desk with her own paw in equal measure, her nose practically touching her husbands as she lunged forward. 

"Dorian, I swear to the gods..." Audrey whispered, staring back at her mate with a gaze so sharp and cold it almost felt as though blades were firing out of her sockets. "If you don't trust me enough to tell me the truth about what's going on in the next five seconds I am turning around and walking out of this study..."

The she-wolf stabbed a sharp claw toward the door her son had exited through just moments before, but her gaze remained fixed on Dorian.

"And then I am walkin' out of yer life forever." Audrey snapped coldly. Dorian could never know how much that had pained her to say, to even be able to keep up her fierce and confident front in the face of her husband while her insides were screaming in emotional agony at even the concept of leaving the wolf she loved so dearly. But if Dorian was willing to sink to the bottom of the barrel in an effort to throw her off his scent, then she was more than willing to join him there.

Luckily the threat seemed to have the desired effect almost instantaneously. Fear, honest to the gods fear. It was an expression Audrey was certain she had never seen Dorian experience in her life. Yet she could see it in his eyes the moment the idle threat left her muzzle. His ears sagged sharply, the wolf taking a stumbling step back as he stared at Audrey in disbelief.

"A-Auddey." Dorian reached a paw lamely to his chest, but it never reached it, simply hanging in the air somewhere between as he stared dumbly back at the she-wolf.

"O-Our...?But..." Dorian trailed off, seemingly unable to put whatever he had to say into the proper words. The wolf gulped audibly, closing his eyes and staying that way for a few moments before managing to find some semblance of his speaking voice.

"Our tithe..." Dorian muttered weakly.

Audrey could feel the tears flowing out of her eyes, but despite it, she managed to maintain her cold and serious demeanor as her unflinching glare remained fixed on her husband.

"Oh now y'all care about our tithe?" Auddey spat. "Seems like y'all only seem to care about the sanctity of a tithe when it's convenient fer you."

Dorian looked wounded, the wolf's paw finally managing to clutch his chest as he eyed the she-wolf in disbelief.

"B-B-But-."

"Honesty Dorian." Audrey continued to stare through her mate. "Loyalty, honesty, carin' fer each other whether rich or poor, fer the best or worst. That's what it means to be someone mate." Audrey's piercing glare finally broke, the she-wolf letting out a shuddering exhale as she looked down at the wolf's desk, studying the grooves in the polished oak.

"If you won't be honest with me, yer wife." Audrey muttered, running a paw lamely across the smooth surface of the desk. "The how am I supposed to believe that sacred bond means anythin' to you?"

Dorian slowly slumped into his chair, the wolf's head downturned as his eyes seemingly returned to the empty tumbler in front of him. Silence once again filled the dimly lit room, leaving the air stagnant with the foul nature of the previous arguments that had echoed through the fine redwood walls. It felt like an eternity to Audrey, the emotional tumor that hung heavily in her chest feeling as though it was set to burst out of her with every excruciatingly long second that eked by. 

She was nearly ready to make good on her threat, just so she didn't have to stand in that room for a second longer and endure the agonizing heartache Dorian's silent treatment was giving her. But finally, a weak voice pierced the deafening noiselessness. A meek, whimpering wisp of a thing that almost reminded her of Dawn's own voice, like the last pleading calls of a defeated pup.

"I'm scared..." Dorian muttered.

Audrey felt the weight in her chest bottom out as she tried to register what the wolf had said to her.

"What?"

The white wolf slowly lifted his head to reveal a steady stream of tears had started to flow from his eyes as he barely managed to meet her gaze. It was a look that made her feel almost powerless, pulling all the heat and rage out of her in the blink of an eye, and in its absence came the overwhelming desire to go to his side and comfort the crestfallen wolf. She was still his mate, and to see him suffering like this felt agonizing. But until he finally came clean with the true nature of what had consumed the better part of his mind, she needed to hold firm to her convictions. Even if she had to forcibly seat herself, clutching the armrests of the chair for dear life in order to do so.

"I...I'm scared Auddey." Dorian whimpered. "I'm so damn terrified. I have been since..." Dorian trailed off, the wolf placing his head in his paw before sweeping it back through his hair. All the while his arm trembling violently. "I can't function...I can't..."

"Dori..." Audrey cooed softly. It was surely a night of firsts alright. And it only continued with Dorian's startling admission. She had finally gotten through, cut through all the lies and evasion and got to the heart of whatever it is that was eating at the wolf.

Dorian had always been a confident mammal, and his demeanor reflected that in spades. He never seemed to show weakness, at least not when it came to displaying feelings of fear or terror. In fact, Audrey aside most mammals tended to assume Dorian was fearless. A towering pillar of strength that both the North Meadowlands Community and the Hunter family could depend on. When it came to the she-wolf, she hadn't seen the white wolf fearful of anything since the death of Papa Hunter, and even that appeared more subdued when compared to his current state. She had seen the wolf at his softest, and his sweetest, but never had she seen him so terrified. 

The white wolf looked back up at her with glassy, watering eyes. A pleading stare that seemed to be begging the wolfess for help.

Dorian looked at her paw for a moment before glancing back at the empty glass on his desk. His eyes rose to meet hers once again for a split second, and in it, she saw the glimmer of mammal looking to run. The wolf reached a paw into the darkness at the fringe of his desk, pulling out a very recognizable decanter full of brandy. Dorian was just about to pour when the sudden appearance of a rake over his paw stopped him dead in his tracks.

The white wolf's nervous glance darted up to meet hers.

"I think we've heard more than enough from 'that' Dorian." Audrey said. Her tone was firm, but with a distinct air of concern lacing her words.

Dorian stared at her for a few moments before slowly nodding in agreement and placing the bottle back into the darkened shroud of the corner of his desk as Audrey pulled the rake away. The law wolf followed up with sliding the glass into the dark along with it before cradling his head in his paws.

"Dorian, I'm not going anywhere." Audrey cooed. "Let it all out."

"I hate it..." Dorian whimpered. "I hate this feeling." The white wolf sniffled. "I feel so rutting weak!"

"You ain't weak Darlin'." 

"I am!" Dorian snapped his head up, letting out a soft growl. The kind of growl that gave Audrey the impression it was directed inward rather than at her. Dorian's angry expression quickly faltered as he turned her attention back to Audrey. The concerned she-wolf reached her paw out, finally managing to snag one of her mates paws. Audrey gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Why do you think yer weak Dori?" Audrey cooed sweetly.

The white-wolf pawed at his eyes, trying to get the tears to stop, but his efforts were in vain as the wolf struggled to continue.

"Because I failed..." Dorian replied weakly, his voice breaking completely as the words came forth. "I failed this town, I failed my department, my damn family! I failed to keep 'em safe! ANY OF 'EM!"

Audrey quirked a curious eyebrow. Was whatever her husband's problem was still somehow related to Zach? She could tell he was being genuine with her now, but earlier when he had brought up Zach's accident his demeanor made it clear it wasn't the heart of the matter. Maybe it did have something to do with what almost happened to Vernon in Zootopia, but even so, no one could blame the older wolf for not being able to help protect their son when he had no idea what was happening.

"Killers in my own midst!" Dorian whined. "Mammals I saw as friends...I can't believe I..." Dorian took in a sharp breath of air, only to let out a shuddering series of coughing sobs.

"Honey please, please!" Audrey cooed, squeezing his paw tightly. The she-wolf leaned out of her chair in order to wipe the older wolf's eyes free of the hot tears.

"HOW DID I NOT SEE IT!?" Dorian let out another whine.

The wolf's statements were only getting more and more baffling by the minute. It was clear the wolf had been holding this dark secret in for far too long, but regardless she wouldn't be able to help if she couldn't get a clear assessment of what was going on. Audrey brushed away another tear with her thumb before sliding her paw up against her mate's face and drawing his eyes back to her. 

"Dori..." Audrey's tone remained sweet and comforting as she stared back into Dorian's steely gray eyes. "Please start from the beginnin'. I can't make sense of what yer sayin'."

Dorian let out another hoarse weep before doing his best to try and regain some of his composure. The white wolf pulled his paw free of Audrey's, leaning back into his chair as he pawed the tears away from his eyes. With a shuddering sigh, the wolf placed his paws on his desk, wrapping his fingers together as he brought his eyes to meet Audrey's again.

"Do you remember officer Merino and McCria?" Dorian asked quietly.

Audrey quirked an eyebrow. The names were certainly familiar. While they weren't around often they regularly showed up to Dorian's monthly card nights along with some of the others at the station and Representative Ruddy. Although she knew for a fact that Dorian had known the sheep and alpaca since he was in middle school, and well enough that they could easily bring out his more jovial side when they spoke to the wolf over the phone. They were some of the few mammals that knew there was more to Dorian than imposing officer that managed to strike fear into the hearts of most of his own recruits without saying so much as a single word.

Audrey nodded softly.

"Of course I do." Audrey replied.

Dorian took a slow deep breath, rubbing his temples with his paws for a few moments before managing to continue.

"I've known Alan and Deb since I was a fairly young pup." Dorian replied. "Hell Alan and me were as tight as Vernon is with that goat boy." The wolf added, gesturing vaguely in the direction of where Vernon departed.

"O' course things kinda fell off over the years." Dorian continued. "Family, kids, life, ya just don't have as much time to maintain those kinda friendships the way ya used too." Dorian placed his head back into his paws, slumping the full weight of his body on them. "But still, I THOUGHT I KNEW them!"

"Dori..." Audrey said quietly, her voice laden with concern. Dorian didn't look up, but the wolf continued, seemingly keen on barreling through it now,

"Back when the first night howler incident happened." Dorian grumbled, wiping a paw through his hair. " I mean...after Bellwether was caught and after Zach got hurt...there was an investigation."

Dorian managed to lift his head slightly, exposing a single bleary and bloodshot eye to Audrey.

"D.C. sent a bunch of Feds out to investigate Zootopia's government and public services from top to bottom." Dorian muttered. " Bellwether's little conspiracy made mammals both inside and outside Zootopia antsy about just how deep the corruption may have run. They were afraid there were still sympathizers and co-conspirators workin' behind the scenes even after she was put away, and the threat it could pose not just to the sovereignty of Zootopia, but the nations outside of it." Dorian brushed the hair out of his eyes before placing his fingers on his temple. "And part of that investigation involved bringing together the district police chiefs fer a meeting, interviewin' 'em and doin' deep background checks on every one of us, as well as the mammal's workin' at our precincts."

Audrey nodded. "I remember that." The she-wolf said. "I remember how much you were goin' on about bein' forced to sit near Chief Latrey from the South Meadowlands District."

Dorian let out a weak, halfhearted chuckle. "That coyote always was a prick..."With a sigh the wolf leaned back in his chair, running a paw through his hair in a clear effort to push it out of his eyes. "Always lookin' down his snout at my officers, callin' 'em 'quaint'..." Dorian trailed off, giving his head a brisk shake as if prevent himself from going on a tangent and returning to the point.

"I shouldered most of the more intense scrutiny, as did most of the other chiefs. But once I was given the clear, and they started investigating my officers, my words when it came to vouchin' fer their character weighed heavily into just how deeply each officer was investigated." Dorian muttered. 

"And when it came to Merino and McCria, I vouched fer 'em up and down." Dorian shook his head. "I was willin' to appoint them both to the heads of our undercover night howler division I was so sure of 'em."

Dorian chuckled weakly again, trailing off into another strange, almost bemused sigh. "I believed in 'em that much." Dorian continued. "They were good cops, good friends...I thought..."

"Even when that water buffalo from precinct one looked 'em both over and said to me in private he wasn't too sure about 'em, I rose to their defense." The white wolf grit his teeth as the low thrum of a growl began to emanate from his throat. "I stood toe to toe with that towerin' mass of mammal and said 'These are good cops, and just because we're rural don't mean we don't know how to pull our weight in the North Meadowlands.'"

The wolf placed a paw to his brow, pressing his fingers into the flesh above his eyes softly. " I chalked it up to everyone still bein' on edge about sheep after..." the wolf shook his head. "If I had only known..."

"Dorian." Audrey cut in, placing a paw on the desk as Dorian turned back to face her. "What happened? Please. Tell me what happened."

Dorian let out a long, tired sigh.

"After Mr. Bellwether's attempted attack on Zootopia a few months back...a lot of interestin' facts came to light."

Dorian placed his elbows on the desk, clasping his paws together before leaning his muzzle into his paws.

"Aster's manifesto, details of his plans, all sort of tidbits of information. More stuff comin' out every day as the investigations continued." Dorian muttered. "They dug and dug for every tie the mammal had." The white wolf raised a paw slightly, massaging his forehead for a moment before returning to his stance. "Every mammal who was set to benefit should his plan have gone off without a hitch."

Audrey nodded softly, encouraging the wolf to go on.

"You see, part of old mad mammal Bellwether's plan involved bringing the North and South Meadowlands police forces in to clean up after the night howler bombin'." Dorian muttered. "With the Zootopian Reserved Miltary Base stuck in Sahara Square, in the center of all the madness, Aster surmised we'd be the first line of defense, both to keep night howler infected mammals from spillin' into the Meadowlands, as well as to take back the city."

Dorian leaned back in his chair, the old seat letting out a soft squeak as he reeled back into darkness. Audrey couldn't see the wolf's face very well behind the dark shadow, but she could still hear him.

"Along with the Alpine Ridge police, we would be sent into Tundra Town in an effort to cut through to the base in Sahara Square." Dorian began to rock softly in the chair, the slight squeak only adding to the tension as the wolf continued his story. "We'd re-arm there, and hold the spot until the North Mammalian National Guard arrived with back up. And once they did, we'd take back the whole city over the course of several days."

The wolf ceased his rocking, allowing the uncomfortable silence to return to the room for a moment. The tension had grown thick enough to cut with a knife.

"It was gonna be dangerous." Dorian sighed. "Nothin' between us and our limited supply of tranquilizers versus a whole mess of savage mammals with no quick way to cure 'em." The wolf continued, his tone growing weary and clinical as he continued to prattle off the details. "Of course, Aster had assumed, and rightfully so, that we'd more than likely have to rely on live firearms to get through."

Audrey let out a soft gasp, placing a paw to her lips as the gravity of Dorian's statement registered with her.

"You mean...?" Audrey trailed off, her muzzle unable to produce the words necessary to convey the horrible conclusion she had come to. Despite the dark of the room making it rather hard to see Dorian's expression, she could easily make out the wolf's affirmative nod.

"A hefty cost..." Dorian muttered weakly. "One we'd have to carry fer the rest of our lives..."

Audrey was shocked to say the least. But despite just how bewildered and stunned she was by just learning the full details of the horrible scenario Dawn's monstrous father had been planning for, she found herself more curious about something else."

"Just how did you find out about this?" Audrey asked. "I mean so much detail...I can't imagine that was public knowledge at the time." The she-wolf continued. "Did you find out at work or-?"

"I'm just tellin' you the same thing the investigator from Sahara Square's Police Department told me when he came out to our office." Dorian replied. "Along with several officers from his own precinct with arrest warrants fer Merino and McCria."

Audrey furrowed her brow in confusion.

"W-what?" The she-wolf asked.

Dorian fell silent, the wolf leaning back into the dark shroud outside the range of the weak lamplight. Slowly Dorian leaned back into the light, his tired bloodshot eyes and miserable expression coming back into clear view as he eyed the wolfess wearily. The wolf looked absolutely devastated.

"Aster had been in contact with the both of 'em about three years back..." Dorian said softly. "They were workin' with him."

Audrey's eyes slowly widened as the realization fully dawned on her, the shock coursing through her at a sloths pace before she finally managed to stammer a response.

"W-What?" Audrey let out an uncomfortable chuckle. "You can't be serious!?"

Dorian sighed, closing his eyes as his head drooped softly.

"They knew all about it. Especially the bit out our department bein' deployed to clean up the mess." The wolf shook his head softly. "And what their role was gonna be in it."

"Dori..." Audrey was at a loss for words. The she-wolf had no idea where to even begin with what her husband had just dropped in her lap. It seemed like it was all a dream, yet the sincerity in his voice told her it was all too real.

"Ya see, Aster had plants in all of the departments outside of the big four districts. All of 'em there to make sure the clean-up was a complete failure." Dorian sighed, running a trembling paw over his hair. "To pull back while the other officers were under attack and tell the public outside how they were completely overwhelmed in the savage chaos and barely got away." Dorian began to growl softly. "Some of them goin' so far to ensure that the other innocent officers didn't make it back by taken' it upon themselves to finish the job."

Dorian placed his elbows on the desk, slouching his head into his paws with a terse motion as he let out another shuddering, tearful sigh.

"And that's what Merino and McCrea were plannin' to do to me, Zach and Vanna."

Audrey's heart dropped, a familiar rush of anguish and terror overtaking the wolf as she even considered the notion of what the wolf was saying had it come to pass. The muscles around her heart felt as though they were clamping down like a vice as she struggled to reply, to say anything to her husband. Audrey opened her muzzle to speak, but the words just wouldn't come. 

"You see, Alan and Deb used that position I gave them, confiscatin' night howler to stash aside a little bit of the drug to use fer themselves." Dorian muttered. "With Aster supplyin' basic instructions on how to synthesize it from that Doug fella, they had started making their own night howler pellets and stockpilin' them."

The wolf ran a paw through his hair, dabbing the sweat off his brow as he did.

"They were waitin' for the day we were gonna be deployed to clean up Aster's mess." The wolf growled. "Bidin' their time watchin' the back of the group until we ran out of our limited stock of tranq weapons. Once that happened, they were going to pellet as many of us as they could, startin' with me, Zach, and Vanna, and continuing with as many other officers they could safely strike during the confusion before high-tailin' out of there." Dorian let out a sharp exhale of air, breathing in with a stuttering whimper.

"With nothin' to put us down safely, we'd either be kilt by the remainin' officers or tear each other apart." Dorian hissed. "And in the off chance our bodies were even recovered, there'd be little to no way to prove that foul play had been involved." Dorian leveled his bloodshot gaze on his mate, his lids squinting tightly around his steely grey eyes. "They'd just think another bomb went off, or that whatever night howler weapon had been used had made the effects of the drug transmissible."

"B-but why?" Audrey whimpered, still struggling to overcome the surreal shock of the wolf's account.

Dorian squeezed his brow between his thumb and forefinger.

"So after everythin' was all over, they could slip themselves into the previously occupied roles of Sheriff and Deputy with no muss 'er fuss." Dorian replied. "They'd be the next most capable officers in-line anyway. And bein' the highest rankin' survivors in the attempts to save savage Zootopia, why, the county would see 'em as heroes."

"Oh...Oh Dori..." Audrey whimpered, reaching out a shaky paw toward her husband. 

"All of that..." Dorian muttered. "All of that schemin' and plannin' because they wanted my job..." The wolf sank his head back into his paws, letting out another shuddering sigh. "They were willin' to kill us over it..."

"Dori..."

The white wolf's head quickly snapped back up, and he slammed his paw against the desk so sharply that it caused Audrey to jump in her seat. A fresh stream of tears was pouring down his fur, but his muzzle was twisted up in malice and hate.

"AND I DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT!" The wolf spat, growling through his teeth. "I TRUSTED THOSE MAMMALS WITH MY LIFE AND THEY PLAYED ME LIKE A DAMN FOOL!"

The wolf ran a trembling paw through his scalp, harshly dragging his hair away from his face that clung to the increasingly sweaty and tear-soaked fur. "HUNTERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO SMELL BULLSHIT!" Dorian continued, slamming his paw against the desk once more. "It's that keen intuition that helps us separate friend and foe! To protect our community, our FAMILIES!"

Dorian allowed his head to fall to his desk, knocking his forehead against the oaken wood with a dull thud.

"And those two were lyin' right under my nose..." Dorian whimpered. "Mammals I thought were my friends...only waitin' there to stab me in the back..." The wolf glanced up at his wife with watering eyes, but his head remained fixed against the desk surface.

"And worst of all, they were gonna hurt our boy...and Vanna....and who knows who else." Dorian whimpered. "They were a threat to my family, and I was blind to it." Dorian wiped his eyes, taking a sharp snort in an effort to suck back the tears steadily streaming from his eyes. "T-that's on me. That's my fault." Dorian said coldly.

The wolf let out a strange, almost strangled sounding sigh. It almost sounded as if the wolf was momentarily amused with himself despite the choking sobs that broke up the sound.

"I remember the morning after Aster's plan failed..."Dorian muttered. " Back when as far as the world knew, he was the sole mastermind behind the whole operation. I was the one to break the news to them." Dorian chuckled darkly. "They looked so surprised, so scared of what almost happened." The wolf rolled his eyes. " Only in hindsight did I figure out that was nothin' but fear for their own hides." Dorian shook his head. "They could feel the noose tightenin' around their throats, and if I hadn't been so damn blind I would have realized it was the same guilty expression that I get from criminals every damn day."

"Dori..." Audrey cooed, placing a gentle paw on the white wolfs hair and gently brushing his ear in an attempt to calm him down. "Why didn't you say anything?" The she-wolf asked. " You should have come to me, you should have told me."

Dorian shuddered, wiping lamely at his tears again.

"I wasn't allowed to at first." Dorian whimpered. "The investigation into the conspiracy was still ongoing, and in order to root out more of Aster's plants and supporters I had to keep the arrests as quiet as possible." The white wolf let out a tired sigh. "Hell I still ain't supposed to tell, but, I just..."

"Shh, shh..." Audrey tutted, continuing to stroke the troubled wolf's head gently.

"It gutted me Auddey..." Dorian whimpered. "Ripped my insides up somethin' fierce." The wolf placed a paw over his eyes, letting out another choking sob. "After what happened I wasn't certain about anythin' anymore."

"What do you mean Dori?" Audrey asked.

"I kept second guessin' myself, couldn't read mammals at all." Dorian whined. "After the first few days I differed all interrogation duties to the other officers because I didn't trust my own judgment!" The wolf whimpered. "And I just...I couldn't trust anyone."

Dorian leaned his head up on a paw, causing Audrey to draw back slightly as the wolf adjusted himself.

"I even started keepin' Ruddy at arm's length because I wasn't sure I could trust him! And I've known him since kindergarten!" Dorian shook his head. "I mean the investigator told me they had already looked into him, and he was clean, but still, it was about my judgment. My-my..."

"You were afraid?" Audrey asked softly, caressing the wolf's cheek with a paw. Dorian leaned into it, placing his paw on hers as he tried to take comfort in the gesture.

The wolf nodded softly.

"Petrified." The wolf scoffed. "But the people of the North Meadowlands look up to me. My officers look up to me..." Dorian muttered. "My family used to look up to me...till I messed it all up."

"Oh Dori..."

"I'm supposed to be a pillar of the community, a mammal others can rely on. Especially my family." Dorian whimpered. "But I didn't know who I could rely on..."

The wolf rolled his eyes.

"And everyone just keeps coming to me, asking my advice and to make judgment calls." the wolf pulled free of Audrey's caress, slamming his paw against the desk weakly. "AND I JUST CAN'T!" The wolf hissed. "I CAN'T RISK MAKING THAT MISTAKE AGAIN!"

"Dorian." Audrey tried to interject, but the white wolf clearly wasn't done. His steely gaze returning to one of resolve despite the tears still clouding his eyes.

"If someone gets hurt..." Dorian continued. "If my family gets hurt because I make another mistake I'll never forgive myself."

"Is that why y'all are so against Dawn coming into the family?" Audrey asked, despite already feeling confident in the answer.

Dorian turned his head to the side, averting his gaze from the she-wolf.

"H-How can I trust that ewe?" Dorian shook his head softly. "With her father doin' what he did, and what she did before him..." Dorian's ears sagged softly as his sorrowful stare managed to find his mates once again. "What if she hurts our family? What if she hurts..." The wolf trailed off, seemingly unable to finish his sentence.

Audrey reached out a paw, gesturing for Dorian to extend his own. The wolf reluctantly reached out, slowly grasping her paw once again and interlocking his fingers. As Audrey gently rubbed her thumb against the top of his paw, the wolf averted his gaze, a look of guilt crawling across his muzzle as his sight fell to the open window. 

"Part of my gut is tellin' me she's genuine..." Dorian murmured. "That she's been rehabilitated and she deserves the chance fer a clean break..." The wolf let out a soft whine, running a paw through his sweaty mop of hair.

"But I'm so scared of takin' that risk and bein' wrong." The wolf whimpered. "I just keep seein' her wrap sheet in my mind and thinkin' 'what if she goes right back into it? What if she goes right back to crime?'"

"Dorian..." Audrey said softly, with a lilt of concern. "That doesn't really make any sense." The she-wolf shook her head. "That gal risked her own life and essentially killed her own father to save the city, to save out boy..."

"I know...but...if I make the wrong call I'll...I'll..." Dorian whined. The white wolf's head dipped down, his eyes darting away from Audrey's own in a clear attempt to retreat back inside of himself. "I'll never fergive myself Auddey."

"Dori my love..." Audrey cooed as she reached out her other paw to Dorian's chin. Gingerly the she-wolf drew his muzzle back toward her. Looking deeply in his eyes, she could see a fresh film of moisture shimmering on the surface as the wolf seemed to once again be fighting back tears.

"It ain't yer call to make."

Dorian furrowed his brow in clear confusion, only for Audrey to slightly roll her eyes in response.

"Vernon is an adult Dori." Audrey continued. "And when it comes to his life, whether it's got to do with who is a part of it or what he chooses to do with it, well..." The she-wolf frowned softly. "It's his call to make, not yours."

Audrey could see that glimmer of fear return to her husband's eyes for just a brief moment.

"But-."

Audrey quickly placed a finger to her husband's lips, silencing any further protest before the she-wolf could get to her point.

"Our job is to be there to offer our advice and opinions..." Audrey continued. "To be there if he needs us, and most importantly, to trust his judgment."

Dorian simply blinked at his wife in silence as she drew her paw back from him, and slowly the white wolf leaned back into his chair. Dorian's eyes taking on that familiar far and away look that told her Dorian was mulling over her words in his mind.

"I know yer sufferin' right now Dori." Audrey cooed. "Yer all torn up inside about yer intuition and about trustin' new mammals. About trustin' Dawn."

Dorian winced slightly as the ewe's name left her muzzle, that familiar flash of discomfort and fear behind his gaze finding Audrey's own for a second before shifting off and away once again.

"But you need to trust yer family." The she-wolf returned to gingerly rubbing the side of the wolf's clasped paw with her thumb reassuringly. "You need to trust me." Audrey continued, offering the white wolf a concerned smile. 

"And you need to trust yer boy."

Dorian glanced back up at the she-wolf, his eyes widening slightly in surprise.

"Vernon ain't in doubt about his intuition." Audrey said. "And neither am I." The she-wolf's grin widened, revealing her fangs. "And I can tell those two love each other as much as I love you."

A fresh sheen of moisture seemed to gloss over the wolf's steely gaze as he looked back at her, letting out a soft whine.

"Y-you mean you ain't-?"

Audrey chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Leavin'? Pfft..." The wolfess rolled her eyes. "You really think I could ever leave you?"

Dorian's muzzle shifted down toward his desk, the wolf letting out another soft whimper as he continued to avoid Audrey's gaze.

"Well I mea..." The wolf mumbled. "Y'all said..."

"Dorian Everett Hunter!" Audrey said, her tone a mixture of shock and amusement. "You think I'm just gonna up and walk away from my mate!?" The she-wolf slapped a paw against her knee. "The wolf who gave me the best thirty-some-odd years of mah life!? Who gave me seven beautiful pups who have grown into fine young wolves?" Audrey shook her head in sharp disagreement. "That I would really ever leave the love of mah life!?"

"Auddey..." The wolf's tears were steadily flowing now, and Dorian was lamely pawing at his eyes in order to try to stop them. "I..." 

Audrey rose from her seat, making her way carefully around the large oaken table before beckoning the white wolf into her waiting arms. Dorian didn't hesitate for a second, the wolf practically jumping out of his seat and clasping his arms around the wolfess as if he were holding on for dear life. Dorian let out a quiet sob as he buried his muzzle into the she-wolf's shoulder.

"I love you Dorian Hunter." Audrey cooed. "And I always will."

With that, Audrey placed a paw under her mate's chin, lifting his muzzle and bringing his gaze to meet her own before bringing her lips softly against his. It was a deep powerful kiss, the emotional baggage that had been welling in her mate clearly fueling the force and neediness of his mate's comfort. Not that Audrey minded in the slightest. Despite being together for over three decades, the wolfess never seemed to tire of her husband's touch. Every kiss still retained that fire she had first tasted when they were love-struck teens. 

Audrey wanted to lose herself in the kiss, to give in now that her mate shared his burden with her and cleared the air. But she had to make sure the wolf was truly ready to let go of the reigns when it came to his sons, to be willing to defer to their judgment in the face of his own uncertainty. And that was going to start with mending the fences with Vernon and keeping him from leaving the pack.

Slowly Audrey broke the kiss, trailing away from her reluctant mate as he slowly opened his eyes.

"And those two love each other just as much..." Audrey said with a sigh. " You need to do right by them."

Dorian frowned, his head sagging as his eyes took to staring at the floor. The wolf fell silent, and the soundless ambiance grew more and more deafening as Audrey awaited her mate's response. The seconds that passed felt like an eternity as the she-wolf grew increasingly uncertain that she had managed to finally get through to her husband. In fact, she had begun to prepare for whatever last, grasping rebuttal Dorian was surely preparing when the wolf finally spoke again.

"By Oldwyn's beard..." Dorian mumbled, releasing his grip on the she-wolf before slowly slumping back into his chair. Dorian placed a paw to his muzzle, gently squeezing it between his thumb and forefinger before drawing it out to his nose and letting out a tired sigh.

"I really hackled everythin' up, didn't I?" The wolf asked, turning his head back to his mate and raising a brow. Audrey chuckled, shaking her head dismissively.

"At least y'all figured that out now, instead of after Vernon was gone." Audrey replied.

Dorian leaned an elbow on his desk before leaning his face into his paw.

"Vernon....teeth to tails!" Dorian spat. "I was gonna let my boy just..." The wolf shook his head.

"I...I can't believe I was so...so...so damn..." Dorian stuttered.

"Stubborn?" Audrey completed the sentence for the wolf, only for the wolf to let out a terse sigh.

"Ugh..." Dorian groaned.

"And pigheaded." Audrey continued with a smirk. "And foolish, and ignorant, and-"

"Alright, alright, I get it!" Dorian rolled his eyes, only to draw another chuckle from the she-wolf.

"It's just..." Dorian ran a paw over his scalp with a shaking paw. "How do I even begin to make this right Auddey?"

The she-wolf crossed her arms, throwing the wolf a knowing glance.

"I think an apology would be a good start." Audrey said, shifting her hips slightly as she spoke.

The white wolf nodded slowly.

"Yeah...I guess..." Dorian muttered, leaning his head back into his paws and staring down at his desk. It was clear the law wolf was back inside his own head, mulling over what Audrey hoped, was a multitude of ways to make things up to the couple for his abhorrent behavior.

"Great." Audrey replied, making her way back around the desk. "I'll just go find 'em and bring 'em back in."

Dorian nodded, but remained silent as he continued to stare through his desk.

Audrey was nearly at the same door Vernon had left through earlier when Dorian suddenly called out.

"Wait!" Dorian barked.

Audrey turned to glance back at her mate, the she-wolf throwing him a discerning glare.

"What is it?" Audrey asked. "Y'all ain't havin' second thoughts now are ya?"

Dorian waved his paws defensively.

"No! Of course not!" The wolf replied. "I just had a better idea is all!"

With that, Dorian pulled his laptop open and began to furiously type away at the keyboard. Audrey watched him for a few moments, cocking her head in confusion before the wolf suddenly raised a paw and gestured the she-wolf toward the wall next to the door.

"Auddey, can y'all pull out a few more bottles of my good brandy from the liquor cabinet?" 

Audrey let out an irritated sigh, crossing her arms as she glared in the direction of her mate. However, the law wolf seemed too distracted to notice.

"Oh Dori, we been through this already." Audrey scoffed. "Don't y'all thi-"

"It ain't fer drownin' sorrows." Dorian protested as he reached toward one of the dark corners of his desk. From the shadows, the wolf dragged his desk phone closer to him before taking the device off the hook and starting to dial. "It's fer celebratin'!"

Audrey raised a curious eyebrow at the white wolf's confusing statement, and was about to ask him exactly what he was preparing to celebrate only for the wolf to hold out a paw as he placed the phone to his ear.

"Hello Clover...this is Dorian."


	41. Picking Up The Pieces

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Forty-One: Picking Up The Pieces

The air was frigid now. Of course, it didn't take the ewe that was burying herself deeper and deeper into Vernon's pelt with each increasingly chilly gust of wind to tell the wolf as much. Vernon could feel the frosty nip in the air, the start of the evening chill that told him the hour was growing late. The moon had disappeared over the porch awning some time ago. Long since the two had discussed their plans of when and how to leave the Hunter Ranch the following day. If the wolf had to guess, he wagered that at least three or so hours had passed since they had left the barbecue behind. Long enough for his family to have packed up the food and collapsed and stored most of the equipment back in the barn, and hopefully long enough that most of them had begun to gravitate toward the bedrooms now that it had gotten so late. It was part of the reason Vernon found himself lingering on the porch swing for so long after his fight with Yuri and Dorian. Reluctant to enter the home and run into one of the two, or Audrey, or any of the other mammals in the family, the wolf had elected to remain in the peaceful tranquility of his mate's embrace. His arms wrapped tightly around his little 'Honey Lamb' as she idly snoozed against his chest, and trying to pretend they were already home again. Safe in privacy and welcoming atmosphere of their shared apartment and nestled into their comfortable bed, away from all the madness that he was certain still awaited inside. Only adding to the desire to remain outside despite the cold was the soothing feel of the chilly air as it bristled across the wounds he had picked up during his previous scrap.

Vernon hadn't really been aware of just how badly he had managed to get himself hurt during the fight with his brother. The surge of adrenalin and the wrenching pain of the emotions swirling around inside dampening the physical pain significantly. But with his energy spent, and his heart poured empty to both his father and his Honey Lamb, the ache from his throbbing bruises and sores were quickly filling the newly vacated space. His head felt as though it was still ringing, and the swelling over his eye, while it had shrunk to some degree, felt as though it was on fire. He could feel a renewed ache with each thrum of his heartbeat. Every fresh pulse of blood aggravating the soreness and stiffness that was setting in that much further. The cold offered some degree of reprieve, the soothing air taking away from the sting and the heat just enough to make it tolerable.

But as he felt Dawn's tiny frame shudder in his arms once again, he knew the time had come to finally migrate indoors. The couple had delayed entering the home again for as long as they possibly could. But with no jacket or blanket to throw on top of the ewe, Vernon was certain that any further exposure to the growing chill would ensure that Dawn would catch some sort of cold or worse by the time they returned to Zootopia.

Vernon gave Dawn a ginger shake, careful not to startle the sleepy ewe as he attempted to rouse her from her slumber.

"Lamb fry..." Vernon whispered.

"Mhh..." Dawn muttered, nuzzling her face deeper into his shirt. "Five more minutes Puppy..." The drowsy ewe mumbled quietly.

Vernon chuckled softly before giving the lamb another gentle push.

"C'mon Darlin', we gotta head inside." Vernon whispered. "We gotta pack."

The ewe rubbed her head into the wolf's shirt again, in a sluggish but more aggressive manner before she finally managed to lift her head away from his chest. Dawn blearily pawed at one of her eyes with a hoof as she looked up to the wolf.

"Did I fall asleep?" Dawn muttered.

"Fer a bit." Vernon said, flashing the ewe a soft smile. 

Dawn listlessly pawed around the wolf's chest for a moment, the ewe clearly looking for her glasses as her mind struggled to wake the rest of the way up. 

"How late is it?" Dawn mumbled, her hoof still pawing at random places against the wolf's shirt as her fruitless search continued. Of course, Vernon remembered she had slipped them next to his side on the porch swing. 

"Late enough..." Vernon replied, grabbing the lenses and carefully unfolding them before gingerly slipping them onto the ewe's snout. Dawn blinked at the wolf a few times as her eyes quickly adjusted to the sudden clarity, before taking a moment to adjust the wolf's handiwork with a hoof. Seemingly satisfied, the ewe pulled her phone from her pocket, quickly unlocking the device and scanning the face of it.

"It's nine o' two." Dawn said, the wolf could easily make out her shocked expression illuminated by the phones glow. "We've been out here for three hours?"

Vernon nodded softly. "Seems that way."

The ewe let out a tired sigh as she slipped her phone back into her pocket before lamely swabbing at her eye again beneath her lenses.

"Sorry I kinda nodded off...it's just..." Dawn murmured.

"I know Darlin'." Vernon chuckled. "Believe me I know."

Dawn let out a soft giggle as she reached up to caress the wolf's face. Dawn ran a ginger hoof along the side of his muzzle as she examined the wolf again. Her lime green orbs seemed to be intensely scanning the wolf now that she was fully awake.

"Oh Puppy..." Dawn frowned. "Your bruises don't seem to look much better."

"They certainly don't feel much better." Vernon said with a chuckle.

The ewe softly touched the swollen lump on the wolf's brow, only for Vernon to retract at the sudden contact. The wolf letting out a sharp hiss between his teeth as he withdrew from her caring hoof.

"We really need to get some ice on that." Dawn said, concern in her voice. "And some antibiotic spray wouldn't hurt either."

Vernon nodded softly.

"Well it is gettin' purty chilly out anyway." Vernon replied, glancing off into the meadow for a moment before returning his attention to the diminutive ewe. "It's about time we head in and try to get some actual sleep somewhere you ain't gonna catch cold."

Dawn giggled softly. "Puppy, I'm fine." The ewe replied. "Really."

The ewe's delivery was confident, certainly. But the next little gust of wind that rolled through the mesh of the porch screen forced the ewe's body to betray her word as the wolf felt another shudder travel through her. 

Dawn offered the wolf a meek smirk knowing she had been caught.

"W-Well maybe a little chilly..." Dawn murmured quietly.

Vernon smirked.

"Believe me, I ain't keen on going back into that house either Honey Lamb." Vernon said. "But we got a little bit of business left in the Hunter home before we can finally be free of all this."

The ewe nodded softy despite the frown that had formed on her muzzle. Slowly the ewe edged herself off the wolf's chest, carefully appraising the drop off between the lip of the porch swing and the wooden floor before hopping off. Now on her feet, the ewe quickly dusted off her skirt before rubbing her upper arms with her hooves.

"I'm a little nervous..." Dawn muttered. " I mean if we run into your mother, brothers, or even Yuri...I mean, what do we do?"

Vernon let out a groan as he pulled himself into a seated position, taking a moment to allow the pain and stiffness in his muscles to abate before going any farther. The wolf put his paws on his knees, letting out a soft, tired sigh.

"We keep it short, curt, and formal." Vernon murmured. "Tell 'em we don't want to discuss anythin' and we don't have time."

"And then what?" Dawn asked.

Vernon eased himself off the swing, the old wooden structure swaying slightly as he rose from the seat before the wolf came to a standing position. Now up and about, the wolf stretched an arm above his head, bracing it with the other as he tried to loosen up his wound up muscles.

"Well, we don't give 'em a window to interject, we just keep movin'." Vernon replied with a grunt.

"Of course, ideally were just gonna try to avoid everyone as we make our way up the house." The wolf continued, stretching his other arm in the same fashion. Vernon heard a soft crackle as some of the tension managed to release.

Dawn tilted her head, raising an eyebrow curiously.

"Is that even possible?" Dawn asked. " I mean, they are probably all inside now."

Vernon scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"I'm kinda hopin' most of 'em have started to bed down..." Vernon mumbled. "Hopefully some of 'em might even be asleep already. And those that ain't will probably be in the game room or den 'er somethin'." Vernon glanced back at the porch door. "That should leave us mostly in the clear from havin' to deal with anyone till we get to the gals room."

"I just hope Ada's there..." Dawn replied.

Vernon let out a somber sigh. "Me too."

It surprised Vernon how quickly the ewe scampered over to the screen door. It was an astonishingly bold step for Dawn to make so suddenly considering the tone their conversation had. The wolf could only assume she was spurred on to some degree by her desire to see Vernon make things right with his sister as he dutifully followed his tiny mate.

Dawn carefully pulled back the screen door, stretching it as far back as she could muster before passing it to Vernon for the wolf to hold open. As the wolf clasped the door frame, holding it further away from the pair, the ewe gingerly placed a hoof on the main door handle. 

Dawn hesitated, taking a moment to seemingly slow her breath before twisting the handle and quietly pressing the door inward. Vernon watched as the door slowly drifted inside, Dawn holding onto it all the while as it moved. It slipped just far enough to make a sizeable opening before the ewe suddenly jerked her hoof, forcing the door to a sharp stop.

The wolf continued to watch has Dawn's head disappeared around the opening, leaving the wolf with little more than the quiet ambiance of the cool autumn night to comfort him. Vernon waited for the ewe, growing increasingly antsy the longer he awaited her appraisal of the area inside. He couldn't be sure if she was simply being thorough, or hesitating, but either way, his own growing discomfort caused his patience to completely buckle.

"Is the coast clear Floofs?" Vernon whispered.

Dawn pulled her head back out from behind the door, taking a moment to straighten her glasses as she turned back to him.

"The hall is clear." Dawn said, letting out a sigh of relief. "And I can't really hear anyone talking or moving around."

"That at least means we got a clear line to the bathroom." Vernon sighed.

"P-provided no one is in the bathroom..." Dawn muttered, wringing her hooves nervously.

Vernon offered the ewe a weak smile as he pressed the door behind her further inside.

"S'alright." The wolf spoke, glancing down the vacant hallway as the door opened the rest of the way. "I'll lead from here."

Dawn gave the wolf a brisk nod as she slipped inside the house, coming to a stop just inside the corner of the hall as she waited patiently for the wolf to enter after her. Vernon carefully slipped inside, stretching to keep his paws on the screen door in order to prevent it from making a sound. With his body now all the way inside the ranch, the wolf awkwardly twisted his body around in an effort to face the screen without losing his grip. After all, one little slip would have the old faded wooden screen screaming like nails on a chalkboard as it slowly closed itself. Once again, the wolf had to brace himself for yet another quick, calculated jerk of the door to keep it from alerting the household. Vernon glanced down at his mate, flashing her a nervous smile.

"You ready?" The wolf murmured.

Dawn nodded briskly, balling her fist at her sides tightly in what the wolf could only assume was the ewe steeling herself should the wolf's 'little trick' go awry.

"Is this just a Hunter thing?" Dawn murmured quietly. "Always having to sneak into your own house?"

Vernon let out a quiet chuckle, flashing the ewe a stupid, albeit nervous grin. "It's a good ability to keep sharp."

Vernon let out one long, drawn-out exhale before jerking the door inward, pulling it within inches of being shut while just stopping short of the frame. To his overwhelming relief, the screen hadn't made a sound, and from there he was able to easily settle it into the closed position with barely so much as a click.

"Phew..." Vernon sighed. The wolf went to run a paw across his head to wipe away the sweat, only to draw it back as it touched the swelling above his eye, eliciting a quiet hiss from the wolf.

"Let's hurry and get that taken care of Puppy Love." Dawn cooed. The ewe reached out, taking one of the wolf's paws in her hoof and gesturing to the nearby bathroom door.

Vernon gave the lamb an affirmative nod before walking over to the nearby door. Much like Dawn's initial peek into the hall, the wolf was quick to use the same method to glance into the rather spacious bathroom. But unlike his diminutive mate, it only took a simple scan of the room to let him know it was completely empty.

Pushing the door aside, Vernon led the ewe into the room with him. Releasing his grip on her hoof, the wolf turned back to the door, closing it enough to more or less hide the pair from prying eyes. He wanted to avoid sealing it shut completely, to keep from making any noise upon opening it again and drawing any unwanted attention.

Turning back to the room, Vernon could see that the ewe had already pulled a washcloth down from a nearby shelf that had been low enough to reach. The petite lamb was now wringing it between her hooves as she made her way over to the bathtub.

"Vernon, can you get whatever supplies you have for treating cuts and stuff?" Dawn gestured to the cabinet high above the sink. "If they are in the cabinet I can't exactly reach them."

The wolf nodded before making his way over to the medicine cabinet. Reaching out a paw to pull it open, the wolf froze as he came face to face with himself for the first time since the fight in the cabinet's mirror. 

It had been such a long time since the wolf had seen himself in such a sorry state. The tracks of dried blood spattered along his snout, and the vague hints of discoloration under his fur had told the wolf he had taken way more of a thrashing then he realized. Of course, the centerpiece of the train wreck that was his bruised and battered face had to be the shiner and welt combo currently marring his right eye. He knew the welt had been much worse early, purely due to the fact that it was no longer forcing his eye partially shut, but it was still a repulsive sight to behold. Even the mild beating the rams under Aster's employ had given him didn't look nearly as bad as Yuri's handiwork.

The sudden rush of a faucet caused the wolf to jump slightly. Turning to the direction of the sound, the wolf mentally scolded himself as he watched his mate testing the tub water from the tap. It made sense that she would use the tub after all. It was the easiest tap for her to reach. Dawn ran a hoof through the flowing water, rolling her fingers through the stream before glancing over her shoulder at the wolf.

"Did you find it?" Dawn asked.

"Oh, psh..." The wolf shook his head in an effort to clear away the lingering thoughts. Opening the cabinet, the wolf found the rather old but familiar medical kit that had been in his families possession since they were pups. Clasping it with a paw, the wolf pulled it out of the case and flashed the cover in the ewe's direction. "Yeah, sorry. Here it is."

Dawn flashed the wolf a small smile before turning back to the faucet and running the washcloth under the torrent of water. Sluggishly, Vernon approached the edge of the tub, placing the med kit on the lip of the old porcelain fixture before easing himself down to the floor by Dawn's side. The wolf tried his hardest to lean carefully into a seated position the whole way down, but as he closed in on the floor the awkwardness of the angle and the stress on his muscles caused him to slip. And the resulting stumble brought the wolf's rump to the floor much harder than he first intended.

Vernon let out a dull groan as the mild pain registered at the base of his spine. It really wasn't much, something the wolf would have been able to easily shrug off without a sound under normal circumstances. But the state of his body since the fight seemed to make every little jostle hurt that much more.

With a sigh, the wolf eased himself into a more comfortable lean, draping his arm over the lip of the bathtub as he turned his attention back to his mate. By now Dawn was wringing out the washcloth she was holding, twisting as much of the excess water out with her hooves as her strength could allow. Vernon watched the ewe's face flush as she gave the cloth another rending twist, flashing her tightly grit teeth before letting out a satisfied sigh. Turning off the tap, Dawn turned her attention back to the wolf seated on the floor.

"This might sting a little bit." She said, folding the damp cloth into a long rectangle as she closed the gap between them. Dawn carefully eased herself onto the wolf's lap, staring up at his muzzle expectantly as she raised the cloth toward it. Vernon obliged by tilting his muzzle toward her, making it that much easier for her small arms to reach.

At first touch, the sudden heat and warmth against the wounds on his face caused the wolf let out a soft hiss through parted teeth. Dawn was right of course, not that he was expecting that it wouldn't sting. But again, his tolerance for pain seemed to had suffered to some degree thanks to how weary his body now felt. But as the painful sensation began to dull, the comfort and warmth of the damp fabric began to take on a more comforting feeling.

"Phew..." Vernon sighed softly as Dawn continued to carefully move the cloth around to the various blood stains and scabs on his muzzle. The ewe let out a soft giggle as she gently scrubbed at some of the caked blood on the bridge of his snout.

"Puppy Love, you look so much better already." Dawn said, dabbing at yet another spot under his jaw as he leaned up to allow her an easier reach.

"Certainly startin' to feel better..." The wolf replied, his tone a dreamy, pleasurable sounding one. "O'course it helps to have such a cute little nursemaid taken' care of me."

That earned a giggling snort in reply as the ewe continued to wipe away at the various stains still caked into his fur. But the wolf wasn't quite done with his teasing.

"I bet you'd look awfully cute in one of them lil' old style nurses outfits." Vernon continued, flashing the ewe a mischievous grin. "With the lil' hat and pinstripes." The wolf bobbed his eyebrows suggestively. "And those stockings that ride all the way up to yer-."

"Vernon, Staaahp!" Dawn giggled again, giving the wolf's nose a playful squeeze as she brought the washcloth down over it. With that the ewe drew the cloth back, reaching out her free hoof and gently grabbing at the wolf's chin. Dawn turned it from side to side, inspecting it carefully before giving the wolf a satisfactory smirk.

Before Vernon could add yet another flirty retort to the pile, the ewe pitched the damp cloth at him. It hit him square in the forehead with a wet 'plap' before slumping down onto his muzzle.

"Hold that over your eye for a bit while I look in the kit for antibiotic ointment." Dawn said, carefully slipping off of the wolf's torso and making her way back over to the kit. Vernon sat there simply blinking at her for a few moments in mute surprise before letting out a chuckle and grabbing the washcloth off his face.

Like before, dabbing the steamy, hot, moist cloth over his eye sent a sharp stinging sensation through his skull. For a moment he could hear the ringing in his ears return as the pain reverberated through him. It took a lot for the wolf to stifle the desire to let out another sharp hiss, going so far as to bite his lip with a fang as he endured the initial blaring sting. But it was short-lived, once again quickly fading away under the feeling of soothing relief. Vernon slumped even further down as his muscles began to relax, letting out a contented sigh as he held the heated cloth tightly against his swollen eye.

"Uh....Puppy?" Dawn murmured.

Vernon didn't even turn his head to face her, instead choosing to keep both his eyes closed as he lost himself to the blissful feeling of relief. "Hmm Darlin'?"

"Um..." The ewe's reply seemed uncertain and shaky. "Well I found the antibiotic ointment...but..."

Vernon chuckled softly.

"It's outta date right?" The wolf replied.

"Yes." Dawn replied, somewhat surprised. "It's about six months out of date...in fact.." The wolf could hear the ewe continuing to rummage through the case. The dull cluttering and rattling of various pill containers and plastic items being strewn about the kit as Dawn searched briefly filling the air before coming to a sudden stop.

"Everything in here is expired." Dawn concluded, her tone laced with concern.

Vernon lazily gestured his free paw at her dismissively.

"That's cause Pa always refills the home kit with what they are supposed to throw away at the station." The wolf said with a chuckle. "It's his way of recyclin'."

"Is that safe?" Dawn murmured.

The wolf opened his good eye, glancing over at the worried looking ewe with one emerald green orb.

"How risky could it be?." Vernon replied. "I mean stuff like bandages and cotton swabs ain't exactly things that go bad."

"But the ointment?" Dawn asked.

"Well, we been usin' that kit since me and my brothers were pups and we lived." Vernon chuckled.

With a sigh, the ewe made her way back over to the wolf, slipping back onto his waist and gesturing him to look toward her again. Vernon dutifully bowed his head, and the ewe smeared a dab of ointment on one of the gauze pads in her hoof.

"So your Dad recycles this stuff huh?" Dawn asked, raising a curious brow as she began to dab at his wounds.

"It ain't him bein' cheap, if that's what yer thinkin'." Vernon replied. "It's just they legally have to dump everything in the kit at the expiration date." Vernon scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Sort of a state mandated thing."

"Oh I see." Dawn replied, squeezing another dollop of cream on a fresh pad of gauze. "We had something similar in City Hall, it was a legal liability thing."

Vernon nodded softly before the ewe began to swab at another one of his cuts.

"Yeah, like that." The wolf sighed. "Then y'all know that you have to throw all that stuff out the date it 'goes bad'." Vernon continued, running a paw through his scalp. "My Pa saw that as a waste of perfectly good medical supplies, so he'd take it all home fer the house to use."

The ewe managed to bump a particularly tender bruise as she continued to dab the various cuts on his face, eliciting another quiet hiss from the wolf as he drew back slightly from the ewe's reach.

"Sorry Puppy." Dawn replied with a soft wince. The wolf took a moment to rub his snout before offering the ewe a weak shrug. 

"Nah, I'm sorry..." Vernon chuckled. "My own fault anyway..."

Dawn looked like she was about to speak, her mouth parting open wordlessly for a moment before shutting it again. With a soft chuckle, Vernon leaned his head back into place, gesturing to the ewe with a nod to continue.

As he felt another soothing dab of ointment glide onto his fur, the wolf continued with his former train of thought.

"Anyway, whenever Ma would get on him for it, he'd always defend himself by sayin' 'bandages and gauze don't expire' and stuff like that." Vernon said with a smirk.

Dawn chuckled. "I suppose that's where you picked it up?"

Vernon chuckled in response.

"To be fair, I can't really argue that point. "Vernon sighed. "And neither could Ma." The wolf grinned. "I always thought it was funny..." The wolf muttered, his words trailing as he started to reminisce about happier times in the Hunter Ranch.

"That he couldn't argue the point?" Dawn asked, gently smearing a fresh dab of ointment against his muzzle fur with the gauze swab. 

"Moreover the fact that Pa left Ma with nothin' to come back with. And whenever that happened he'd make a little show of it, revelin' in his victory, 'specially if we were around." Vernon continued. "Not in a spiteful way, or over anythin' serious. " The wolf chuckled softly. "He'd stick his tongue out at Ma, or pump a fist to get a giggle out of us only to get a playful swat from Ma." Vernon let out a tired sigh "It was one of the ol' mam's little quirks."

The ewe stopped her dabbing, causing the wolf to throw a curious eyebrow her way. Dawn tilted her head quizzically, her expression one of mild confusion and disbelief.

"Dorian...was quirky?" Dawn asked.

Vernon laughed, running a paw over his scalp as he leaned his head backward.

"I guess that might be the wrong word..." Vernon replied as he brought his gaze back to the diminutive ewe sitting on his lap. " I suppose charm...er somethin'." Vernon shrugged. "At least that's what Ma would have called it."

The ewe's puzzled expression remained unwavering as she eyed the wolf dubiously.

"I mean, my Pa was firm and strict when he had to be...but that wasn't all there was to him." Vernon said, letting out a sad sigh as the memories of his father came flooding back to him. 

"He could be fun, gettin' down to our level and playin' games with us, or findin' some way to make a mundane chore seem excitin'." The wolf shifted the cloth on his eye, finding a warmer spot to press into his wound. "He tried to make us laugh when we were down and out, and if that didn't work he'd sit and listen to us talk about what was wrong. Lettin' us vent, or cry it out on his shoulder." Vernon leaned his head back again, letting out a wistful sigh as he stared up at the ceiling. "He was always real good at listenin'."

Vernon leaned forward again, raising an eyebrow at the confused ewe seated on his lap.

"I know that's hard to believe now..." Vernon chuckled.

Dawn offered a meek smile as she prepared a fresh pad of gauze.

"Maybe a little..." The ewe murmured.

Vernon shook his head dismissively. "I suppose time changes all mammals." The wolf sighed. "Or maybe I'm just rememberin' him through the lens of a starry-eyed pup who saw him as infallible." The wolf chuckled. "Even so, my only memories of any real bad disagreements with the ol' mam' was on what I wanted to do with my life...and now who I want to spend it with."

Dawn frowned slightly as she reached up to apply another dab of ointment on the wolf's cheek, trying to press it firmly enough to pass through the fur.

"I remember..." The wolf said, letting out a heavy sigh as he found himself drifting further and further down the thorny road of his childhood memories. "Back when I....when I lost you the first time..."

The ewe seemed to freeze in place as the words left his lips, drawing the gauze pad back slowly as her eyes fixed intently on Vernon's own. It was clear the ewe felt that the mere mention of anything from that particularly troubled time deserved her complete attention.

"Well...you remember how I told you that old bedroom closet was sorta my 'hidin' spot' before I started hidin' in the basement instead?" Vernon asked the attentive ewe looking back up at him.

Dawn nodded softly, her eyes never leaving his own.

"You told me that was your 'secret place'." Dawn frowned. "Where you used to go to cry without your brothers seeing it."

Vernon donned a frown of his own, letting out a wistful sigh.

"Well, Ma and Pa bein' purty attentive parents, knew that was where I used to go when I was feelin' down and out." Vernon chuckled softly. " Nothin' ever really slipped by either one of 'em fer too long. Even Yuri's bullyin', although gettin' scolded never stopped him." Vernon sighed. "Still, when they knew I was in there....well they had their own, unique ways of tryin' to help me."

Vernon shook his head dismissively as the ewe kept her sorrowful eyes trained on him.

"Now Ma, once she knew what happened with you and yer family...well..." The wolf ran a paw through his scalp fur. "She was always the one tryin' to cheer me up, to get me outta that closet and back to playin' and havin' fun." Vernon frowned. 

"Only this time, y'all can imagine that didn't do much of anythin'." The wolf let out a tired sigh. "What happened to you was...well...it was too big to get over fer me as y'all already know."

Vernon felt the ewe take his paw, intertwining her fingers within his own as she continued to stare up at him with glimmering, sympathetic eyes.

"Oh Puppy...I-"

Vernon held up his other paw to stop the ewe, offering her a small smile.

"I know Darlin', I know..." The wolf cooed. The wolf brought his paw to Dawn's face, caressing it gently as the ewe leaned into it.

"Now Ma, she never quits." Vernon continued, wiping a stray tear from Dawn's cheek with his thumb. "So after tryin' every conceivable way to pull me out of the dumps and failin' she finally brought Pa in to try and cheer me up."

Dawn's muzzle scrunched up in confusion.

"She brought in Dorian to cheer you up?" Dawn asked.

Vernon let out a soft chuckle.

"Again, I know it's hard to believe." Vernon sighed. "And even so, he didn't cheer me up."

"What?" Dawn spat, the ewe looking even more confused than before. "Then what was even the point?"

Vernon chuckled. " One day my Pa came in the closet while I was just layin' there, curled up in my blanket and cryin' quietly." Vernon shook his head dismissively. "I can't even remember how long I'd been in there at that point...I might have even slept in there the night before, cryin' till my eyes were sore."

"Vernon..." Dawn frowned, squeezing the wolf's paw gently.

"I was a sorry sight." The wolf chuckled softly. "Might have looked a little worse then than I do now."

Despite his attempt at making a joke, the ewe's frown remained fixed on her muzzle, her eyes shimmering again with a fresh wave of quiet tears. The wolf let out a tired sigh.

"Anyway...I remember Pa kneelin' down next to me and placin' a gentle paw on my shoulder." Vernon continued. "Made me jump cause I didn't even hear him come in." Vernon scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Of course, bein' the kinda pup I was I quickly tried to wipe away my tears, just like with Ma. O'course with how red and swollen my eyes were, there was really no hidin' it."

Vernon took in a long draw of air, letting it out in a slow, soft sigh as he closed his eyes. For a moment he was back in the old closet, the smell of dust with just a hint of new paint still fresh in his mind as he revisited the memory. It was such a low point in his young life, and it would only serve to get lower after that. But despite how terrible that period was in his past, how his father treated him that day was one of the few bittersweet memories that he held on to.

"My Pa just looked at me and smiled." Vernon said, offering the ewe a slight smile of his own. "And he said -."

"Son, I ain't gonna try to rush you out of here. Or tell you to smile and try to move on or anythin' like that." Vernon did his best to imitate his father's voice. Despite having the same rural drawl, it was rather hard for the wolf to pull off. Still he pressed onward. "I know whatever yer goin' through is hard, and y'all need time to mend."

Vernon closed his eyes again. He could almost see the wolf towering over him with a concerned but caring smile.

"So you take all the time you need in here alright?" He could still remember the way his father spoke as the words left his muzzle in his mind. "And if you need anythin' from me, or if you want me to stay fer a while I'll do it, okay Vern?"

Dawn was sniffling softly as Vernon opened his eyes again, dabbing at her tears with a fresh piece of gauze before looking back up at the wolf.

"What did you do?" Dawn asked, doing her best to stifle her sniffling.

Vernon chuckled. "I asked fer a cup of water, and then I asked him to stay."

"And did he?" Dawn replied, leaning in slightly.

Vernon nodded softly. "After he got my water, he stayed there all afternoon." Vernon sighed. "Even went so far as to call into work and asked a ram co-worker of his to cover fer him the whole day, just so he could stay with me." The wolf sniffled softly. "He just stayed there. Lettin' me cry it out as much as I needed to, rubbin' my back and tryin' to comfort me."

Dawn opened her muzzle to speak, but again seemed to be speechless. The only thing escaping her muzzle being a few whimpering sobs before she managed to close it again, dabbing at her eyes softly with the gauze.

"I wish I could say it helped me more than it did." Vernon sighed, leaning his head back slightly as the memory began to sink away under the blurred images of his more troubled adolescence. Flickers that acted as a painful reminder of how far down the wrong path he had gone in his war against Animalian society at large. "That I appreciated it as much then as I do in hindsight...but I squandered it."

The wolf lolled his head back further, his eyes listlessly staring up at the ceiling as he let out another sigh.

"I still wish y'all could have met him Dawn..." Vernon said "I mean the mammal he was. Not..."The wolf trailed off, unable to bring himself to describe the new cold, unfeeling mammal that had taken his father's place. The thought alone made him feel as though there was a brick buried in his chest. As much as he hated to admit it, he would miss the old wolf. Even if he wasn't exactly the same as he once knew.

The feeling of tiny arms wrapping around his torso pulled the wolf away from his troubled thoughts, bringing his attention down to the ewe still seated in his lap. Dawn was leaning up against him now, squeezing the wolf in as tight a hug as she could muster, burying her face into his shirt.

"I'm sorry Puppy..." Dawn cooed.

The brick in his chest evaporated in that instant, replaced quickly with the warmth and love for his mate. It was a different kind of ointment for a different kind of wound, and it felt even better than his mate's efforts to patch up his face. Vernon carefully wrapped his free arm around the diminutive lamb, squeezing her back tightly in a hug of his own.

"S'okay Honey Lamb." Vernon cooed, kissing the top of her head gently. "I'm okay."

They stayed like that for a while, taking solace in one another's embrace. Drawing strength from each other as the washcloth over the wolf's eye continued to cool. It was almost frigid by the time his mate broke the embrace, looking down awkwardly at the gauze still in her hoof for a moment.

"We should finish up..." Dawn murmured.

Vernon nodded. "Yeah, we still got a bit left to take care of."

With a sigh, the ewe smeared some more ointment on the cloth in her palm before glancing up at the wolf and offering a meek smile

"Can you take the washcloth off Puppy?" Dawn asked idly. "I need to get your eye."

Vernon nodded, reluctantly pulling the damp cloth away from his sore eye.

"It was startin' to get cold anyway." Vernon chuckled.

The ewe let out a giggle of her own in response as she carefully spread a thin veneer of ointment along the lower lid of his blackened eye as the wolf looked up, dabbing gently at the edges to try to keep from getting any of the ointment in his eye. 

Once he was sure she was done with the lower lid, he closed his eye, waiting for the follow-up sweep along the upper lid. With a final, gentle swab underneath the lump still pulsing above his eye, the ewe let out a satisfied sigh.

"That's so much better..." Dawn said, flashing the wolf a warm smile. "All we need now is to get some ice on that lump and you'll look good as new."

Vernon chuckled softly as Dawn crumpled the used gauze in her hooves before sliding off the wolf's hips. Bracing an arm on the edge of the tub, the wolf began to push his body off the floor and clumsily staggered to his feet.

"I just hope the kitchen is still empty." Vernon muttered. "Last mammal I want to run into right now is Ma..."

Dawn threw the used gauze into a waste bin, wiping her hooves together as if she were dusting them off. Turning her attention back to the now towering wolf, the ewe was wearing a very visible frown.

"I didn't see her when I last looked." Dawn said sadly. "Then again I wasn't exactly staring straight into the kitchen."

Vernon took a moment to dust off his jeans as if it was going to help. They were thoroughly stained with grass and dirt from his previous scuffle, so it wasn't exactly as though a simple wipe down with his paws stood to do him much good.

"Well, the faster we move, the better." Vernon grumbled.

Walking back up to Vernon's side, the ewe extended a hoof up to the wolf, beckoning for his paw once more. But as Vernon went to place his paw in hers, she withdrew it.

Dawn giggled.

"As much as I appreciate the gesture, I was actually asking for the washcloth back." Dawn smirked.

Vernon had almost entirely forgotten he was still holding the damp rag in his paw. With an awkward chuckle, the wolf presented it to his mate.

"Sorry Floofs." Vernon chuckled, passing the cloth in his other hand back to the diminutive lamb. The ewe took a moment to give the cloth another brief twist before reaching out to clasp the wolf's paw with her other hoof. Vernon could feel the ewe's fingers wiggling their way between his own, intertwining with them as she began to gingerly pull him toward the door.

"I'll lead the way again." Dawn said as she pulled the wolf along with her, making their way back to the entryway. Like before, Dawn took a quick peek around the door before to check for other members of the Hunter pack before opening it the rest of the way.

Quietly the pair tip-toed across the hall to the edge of the kitchen's considerably larger entrance. From what Vernon could see, the place looked just as vacant as the hall and bathroom from his angle. But he again waited for the ewe to take a peek ahead of him, and to give him the all clear. Dawn seemed to be growing increasingly confident in her abilities to scout ahead for signs of the other Hunters, with each of her sweeping scans taking less time than her initial one.

"All clear." Dawn glanced over her shoulder at the wolf behind her, keeping the volume of her voice below that of a whisper as she spoke.

Vernon gave a nod of confirmation, gesturing for the ewe to lead the way into the kitchen.

Once the pair entered, the ewe released her grip around his paw, making her way to the fridge and leaving the wolf to take in the whole scene.

Seeing the kitchen devoid of any activity even at this hour was strangely off-putting to the wolf. The fact that all the lights were on just made the whole room feel that much more unusual. Surely his mother should be somewhere around here, or at the very least Malcolm considering he had done most of the cooking today.

Glancing over at the breakfast bar, the wolf could see that the leftover barbeque food had been left lying about. No one had taken the time to put it away, to place it all in resealable bins and stash it away in the fridge. From salmon burgers to hot wings, all of it laid out in the open. Even what Vernon could only assume was the surprise caprid dish for Dawn. 

It looked similar to a pita wrap, although the bread was a deep green color, the interior stuffed to bursting with a variety of greens and other assorted vegetables that almost gave the food the appearance of a bouquet.

If Vernon hadn't been aware of the fact that the barbeque had been taking place outside, he would have simply assumed his mother had set up a food bar in the kitchen for the other Hunters to pick at. But still, not a single one of them was present. Even leaning back to peek into the door frame of the dining room across the way revealed nothing more than yet another startlingly empty chamber.

What amplified the alien-like atmosphere was the lack of any noise. Vernon had excellent hearing, and while granted it wasn't as good as his sniffer, he knew he should have been hearing something by now. The quiet murmur of distant conversation, footfalls on the floors above or distant horseplay between members of the family that should have been too old to participate in such things but unable to help themselves. It was dead silent, save for the soft noises of Dawn making her way around the kitchen.

Glancing to the massive panes of glass that made up the windows, the wolf attempted to peer out toward the barbeque ground. Vernon squinted, raising a paw over his eyes in an attempt to cut through the glare of the interior lights. From what he could make out, it seemed that some of the barbeque stalls remained standing. In fact, if the wolf didn't know better it looked like a few awnings had popped up since the couple had left. And if he squinted hard enough, he swore he could make out some vague form of movement going on just outside of the reach of the outdoor lights. But maybe it was just the mixture of lights playing tricks on him.

"There." Dawn said, letting out a satisfied sigh.

Vernon's attention snapped back to the little ewe standing in front of the fridge as she stood wrapping up a deep blue plastic block in the washcloth she had been holding. Closing the small door at the base of the fridge, the ewe turned her attention back to the large wolf.

"Glad your freezer is on the bottom, or I might have had to ask for a boost." Dawn said with a chuckle as she walked up to her mate, presenting him with the wrapped pack.

Vernon let out a chuckle of his own, but the unnerving feeling left by his earlier realization caused it to come off more shaky and awkward as he took the ice pack in his paw.

Vernon brought the pack close to his head, stopping just short of his eye as he attempted to brace himself for the contrasting sting he was sure to come. The wolf hesitated slightly, bringing the pack just shy of making contact a few times before suddenly drawing it back out of fear. Taking another slow, deliberate breath, the wolf mustered all of his courage and finally manage to force the frigid cold cloth to his face. It stung considerably less than the first time around, but the jolt of cold sent a shudder through the wolf's frame before relief finally started to settle in.

"What's wrong?" Dawn asked. It was clear the ewe had picked up on the rather strangled nature of his chuckling. 

Vernon looked away from the ewe for a moment, running a paw through his head fur as his eyes ran over the food again.

"It's so....quiet." Vernon murmured as he turned back to Dawn.

Vernon watched as the ewe began to slowly glance around, her head swiveling from left to right once or twice before the ewe rose onto the tips of her toes and held a hoof to her ear, angling it upward to listen. Dawn held that way for several moments, occasional glancing Vernon's way as she seemed to be trying to process the distinct lack of noise.

"B-but that's good...?" Dawn finally muttered as she slipped back into a more casual stance. "Right?" The ewe's words were laced with uncertainty, and her muzzle was scrunched up in a mixture of confusion and worry.

"It's weird is what it is..." Vernon replied, scratching his head as he puzzled over the scene again. " I mean, this house is always active, 'specially when the whole family is visiting."

Dawn tilted her head curiously.

"I mean, we should hear somebody putterin' around, even if they ain't in the kitchen." The wolf sighed. "Talkin', laughin'..."

"Well, I mean after what happened-." 

"Still though." The wolf cut her off, gesturing a paw toward the leftovers sitting on the breakfast bar. "I mean, nobody even put the food away, and the barbeque was hours ago now."

Dawn did her best to peer over the edge of the breakfast bar, standing on the tips of her toes and craning her head in order to see. But her stature made it hard for the ewe to see the better bulk of the inadvertent buffet that had been laid out. He watched her nostrils flare slightly as she tried to take in the lingering scent of the food, her eyes closing and lids fluttering dreamily as she seemed to catch a whiff of the meal that was most likely meant for her. It was only then that Vernon realized that neither of them had gotten the opportunity to really eat since working the stall. That with everything that happened at the barbeque the thought of eating had completely left his mind, and Vernon could only assume it was more or less the same for Dawn.

Taking a moment to scan the forgotten food spread, Vernon spotted a leftover stack of disposable plates and utensils off to its side. As the wolf reached out for a vacant plate, the ewe seemed to snap out of her brief, food-induced stupor.

"Vernon?" Dawn asked. "What are you-?"

"I think these were made with you in mind." Vernon chuckled as he scooped two of the grilled vegetable wraps onto a plate before passing it down to the little ewe below the table. Dawn reluctantly took the plate, taking a moment to sniff the food with an apprehensive look before her eyes returned to Vernon.

"I kind of forgot how hungry I was." Dawn murmured softly.

Vernon chuckled as he took another paper plate into his paw.

"Can't have that can we?" Vernon flashed the ewe a smirk. "Start starvin' yerself and you might just blow away."

Dawn giggled, giving the wolf a playful swat as he quickly scooped two salmon burgers onto his plate. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the ewe take another tentative sniff of one of the wraps as she brought it closer to her nose. Her muzzle crinkling slightly as she let out a warm sigh. Closing her eyes, the ewe took a timid bite.

"Mhh..." Dawn murmured softly, closing her eyes as she chewed. 

Vernon smirked at the ewe's adorable reaction before taking a bite of his own food. He was already quite used to the powerful flavor of Malcolm's cooking, especially when it came to his mouth-watering salmon dishes. So the wolf had an easier time regaining his composure as he bit into the well grilled and seasoned patty. The food had long since cooled, but it did little to take away from the delectable flavor.

"Malcolm is amazing..." Dawn uttered, her tone quivering with pleasure as she took a much larger bite of her wrap.

Vernon quirked an eyebrow at his mate, a playful smirk crossing his muzzle.

"Oh, so y'all thinkin' about leavin' me fer old Malc?" Vernon said with a chuckle.

Dawn furrowed her brow, giving the wolf a look that seemed to be a mixture of offense and disbelief before the wolf's joking tone seemed to register.

"Well...maybe if he was straight..." Dawn smirked. "And into mutton."

The pair shared a laugh, the ewe letting out a giggling snort as Vernon tapped the breakfast nook with a paw. But the shared laugh that echoed through the kitchen only managed to bring the wolf's thoughts back to just how off-putting the empty house still felt, and Vernon's laughter trailed off awkwardly as he scanned the room again. As Dawn's own giggling trailed into a pleasant sigh, she seemed to notice the change in the wolf's behavior.

"Vernon..." That drew the wolf's attention back to the concerned looking ewe holding a partially eaten salad wrap. The ewe took a moment to scan her own surroundings, glancing over her shoulder and around the counter for a moment before turning back to her mate.

"I'll admit it all feels strange." The ewe said nervously. She clearly hadn't forgotten the wolf's question. "I mean, granted I haven't lived here like you have Puppy..." Dawn murmured. "But everything kind of feels...vacant."

Vernon let out a tired sigh before taking another bite of one of his salmon burgers. Dawn's confirmation made the fresh bite seem a little less appetizing than before. But Dawn was right when it came to her initial point. As strange as the air around the Hunter home seemed to be, he supposed it was preferable to having the place buzzing with activity. The less awkward conversations the pair had to endure just to get to the privacy of the guest bedroom, the better.

"Welp..." Vernon said with a sigh. "Whatever's goin' on, we might as well take advantage of it."

Vernon turned around, taking a few steps toward the kitchen entrance with his paper plate in paw before looking back over his shoulder at his mate.

"Let's see if I can get my stuff without runnin' into anyone."

The ewe gave a brisk nod as she finished chewing another bite of her wrap.

"Do you want me to peek ahead?" Dawn asked as she walked up to meet Vernon, taking a place at the wolf's side.

Vernon shook his head. "Unless someone's hidin', that hallway is still clear."

With that, the wolf made his way out of the kitchen, Dawn following dutifully behind as he strode up the hall. The boy's bedroom wasn't far of course, just a few steps up and across from the kitchen, but with the wolf's slower stride it took way longer than it should have. The assurance that the area was empty should have if anything, emboldened him. But the alien strangeness the air of the house now carried only served to make him more nervous as he came up to the closed door. An uneasy feeling that grew deeper due to the fact that there was no light coming from under the bedroom door.

Vernon glanced back at Dawn for a moment, flashing the ewe a brief look of uncertainty before pushing the door ajar with his free paw. As the light from the hall slowly spilled into the darkened room, Vernon could already tell it was empty. But still, the wolf couldn't help letting out a tentative call as he popped his head through the slit.

"Hello?" Vernon whispered quietly, craning his head around to see as much of the room as he could in the dim lighting. He didn't want the attention should anyone had been in there, but the unnerving feeling inside had forced him to speak. Even so, it proved to be all for moot, the room was just as empty as his initial assessment had guessed. Everything appeared to look as if it hadn't been touched since morning.

"Empty?" Dawn's nervous tone drew Vernon's head back out of the door frame. Turning to face the ewe, the wolf crouched down to her level.

"Yep." Vernon muttered, trying to stifle the palpable unease in his voice. "Not a soul inside."

"Oh..." Dawn frowned, her eyes trailing back to the floor, the ewe seemingly studying her feet as she fidgeted uncomfortably. With a sigh, Vernon pulled the ice pack away from his eye, using it to give the ewe an impromptu pat on the shoulder.

"Can ya hold this for me?" Vernon asked, handing the half-eaten plate of salmon burgers to the lamb. Dawn carefully placed it below her own plate as she nodded to the wolf, doing her best to steady them as Vernon rose to his feet. 

"I'll only be a minute." Vernon added, turning back to the door. Placing his paw on the partially open door, the wolf took a long, deep breath before pushing it the rest of the way open.

As expected, the room hadn't changed. It was still as vacant as before. And as the wolf flipped up the light switch any lingering thoughts of mammals hiding in the shadows were instantly extinguished. It was bare of any hide or hair of the Hunter boys.

Vernon slowly crossed between the beds, treading lightly as he made his way to his own. His pace was still affected by the terribly unnerving feeling the atmosphere of the house was giving him. He should have been working quickly, deftly rushing to stuff his suitcase back up with his clothes before tearin' tail out of the room. But the stillness in the air almost made the usually lively room feel as though he was trespassing deep within a sacred tomb.

Kneeling at his bedside, Vernon pulled his suitcase out from under the bed, taking a moment to place his ice pack on the mattress to free up his paws. The wolf idly flipped open the cover, taking a moment to assess how much of his clothing was un-accounted for before pulling the drawer by his bedside open and tossing the missing clothing into it. There wasn't much left in regards to clean clothes sitting in the drawer, as the wolf usually filed away his dirty clothes into the suitcase as he used them to be washed when he got back to the apartment. And with one day left in the trip, there was little left out in preparation to wear. 

As the wolf grabbed up his toothbrush and the other smaller toiletries he had left in the drawer, his ears perked up at the sound of slight scuffling in the room above him. He could barely make out the sound of footfalls, and what sounded like a quiet argument taking place in the girl's bedroom. It was only when he heard the muffled telltale cackle of Ada's hyena laugh was he able to finally confirm that life still existed in the Hunter Ranch.

Vernon threw the last of his belongings into the bag carelessly before zipping it up as fast as he could. It was a relief in some ways, now that the deadened silence had finally been broken by someone other than the pair. But where the unease from the quiet stillness had once been housed inside Vernon's chest, it was now rapidly filling with the uneasy pang of guilt for what he had said to Ada. And the nervous tension of knowing that she was here, and he would have to face her.

With a sigh, Vernon scooped the ice pack back into his paw and gingerly placed it against his blackened eye. His other paw clasped to the handle of his suitcase, the wolf began his return trip to the hall. As Vernon made his way back to the door, Dawn handed his plate of food back up to him.

"Was that-?"

Vernon gave the ewe a brisk, affirming nod as he attempted to balance the plate on the few of his fingers he could spare from holding the suitcase handle. It wasn't exactly easy to keep level, but somehow the wolf seemed to be able to manage. "Who else could it be?"

Despite Vernon's nerves, the trip up the spiral staircase had gone a lot quicker than traversing the kitchen and hall of the Hunter house. Much as his paradoxical reluctance to move quickly through the oddly empty house despite not wanting to run into any other members of the family had taken hold of him earlier, he was now rushing to confront a mammal with a conversation he really didn't want to have. 

He loved his sister dearly, but the prospect of looking her in the eyes again after what he had said left him feeling mortified. He could feel a deep well forming in his stomach, twisting it in knots as he grew closer and closer to the girl's bedroom door. The wolf could already tell he wasn't going to be capable of finishing those salmon burgers now.

"I should probably take the lead." Dawn murmured, drawing Vernon's attention to her as the couple came up to the door. It was clear she had noticed just how consternated the wolf's expression had grown as they approached the door. Vernon wanted to object, but as soon as he opened his mouth, his throat seemed to dry up completely. With nothing more to say, and the inability to properly say it, Vernon could only offer a meek nod in reply. Behind the door, he could hear the conversation growing louder. A decidedly masculine voice was present, quietly arguing with Ada about something the wolf couldn't make out.

Dawn carefully handed off her dish to the worried wolf before standing in front of the doorway, pausing briefly to take a deep breath of her own. The ewe closed her eyes, inhaling deeply before letting it out in a slow, drawn-out exhale. Vernon could only assume she was steeling herself for whatever awkward discussions might lay inside the occupied bedroom. 

Seemingly satisfied, the ewe raised a hoof to the door. But seconds before it made contact with the hardwood, the panel suddenly swung backward into the room, bathing the dim hall with a flush of light from within.

At the side of the door, Vernon could see the towering Vanna. Her paws wrapped around the edges as she continued to draw back the pane. But what made Vernon's stomach drop completely was the jet black wolf now standing in the open frame.

Vernon was like a deer in headlights. Of all of the brothers he could have the misfortune of running into so soon, it had to be Yuri. The snide, brutish black wolf didn't see them at first. The wolf was speaking to who Vernon could only assume was Ada, looking over his shoulder as he was apparently concluding his conversation.

"-Downstairs with-" Was all Vernon heard before the wolf finally turned to notice them, stopping dead in his tracks as his piercing golden eyes fell on the pair.

Dawn didn't make a sound, but Vernon could feel her clutched tightly to his pant leg. Whether it was to keep Vernon from getting into another fight, or out of simple fear of the dark-furred wolf, Vernon couldn't be sure. But his own mind was struggling with much of the same conflicting fears.

Yuri was oddly silent, taking a moment to appraise Vernon as he scanned the wolf from head to toe before crossing his arms. In the light of the bedroom, Vernon could easily see his own handwork strewn about the black wolf's face and muzzle. It was immediately evident that Yuri had come out the brawl in considerably worse shape than Vernon. Aside from the general scabs and bruising, the wolf could make out several raised drag marks under Yuri's fur, not deep enough to scar, but certainly more than enough to draw blood. And to top it all off, the wolf had matching shiners that almost created a raccoon mask like tint below his fur. But the clean-up job looked almost surgical. In fact, Vernon could see a few stray stitches holding together some of the more deep cuts. It was easy to see thanks to the level of skill involved it had been Ada's handiwork.

An uncomfortably long silence passed between the mammals, staring at one another as if locked in an old western showdown, waiting for the first mammal to reach for his sidearm. It felt like an eternity had passed before suddenly, Yuri's hardened expression seemed to falter. It probably wouldn't have been noticeable to anyone aside from Vernon, his brothers, and Ada, but he could see the sharp glimmer behind the wolf's eyes fade as he furrowed his brow slightly.

"Vernon..." Yuri said, his tone unfeeling but not cold. If anything it was neutral, seemingly disinterested.

With a nod, Yuri pivoted around the pair, making his way down the hall and out of sight without so much as another word. It was only once the wolf was gone, did Vernon realize he had been holding his breath.

"Dawn?"

That had come from Vanna, the tigress now leaning casually around the door as she looked down at the pair. Vernon glanced down at his mate to find she was still clutched tightly to his leg, her eyes closed tightly as she grappled against it. It took a moment before Vanna's words seemed to register, and the ewe opened a wary eye. 

She glanced at Vernon, then Vanna, then at his leg and back again a few times before releasing her releasing her death grip, blushing intensely as she walked back up to the door.

"Hi Vanna." Dawn murmured softly, offering the tigress a meek wave.

Vanna chuckled softly.

"Coming to bed?" The tigress asked.

The ewe looked down at her feet, nervously rubbing one against the other as she seemed to struggle with her words.

"I-um..." Dawn muttered. "I just came to get my things..." 

Vanna quirked an eyebrow curiously, not that Dawn would have noticed. The ewe's line of sight was glued to the floor.

"Vernon and I are sleeping in the guest bedroom tonight."

Vanna fell silent for a moment, her muzzle curling into a frown as she joined the ewe's own despondent stare at the wood beneath her paws.

"I see..." The tigress said somberly. The disappointment in her voice was palpable. But rather than argue, or press the ewe for details, Vanna simply opened the door the rest of the way, gesturing the little ewe inside.

As the bulk of the room came into view, Vernon could see Ada sitting a few beds down from the door, the hyena cleaning up the remains of what appeared to be her own medical kit. As well as what appeared to be a massive set of legs poking up from along the borders of the beds. The yellow and orange patchwork fur was distinctly that of a giraffe, but Vernon found himself at a loss as to why there was a giraffe in the house until Dawn had crossed the threshold into the bedroom.

"Giselle!?" Dawn exclaimed. "How did you even get in here?"

Of course, it was Giselle, it certainly was the more sensible deduction. But still, the wolf found himself in somewhat stunned silence as he tried to process the information. When had Giselle arrived? How did she manage to fit inside the ranch? And where the hell was Wade now that she had shown up? The wolf found himself moving forward absentmindedly as he pondered the sudden flurry of questions, eager to ask the giraffe inside as many as he could. But the sudden, harsh impact of wood against his muzzle quickly snapped him out of the sea of idle thoughts that had suddenly taken hold of him. The startling shock and sudden sting of pain causing the wolf to drop the plates of food as he drew away from the nearly closed door in confusion and surprise.

Aggressively rubbing his sore snout, Vernon focused his attention back on the door to find that Vanna was peering out from behind the remaining sliver of space between the door and the frame.

She was glaring at him through the thin opening, her terrifyingly cold, yellow eyes narrowing on the wolf in what he could only describe as a 'deathly gaze'. It sent a frigid shiver down his spine as he stared back at her, mouth agape in confusion.

"Vanna...what?" The wolf squeezed his nose slightly in an effort to take away from the fresh stinging as he tried to make sense of the situation.

The feline's muzzle twisted into a deep sneer. "You think I'm going to just let you in here?" Vanna said coldly. "After what you said about Ada? After how you hurt her?"

Vernon's ears sagged sharply at the sudden realization. With Yuri's little scare and Giselle's apparent arrival, the wolf had momentarily forgotten why he had accompanied Dawn to the girl's room in the first place. A renewed wave of guilt washed over him as his thoughts returned to his wounded sister-in-law.

Vernon straightened his stance slightly, trying his best to appear composed in the face of Vanna's intimidating glare.

"That's why I need to see her." Vernon replied, easing closer to the door "I need to apologize, I wanted to-"

Vanna snarled at the wolf, causing him to jump back from the massive tigress. It was startling, to say the least. Vanna was always a very composed mammal, never snarling or hissing unless she was truly angry. And the wolf had been so taken aback that he had briefly raised his arm in defense before his brain fully managed to process Vanna's actions.

"You've been an emotional mammal for long as I've known you. " Vanna spoke in a low growl, her tightly grit teeth only briefly parting to allow the words to come out clearly. " But no matter how upset I've seen you get, you've never dragged any innocent mammals into your problems just to get back at someone." 

Vernon looked down at the floor, scratching the back of his head with his free paw uncomfortably.

"Vanna, hold o-" He could hear Dawn's voice from behind the door, the ewe clearly trying to help plead his case. But the tigress seemed to ignore her words.

"I know Yuri can get under anyone's pelt." Vanna continued, her voice remaining cold and unfeeling. "But I never would have expected you to stoop to his level, I couldn't even fathom it before today!" Vanna snarled.

"Vanna, pleas-" Dawn tried to interject once more, but again was ignored.

At that moment, Vanna's hardened, cold features softened. Her muzzle slipping into a soft frown as her eyes shimmered in the limited flicker of light escaping the bedroom behind her.

"I thought you were better than that Vernon." Vanna murmured softly. "I expected better of you."

The wolf felt two inches tall as he slunk deeper into his shoulders. The look of sorrow and disappointment on Vanna's face was doing far more to crush Vernon than any amount of rage she could muster.

"How could you?" Vanna whimpered. "To embarrass Ada like that...to make her cry...I just..." Vanna's voice trembled slightly, the tigress taking a moment to look over her shoulder at what Vernon could only assume was Ada before turning back to face him with a renewed look of ire flashing behind her eyes.

"That was low Vernon..." Vanna hissed. "That was YURI low."

The words felt like daggers etching into the wolf's heart as the full scope of what he had done came into view. Vernon couldn't believe just how foolish he had been. Not only had he hurt Ada, but by hurting one sister he had inadvertently hurt them all. The Hunter Sisters were practically one unit, in a similar way to the bond Vernon shared with his brothers. They had been the ones to see Ada crumble under his thoughtless words, to console her through the painful tears and enduring the agony of the loss of trust. They had all suffered to some degree because of him.

"Vanna please." Vernon whimpered, his composure starting to crumble as he pressed himself back up against the door. "I was wrong." The wolf whined. "From the moment I said it, all I've wanted to do is take it back."

"You can't take it back." Vanna hissed softly. "It's out there, it happened." The tigress narrowed her sharp yellow eyes at the wolf. "Everyone in the pack heard you!"

"I know, but-"

"I know Yuri did the same to Dawn, and it was just as bad!" Vanna continued. "But you aren't him!" Vanna frowned again, her eyes drifting back to the floor. "At least, I thought you weren't."

"I'm not!" Vernon protested, trying to peer over Vanna in an effort to see the hyena in the far end of the room. It was of little use, the tigress had at least another two feet on him. But that wasn't going to stop him from talking to her if this was the only way he was going to be allowed to.

"Ada!" Vernon yelped. "Please give me a chance to apologize, I-!"

Vanna straightened her stance, trying to further obstruct the wolf's view despite it being wholly unnecessary. It was simply a gesture of solidarity, of acting as a defensive wall for her wounded sister.

"I'll let Dawn out when she's done collecting her things." Vanna's tone returned to it's previous cold, unfeeling cadence as she regarded the wolf with disgust. "But I'm not letting you hurt Ada any worse tha-"

"I want to make it better!" Vernon whined, dragging a trembling paw through his scalp in frustration. "Teeth to tails Vanna just let me ta-!"

"It's up to Ada to decide whether or not she wants to talk to you." Vanna replied with a sneer. "Until I know it won't hurt her to even look at you, I'm making sure she doesn't have to."

"Ada, please." Vernon could hear his mate pleading once again, this time to the scorned hyeness. "You know Vernon doesn't have a mean bone in his body, please just hear him out."

"Tell Vanna to-" Was the last Vernon could make out before Vanna abruptly slammed the door shut, leaving him alone in the now drearily silent hall. The lack of noise made the hallway feel all the more stifling, and it only served to compound the gnawing guilt and remorse burning in the pit of his stomach. He had to make it right, to make amends if it was the last thing he did Before walking out of this place forever.

Vernon began to assault the hardwood door, knocking aggressively with his paw as he pressed himself up against it as tightly as he physically could.

"Vanna PLEASE!" Vernon whined. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry to you, and Qali, and Mal, and everyone fer what I've done!" The wolf pounded on the door again, the wood rattling against his face as he remained fixed against it. "But I have to talk to Ada! I have to apologize, please!"

Despite his desperate pleas, the door remained unmoving. The barrier held firm, keeping him and the hyeness he had so wronged apart. Vernon pounded again and again, the knocking growing more frantic and distressed as he pleaded with his sisters.

"Ada, I know you hate me right now!" Vernon continued. His paw was starting to throb from the incessant banging. "But please, just hear me out!"

"I can't leave it like this!" Vernon whimpered. "I was wrong, I made a mistake and I hate myself for it!" Vernon could feel tears starting to well as he began to slide down the door. Slowly but surely the wolf crumpled into a pile against the hardwood. His knocking growing weaker and weaker as the growing fear took hold that they were never going to let him in. That his one chance at making sure him and Ada could be back on good terms was to be lost forever.

"Please..." Vernon cried. "Just let me talk to her."

Vernon lay there for a few minutes in silence before the door suddenly swung inward, causing the wolf to slump partially inside the room. His muzzle hit the floor with a dull thud, another mild pang of pain pulsing through his already aching jaw as his eyes fell on a pair of black furred paws.

"Alright Vernon." The familiar Barx accent drew Vernon's attention upward to find Ada staring down at him. The hyeness was still dressed in her day clothes, peering down at the wolf with her arms crossed and a dubious eyebrow raised. But despite her rather defensive stance, the wolf could make out the slight puffiness around her eyes. It was clear she had been crying quite a bit more since the barbeque, and that only served to add to the gnarled, twisted knot that sat in his stomach.

Vernon wasn't sure if it had been Dawn that had managed to convince Ada to hear him out, or Vanna, or if it had been his own pathetic pleading that had finally convinced her to listen, but either way the wolf didn't care. He was simply happy to be given the chance to make things right.

"Ada.." Vernon whimpered softly, pawing a stray tear from his eye as he looked back up at her. "I-I-."

Ada shook her head dismissively. "Stand up will ya?" The hyena tried to hide a smirk. "I can't talk to youse like dis. It's weird."

Vernon tried to nod, but with his muzzle against the floor the movement was negligible. Still, Ada seemed to get the message, and as she eased her way into the hallway, closing the door behind her the wolf scrambled to his feet.

Now standing face to face with the hyena, it was clear she was pretty uncomfortable being around him. She was trying to her best to keep up her usual non-plussed, amused demeanor, but he could tell it was strained. The hyena ran a paw through her hair, keeping her gaze away from meeting Vernon's own.

"So...youse wanted to talk..." Ada muttered, gesturing a paw at the wolf. "So talk." The hyena cocked her hip. "I ain't got all night."

Vernon took a deep breath, holding it for a moment as he tried to prepare himself. But as he stood the, he found himself struggling to figure out just how to start. Every sentence he started to form in his head seemed awkward and stilted. No matter how he approached it in his mind, nothing he could say seemed like the right way to enter into apologizing to his rather rough and tumble sister. He could feel himself growing more and more oxygen-starved as he wracked his brain desperately for a proper plan of action, but nothing came.

"Well...?" Ada finally broke the silence, the hyena's expression had grown increasingly annoyed while Vernon had been focused inward. But Ada's sudden interjection seemed to shatter the mental block that had formed in his mind, revealing the perfect way to show her just how sorry he was.

"I'm I supposta-?"

Ada was cut off as the wolf suddenly wrapped his arms around the large mammal, pulling her into a tight hug and burying his muzzle into her shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye, he could make out Ada's stunned expression, her face frozen as he was sure her mind was struggling to figure out exactly how to respond. But he knew he had better start talking before she decided the best course of action was to push him away.

"I love you Ada." Vernon began to sob softly, putting as much love as he could muster into the strength of his grip around her. "I have seen you as my big sister from the moment you came into this family. Just like Vanna, I took to you as if y'all we're my own flesh and blood right away."

The hyena remained frozen, her pupils darting around as though she were looking for someone to help her. Although whether that was for someone to get Vernon off of her, or the struggle to process what was happening was anyone's guess.

"Unlike Yuri, y'all have always been good to me." Vernon struggled to keep his quiet sobs from spilling him over into a slobbering mess, to keep it together long enough to say what he needed to say. "And gettin' to see you was one of the few highlights of bein' forced to have to deal with my brother."

Vernon wiped his eyes with a paw, grazing the swollen lump on his brow as tried to swab the moisture away. But the wolf could barely feel the painful sting of the welt over the weight of the guilt and sadness that was now pouring out of him.

"I let Yuri get to me." Vernon whimpered. "I just wanted to say somethin' to him I knew would get under his pelt after everythin' he said about Dawn." The wolf shuddered as another sob slipped out of his muzzle. "I wasn't even thinkin', it just spilled out!"

Vernon pulled his head back, leveling his gaze at his sister-in-law. Ada was quick to avert her eyes from making contact with Vernon's own, but for a brief moment, Vernon could swear he caught the glimmer of fresh tears forming in her eyes as she looked away. 

"But it ain't no excuse!" Vernon shook his head tersely." It ain't no excuse to drag my favorite sister-in-law's name through the mud just to get revenge, just to try to have the last word!"

The wolf buried his face back into the hyeness' shoulder, letting out another sob.

"I just want things to be okay between us again." Vernon whined, rubbing his eyes into her shirt. "I'm sorry, I'm so damn sorry..." Vernon whimpered.

The wolf continued to sob quietly into the hyena's shoulder, the large mammal still apparently frozen as the wolf bared his emotions to her. The wolf wasn't sure how much time had passed, the two of them standing in the hall with him blubbering like a pup. Vernon had been so caught up in his crying fit that he had lost sense of time to some degree. But eventually, he felt Ada's arms begin to wrap around him, pulling the wolf into a tight hug of her own.

"Aw...Vern..." He could hear the hyena sniffle slightly, but by the time he looked up, she had already reverted to her usual, bemused expression.

"Geeze, stop wit da water woiks already..." Ada shook her head. "I knew you was sorry five minutes after you said it." Ada chuckled.

Vernon wiped a stray tear from his eye as he tried to suck back the remaining sobs still trying to bubble to the surface. Ada released the hug, but kept an arm around the wolf, pulling him tightly against her side in a playful manner.

"Youse are my bruddah too." Ada said with a smile. "And aside from Mal's cookin'...well....youse are up dere with my reasons for convincin' old sour-puss to come out." Ada rolled her eyes. "Even when I know just bein' here winds him up."

Vernon offered a meek smile.

"R-Really?" Vernon sniffled softly.

"Are you kiddin'!?" Ada chuckled. "I love youse guys. Hell, I love dis whole place!" The hyeness lowered her eyelids, leaning in close to Vernon as she flashed the wolf a smirk. "And what kinda big sista would I be if I didn't come out to see how my favorite little bruddah is doin?"

"S-So you don't hate me?" Vernon asked quietly.

Ada let out her trademark laugh, the hyena practically howling as she gave Vernon's head fur a playful tousle.

"O'course I don't hate yas!' Ada said with a wide grin. "I could neva hates youse Vern."

The wolf pulled Ada into another tight hug, although Ada seemed more prepared for this one as she leaned into it, gripping Vernon into a tight bear hug and letting out a pleasant sigh.

"I know youse didn't mean it." Ada replied, her tone slipping into something a little softer. "It ain't like you to even tink of tings like dat." Ada continued. "Dats why it sorta...took me by surprise."

"I shouldn't have...I can't believe I even..." Vernon trailed off, unable to finish his thought as he broke the hug to look his big sister in the eyes. " I'm sorry Ada." The wolf wiped his eyes again, trying to sweep away the last of his lingering tears as he could feel his composure returning. 

"Look..." Ada shook her head. "I know Yuri can get unda mammals pelts." Ada continued, a hint of annoyance in her voice as she spoke. "He can sometimes drag da woist outta mammals, and make dem say tings dey don't mean." Ada returned to crossing her arms, her teeth exposed slightly as the grimace on her muzzle widened.

"Hell, he's got it down to a scoince." Ada shook her head dismissively.

Vernon gave a simple nod of agreement, not entirely sure where Ada was going with this line of conversation. Seemingly sensing the wolf's confusion, Ada let out a sigh.

"Da ting is, because I know dat about him, it means I know not to take anyting he says wit any seriousness, you know?" Ada asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Any snide remark he makes is just him tryin' to upset ya, not necessarily dat he means what he's sayin', and I'm used to dat."

Ada shook her head softly, her usual grin slipping into another frown. "It's sometin I spent most of my life learnin' how to do." Ada shrugged. "Letting crap roll off my back because eder I know da mammal sayin' it doesn't really mean it, or doesn't know anyting about me." 

Ada placed a paw on Vernon's shoulder, her green eyes taking on a faint shimmer of moisture. 

"But when sometin like dat comes from someone I tink I know." Ada murmured. "Someone I trust, someone I care about and taught I undastood..." Ada sighed, glancing down at the floor for a moment. "It's like a punch in da gut."

As the hyena's eyes rose to meet his own, he could see that tears had finally managed to form in the corner of her eyes, dripping silently down her cheeks as she pressed onward with what she had to say.

"It just took me off guard." Ada whimpered softly. "Hit me in a spot I wasn't braced to protect because I....I wasn't expectin' it from you."

Vernon could feel tears returning to his eyes as Ada continued to open up to the wolf.

"Spotted yeens..." Ada sighed. "We get dat all da time because of dat fossil record. Because of how tings used to be." The hyena shook her head. "I'm used to hearin' it."

Ada wiped her eyes with a paw, letting out a sharp sniffle in an attempt to stem the flow of tears.

"But from you..." Ada whimpered. "It just really hoit Vern."

Vernon pulled the large hyena into another hug, squeezing her as tightly as he could muster.

"I'm sorry Sis." Vernon said softly. "I shouldn't have even went there. I didn't mean what I said."

Ada wiped her eyes into a sleeve before hugging the wolf back.

"I know, I know." Ada mumbled into Vernon's shoulder. "But it took me a while to kinda accept dat." Ada wiped her nose against Vernon's coat. "To reassure myself dat you really didn't mean it."

Vernon broke the hug, keeping his paws on the hyena's shoulders in an attempt to continue to comfort her.

"Yuri said some really nasty shit about Dawn." Ada grimaced, her teary eyes returning to the floor in shame. "Wedder he was jokin' or not, he was in da wrong." Ada rubbed her upper arm uncomfortably. "And youse bedda believe I gave him an earful for dat."

After the way the fight had panned out, Vernon would have assumed Ada had thought Yuri had suffered enough for his actions all things considered. Having to be scolded by Ada probably was just adding insult to injury. But it made a part of Vernon feel better to know that despite how badly he had hurt Ada, she still stood up to her mate in defense of Dawn.

"And da way you was lookin' at Dawn, I knew he was hoitin' you bad...hoitin' you both bad." Ada wiped her eyes again, letting out another quiet sniffle. "I tried to stop him...but.."

"Ada..." Vernon muttered, but the hyena's head remained downturned.

"He had youse up against da wall, and you just pulled out whateva you could..." She continued. "Anyting to make him pay for hoitin' Dawn..."

Ada raised her head, meeting Vernon's gaze once more as she placed a paw on top of his. "Youse couldn't know dat out of all da tings you could say, dat was da one dat would strike a real noive with me because of my own insecurities."

"It was still wrong though." Vernon replied with a frown. "There's no excuse for dragging you into that mess just because I wanted to get back at Yuri for shaming Dawn." The wolf sighed mournfully. 

"Hey, you was thinkin' of Plush, right?" Ada chirped, offering the wolf a slight smirk. "I can't blame youse for wantin' to do right by her after how Yuri was actin', even if..."

"I'm sure there were better ways to do right by Dawn than how I acted." Vernon sighed, shaking his head dismissively. 

"Hey it ain't exactly easy to keep a cool head when a fights brewin'." Ada chuckled softly. "Believe me, I know from experience."

"Yeah..." Vernon muttered lamely as his muzzle traced back to the floor below. The response seemed to bother Ada to some degree as Vernon felt her paw clasp under his chin, pulling him up to meet her slightly annoyed gaze.

"Hey, you tink I ain't made mistakes?" Ada laughed. "I got a track rekad a mile long!" The hyena shrugged. "At least you owned up to it and did everyting youse could ta fix it. And like you said, youse didin't mean it." The hyena quirked an eyebrow. "Right?"

"Never!" Vernon objected, pulling free of the hyena's grip. The wolf's serious expression an attempt to emphasize the weight of what he was saying. 

"So den let's just try to fogget it eva happened!" Ada' said, giving the wolf a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "We'll just start fresh from here, alright Vern?"

The wolf smiled softly. Somewhere along the way it seemed as though the conversation had shifted from him reassuring Ada, to the other way around. Vernon would have laughed at just how cavalier his sister had become after being so uncharacteristically somber, but the slight feeling of unease still hanging in his gut made him unable to do so. He needed a little more clarification to let him know that their relationship would slip back into the way it always was.

"S-so, were cool?" Vernon murmured softly.

Ada let out an amused cackle.

"C'mere!" The hyena said, opening her arms and gesturing the wolf in for another hug. Vernon didn't hesitate, wrapping his arms around the large hyeness as tightly as he could. Ada did the same, squeezing the wolf in a tight bear hug while patting his back reassuringly. The hug was almost stifling, as the hyena was most definitely stronger than Vernon was, but the wolf was far too relieved to care.

"Of course we're cool ya joik!" Ada snickered, emphasizing her words with another firm squeeze before finally releasing the wolf. Vernon stumbled back slightly, taking a moment to stabilize himself after the particularly forceful hug. It felt good to know that even if he would never get the chance to see her again, he had at least managed to set things right between them.

"But..." Ada smirked, raising an eyebrow at the wolf.

"But what?' Vernon asked.

With a jerk, Ada cold-cocked the wolf in his arm, causing the wolf to let out a yelp.

"OW!" Vernon hissed. "What the-?"

"If youse eva do dat to me again, I'll punch ya lights out, got it?" Ada said, giving the wolf a serious glare.

Vernon gave a terse and fearful nod.

"Please, I'd punch my own lights out first." Vernon murmured softly, scratching the back of his head. Ada let out an amused cackle. 

"Now dat'd be a sight to see." The hyeness shook her head.

"Alright." Ada smirked, turning her attention back to the bedroom door. "Hey Van, it's settled."

With that, the door slowly opened to reveal that Dawn had been patiently waiting behind it, her luggage neatly in tow behind her. Her eyes were wet and puffy, revealing the ewe had probably been crying along with them as she had listened in on their conversation.

"Hope you wasn't standin' dere too long Plush." Ada said with a chuckle.

The ewe stepped into the hall, carefully edging herself and her suitcase around the spill from their unfinished meals before taking her place alongside Vernon. Dawn took a moment to adjust her frames before flashing Ada a warm smile.

"No, it was fine." Dawn replied, trying her best to stifle her lingering sniffles. "I didn't want to intrude or make you two feel like you needed to speed through the conversation just because of me."

"Heh, danks Plush." Ada flashed the couple a grin before making her way back into the bedroom. She had almost disappeared behind the door frame before glancing over her shoulder at the pair.

"I'll catch yas tomorrow alright?" Ada said.

Dawn and Vernon exchanged an uneasy glance, the shared knowledge that they would not be around to see anyone for the last day of the trip filling them with momentary unease. But Ada didn't seem to notice, and with a final cackle she disappeared into the bedroom.

"Thank you Vanna." Dawn said, the sudden statement bringing Vernon's attention back to the door. He hadn't even noticed that Vanna was still acting as the doormam' for the girls room with Ada and Dawn acting as distractions.

"Goodnight." Dawn added.

"Y-yeah, goodnight Vanna..." Vernon jumped in, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "And er...sorry again."

Vanna looked down at her paws, a distinct look of disappointment on her muzzle as she began to close the door.

"I thought I was your favorite sister..." The feline muttered.

Before the wolf could object, the door clicked shut, leaving the couple alone in the darkened hallway.

Vernon let out a tired sigh as he ran a paw through his messy head fur.

"Well great...fixed things with Ada and now Vanna feels left out..." Vernon muttered.

"You should have known better Vernon, you never admit to having a favorite when it comes to family." Dawn said with a giggle. "Goodness, what are you going to do if we adopt more than one lamb?"

"Yeah I kn-" The wolf paused as just what the ewe had said fully registered. There was a brief flicker of confusion on his face before it shifted into wide-eyed shock.

"Wait? Adoptin'?" Vernon sputtered. "We ain't even married yet!"

Dawn let out another giggle as she began to make her way to the guest bedroom. Coming to a stop at the door, the ewe threw the wolf a sly glance over her shoulder.

"You are too cute when you get flustered." Dawn said with a smirk, before slipping into the guest bedroom and out of sight.


	42. A Forgotten History

A Lamb Among Wolves  
Chapter Forty-Two: A Forgotten History

"I'm not sure if I will ever include these notes in the final draft of my book, or if I'll ever find a purpose for them at all despite the promise I made to my brother-in-law Ulric. After all, ‘Predator seeking Prey' was never meant to be an in-depth historical treatise on the relationships between the Schottish and north wolves throughout the ages. The rather short historical entrees that I had chosen to include just a few chapters of my book were simply intended to give the reader a cursory knowledge of just how wolf-sheep relations came to be what they are today, and how those cultural and historical factors affected the development of the relationship between Vernon and myself. The book is meant to be about us, and the trials and tribulations we continue to endure because of our choice in mates. About the love that keeps us going in spite of the troubled history of our species, and the judgmental mammals of the modern day. It was meant to inspire couples who are going through the same struggle, regardless of their species, and hopefully give them strength in the knowledge that they are not alone. The last thing I want to do is take away from that message by making some sort of outrageous claims about famous historical figures within these pages. That is a job that is best left to a rag like the 'Zootopian Query'."

"However, after being presented with some rather compelling and intriguing ‘evidence' in regard to the history of Moira Blackwool and Erik Düclaw that my brother-in-law had compiled, I felt compelled to write down some of the most interesting tidbits somewhere. If not to be published, then to at least get my own thoughts about what he showed me down on paper. At the very least it will help clear my head, and keep the information from creeping into later portions of the book."

As I briefly touched upon in one of my earlier chapters about the history of the Great North Wolves and the cultural traditions of the Northern Roaropean Lamb, there have been a number of what most would classify as 'conspiracy theories' in regard to the true nature of the relationship between Queen Moira Blackwool of Schottram, and her personal bodyguard, as well as ambassador of Greater Norwulff, Erik Düclaw. Although such a thing is far from uncommon, almost every major figure in Animalian history suffers from the same sort of endless postulation and intense scrutiny when it comes to what remains untold. The position of power or prominence combined with the limited nature of historical records depending on just how far back you go seems the perfect soil to nurture endless conjecture from mammals trying to fill in the gaps."

"It's only natural that such enigmatic and influential figures that existed long before ourselves would inspire those of us living today to seek out every shred of evidence as to what truly made them such powerful players in history. To make us hunger to know every detail about the mammals we could never truly meet. Never to see how they spoke or moved, and how they managed to capture the hearts and minds of those that followed them. Our perception limited to the intangible, wispy reflection of second or third hoofed accounts from mammals long dead in languages we still have problems fully understanding."

"It is as the great Pawstrian Philosopher Egon Friesell once said,"

"The past casts a curtain of fog over events and figures from times long ago, which makes them unclear but also more secretive and mysterious, this is the main allure with all history"

"And this is what drives many in the historical field; that thirst to discover the mysteries of those enigmatic ancient figures. To clear aside the fog and reconstruct the full picture of those great mammals that have been lost to time. Both as a means to explore just how they rose to become such prominent figures in history, but also as a means to connect the modern mammal to those long gone. To show that at a base level, even the greatest figures in Animalian history were still animals, just as you or I. At least, that's what I imagine, and I assume that's what drives most of those outside of the field to look for those connections as well, which all leads in to these conspiracy theories."

"I must confess, before speaking to Ulric, my initial considerations as to going about writing this chapter was to make it fairly brief. I had relegated any research on the topic to a last-minute entry, a light brush over some of the more popular theories and the evidence pertaining to the legend. Being a Bellwether, a direct descendant of the Blackwool line and Queen Moira herself, I went through most of my life hearing bits and pieces of the rumored tryst. Granted, it was never really anything concrete. Just the tail ends of conversations or murmurs from others. Before Vernon, the Blackwool-Düclaw conspiracy wasn't really something I gave that much thought to, and I was rarely ever asked about it as most mammals don't know enough about history to even make the Bellwether-Blackwool connection. So, it was never something I felt the need to research too deeply into, especially with the general public perception being that it was nothing more than a wildly baseless accusation. It was nothing more than ‘edutainment' fodder, or the basis for some ‘bodice-ripper' romance novel."

"But after I fell head over hooves for Vernon, and decided to write this book about just how such a relationship can happen, I sort of actively avoided any real research into whether there was any degree of tangible evidence to the accounts, or if it was simply all hearsay. One of the reasons for that was as I mentioned earlier in this chapter. This book is meant to be about Vernon and myself, and I don't want that overshadowed by making spurious claims."

"But the other reason was fear. Fear that I would have a strong desire to see myself in Lady Blackwool. To seek out connections that weren't actually present because my deeper desire had made them manifest, to share something in common with my ancestor and wonder if her struggles were at all similar to my own. Not to mention that the hopeless romantic in me has always loved a good story about star-crossed lovers, and even the hint of the existence of such a taboo romance would be something I knew I would most likely latch on to. I briefly mentioned as much in my chapter on the cultural beliefs of the Roaropean lamb. It was an obvious bias I was too afraid would spill into my assessment, and that desire to feel that connection to my great ancestor would cause me to gloss over any inconsistencies that failed to fit into my own burgeoning narrative."

"But after Ulric's little presentation, it seems to me that I'm not the only mammal guilty of such bias, albeit in the opposite direction. Historians, especially those who find the source of their funding based in Schottram or Norwulff seem rather keen on glossing over multiple inconsistencies in Queen Moira and Erik's lives, both before and during their time together. Strange changes in behavior and activity that at the very least should merit some degree of further investigation seem to be simply brushed aside in favor of simpler answers with even less hard evidence to back them up. Granted some of these little disturbances in the record of both mammal's lives are small, but others are so glaringly unusual that while I am willing to agree that they may not mean the two mammals were romantically involved, it certainly demands more of an investigation over what is currently accepted as fact."

"The information I am about to present will more or less be in a sort of chronological order, only straying as the topic permits. This is not organized by which pieces of evidence I found that make the most compelling case for the existence of such a taboo relationship between the pair or otherwise. In fact, I'm to try to avoid stating which pieces of evidence I feel the strongest about. Should this ever go out with the full copy of ‘Predator seeking Prey', I would prefer that you, the reader take in all the information and decide for yourself. In that way, I am only presenting what is known, and how it correlates to specific cultural practices and historical events. I will not be making any actual ‘claims', but I will be presenting concepts that might align with more sensible explanations for changes in behavior or otherwise. That way, I will be keeping this little aside strictly theoretical, and should this go out it will not overshadow the core message of the book. As for what you decide to take away from this, it is up to you."

"A great deal is known about the lives of Moira Blackwool of Schottram, and Erik Düclaw. From second hoof accounts, to paintings and so on, there is no shortage of information that can be gleaned and corroborated when it came to what was on public display. But even when it came to the figures lives behind closed doors, there was a wealth of information told straight from the sources. Or at least, it started out that way."

"When it came to Erik Düclaw and Moira Blackwool, it would seem both mammals were both strong believers in keeping a chronicle of their own lives. Both mammals had been known to keep personal journals, with Lady Blackwool starting her own personal diary almost as soon as she wed King Declan, and Erik starting his own series of journals during his teen years. (I should note I've mentioned the Queen's diary in previous chapters, but in order to keep this analytical presentation on track, I will revisit what I've previously stated at the end of the account for this evidence entry.)"

"Queen Moira was a fastidious and timely ewe, and most of her daily life and duties were structured with a great degree of regiment. This included her personal diary entries, of which she almost never missed a week, always managing to find some time to set aside in order to sit down and pen her thoughts to paper. As for Erik, his own personal journals started around his teen years. However, his entrees often lacked the same regularity that Moira's own entrees did. At most the wolf would write three entrees a month, and most were only prompted by dreams and Erik's need to catalog them due to the importance of such things in Norwulff culture. (We'll get back to that shortly)"

"I could spend time going over some of the more minute facets of the two mammal's individual writings. About how the Queen's playful and more romantic side often manifested in her diary entries in the form of prose and poetry. And that after marrying his Lordship, Declan Blackwool, she often lamented in her writings the lack of feeling any love for the ram she was betrothed to. Or the fact that several times in Erik's own writing did he describe recoiling at the prospect of taking on any semblance of royal duties, electing instead to take up the role as something of an explorer while his brothers were left to ascend to positions in the royal court. But as I mentioned earlier, some inconsistencies appear smaller than others, and such behaviors could easily be explained away with an appeal to maturity. Both mammals were quite young during most of their early writings, and as we all know from simple day to day experience mammals do indeed change over time. What the argument truly rests on, is just how sudden or drastic such changes can be."

"The death of King Declan Blackwool is what would mark such a drastic change in the normal routine of the two mammals writing habits. And while such a thing was to be expected of Moira Blackwool as Declan's wife, a notable and arguably coincidental disturbance occurred in Erik's own writings the very same night. The start of what would later be interpreted by Norwulff historians as a textbook example of a 'seer's' vision.

"As expected the Queen wrote of the loss the night she had first received word that the fleet had disappeared. Venting her frustration and anger over her husband's foolish errand, and how he had failed to listen to her. But what seemed to bother her most of all was the fact that Declan's death troubled her so little. She felt more guilty than heartbroken, simply due to the fact that she could not find it in herself to manage to shed a tear for her mate, and the father of her two young sons."

"I heard the words and yet I felt nothing. I couldn't even muster a single tear for my husband and his fool's errand. I had warned him after all. Time and time again I had begged of him not to proceed with his mad plan. I could see nothing but destruction at the end of his fevered dream, I could feel it within my very bones. And so, I am not truly shocked to hear what has become of him and his armada."

I find myself wrought with every emotion but heartbreak. Fear of what the loss of so many mammals means for our nation. What responsibilities I must now shoulder in the wake of Declan's actions, as our sons are not old enough to take the throne. But strangely, I also feel a sense of relief. He did not make it to the frozen shores of Norwulff. My husband had been prevented from plunging us into a war we had no chance of winning, and with his failure, the chance for peace is once again on the horizon. And, if I may be so bold, I feel as if I am freed from the cold touch of the mate I felt nothing for. A mammal I know now that I did not love, nor could ever love. And I find myself filled with a peculiar sense of hope that the abrupt winds of change I now find myself adrift upon shall lead me to something greater."

But such personal musings must never reach the ears of my people, lest they lose faith in the only mammal left to lead them. It fills me with a terrible uncertainty about the duties I must now undertake. A Queen who felt no love for her King, what kind of mammal does that make me? What kind of leader is one with no apparent depth of feeling for her own husband? Her own mate? Is that the leader Schottram deserves? I suppose neither I, nor my people have a choice in the matter anymore. The inextricable wheels of fate have been set in motion, and I cannot turn them back." - Moira Blackwool, January 22nd, 1345A.P.

"After that entry, Moira's writings became sporadic for a few months. But as you can tell by the overall tone of the passage, it was not due to the Queen's time spent in mourning. The lack of entries is consistent with Moira having to suddenly take on her husband's duties, as well as having to deal with the sudden economic crises the loss of most of the young, able-bodied rams of the nation had dropped into her lap. Despite being unable to truly stabilize the economic situation until a formal peace treaty was made with Norwulff, her writings did recover as she adapted to the new workload, and within about three months or so she was back on her usual schedule."

"Now this entry from the Queen's personal diary is nothing of any real note on its own. It is well known that Moira and Declan's marriage was not a happy one. Most royal couplings throughout Roarope were simply for political purposes, for the consolidation of powers or to solidify treaties and dealings between nations. If not for Moira's own writings on the subject of her husband, there are second hoof accounts from servants and guards about the many verbal spats between the woefully mismatched couple." 

"But the real reason I chose to write about this particular diary entry is due to the fact that it marks the first time Lady Blackwool and Erik Düclaw happened to write an entry in their personal records on the same night, and how they seem to inadvertently reflect the same themes."

"The same evening Moira received the news of her husband's demise, Erik wrote in his own journal about waking up in a cold sweat, amidst a strange dream. A dream so powerful the wolf felt compelled to write it down."

"The night sky was cold and clear, with Lupa's glorious gaze bathing the land in her welcoming glow. The black, frigid waters remaining so still that they cast a perfect reflection of Lupa's eye along with her twinkling companions on its icy surface. But then, from the horizon came a series of low hanging clouds that seemed to glide across the sea. Clouds of a brilliant white that carried with them a burning fire. They were slowly encroaching toward the shore, creeping like a thief in the night as they glided over the still waters of the black sea. The fire carried above the clouds swelled as they crept closer, rising higher and higher to the point where they had begun to consume the twinkling tapestry of sky.

But despite the intensity of the roaring flames, a sudden growing darkness soon overtook the scene. Lupa's watchful eye had blinked shut, disappearing behind a thick set of dark swirling clouds that stood in contrast to the ones that carried the flame. They grew to quickly overtake the spreading fires, to envelope the white clouds within their frigid embrace. The dark clouds carrying with them the scent of a brewing storm. It didn't take long for the seas to turn violent, whipped into a frenzy by the now howling winds lapping at the once smooth surface. A gale that seemed to be howling for war. 

The once calm black seas morphed into a cluster of blackened blades, stabbing into the burning white clouds, gutting them one by one as they were tossed about like mere playthings. One by one the clouds were devoured by the hungry maw of the black waters until not one remained. They sank like stones despite their appearance, the burning flames they carried snuffed out by the dark, frozen waves that had dragged them under. With the clouds now gone, and the light they carried extinguished, I saw ice begin to form upon the surface of the water. A narrow strip of frost that would extend far beyond the horizon. Somewhere I could not see, yet felt compelled to venture.

Now that I'm awake it feels as though something has changed. As I pen this down I can't help but feel a sudden weight of apprehension building in my chest. That dream felt so vivid, so real, and I fear that my grandmother's tales of her seer's visions have started to get to me. I feel as though I've seen something I wasn't prepared to see. Perhaps my grandmother was right, perhaps Lupa does indeed intercede within the realm of mortal mammals." - Erik Düclaw January 22nd, 1345A.P.

"The idea of 'visions' and prophecy is something that is hotly debated in academic circles, mostly related to the validity of such accounts and their relationship to actual historical events. The consensus on prophecy when it comes to most historians is simply that anything one could consider 'prophetic' is merely coincidental, and when it comes to the murky descriptors and imagery that one would associate with a 'vision', it is even less conclusive. So-called 'prophetic visions' tend to be a rather malleable entity, the imagery vague enough to allow for any dramatic event to be warped and twisted into lining up with the symbols taken from such accounts. Essentially, if one were to try hard enough, any supposed 'prediction' could be made to apply to any historical event with the right amount of mental gymnastics."

"However, historians who specialize in the history of Norwulff, or those who fall under the general faiths that have spread outward from the land generally take the concept of 'seer's visions' with a bit more reverence and historical weight. And many of them have tirelessly devoted themselves to specializing in the interpretation of such accounts. And while there are many interpretations among them when it comes to other 'visions' written about in the Norwulff texts, there seems to be a general agreement among the community when it comes to Erik's rather unique dreams. And  
many have gone so far as to outline just how well Erik's dream lines up with the failed attack by Schottram, and are rather adamant that there is no other historical event that it could have been describing."

"The consensus when it comes to interpreting the imagery is thus. The clouds that carried fire represented Blackwool's fleet, the clouds themselves representative of sheep, and the fire representing the flames of war. The next bit is pretty on the nose. The dark clouds and the swirling seas that swallowed the burning clouds representing the storm that ultimately claimed the fleet. As for the ice bridge, well, that's something we will have to revisit slightly later in this chapter as it only makes sense in the context of the next vision. At least, that is what Norwulff's historians would argue. And to be honest, I find myself hard-pressed to disagree with that assessment."

"Unless the event Erik had dreamed of has yet to occur, or was simply a nothing more than the background noise of a dream, Declan's sunken fleet seems to be the only historical event the supposed 'vision' could be describing. The interpretations are not far-reaching in terms of symbolism, and in that way, it seems to perfectly describe exactly the fate that befell Declan's rams with chilling accuracy."

"After all, we know from historical records that the Norwulff populace, even King Geir and the other members of the Düclaw royals had been completely unaware of the failed attack until considerably later in the peace negotiations with Schottram. This would leave Erik to be the only wolf among them that seemed to be aware of what had truly taken place just days after it had occurred. There was no one to tell him what had happened, no mammal to seed such imagery into his unconscious and create the dream. It simply manifested from nowhere, on the same night Moira had learned of it."

"But for whatever reason, perhaps skepticism in the fact that it was a dream, an apparent doubt in the power of the 'seer's' in Norwulff culture, or perhaps the knowledge of the fact that whatever attempt that had been made to attack their nation had been swiftly dealt with, Erik never shared his apparent vision outside of his personal writings."

"As I said before, I am not here to make claims, simply to present facts. But with this, and the entry I am about to go into, I would be hard-pressed not to argue that perhaps there is something more to the Northern Wolves and their deep mysticism in regard to their 'seer's'. After all, it is hard to interpret Erik's account as anything short of prophetic. And while the Queen's journal entry was spurred by hearing back that the fleet had sunk, Erik's had come from seemingly nothing. A strange vision that drove him to write an entry on the same night as Moira, over the same subject, but it gets considerably stranger."

"After this, Erik's writings mostly returned to normal, much as Moira's had. It almost seemed like the wolf had completely brushed the strange dream aside as nothing more than that. In fact, both Moira and Erik's writings carried on as normal for most of that year as the nations slowly built toward coming to a peace agreement. By the end of the year, Lady Blackwool had already agreed to meet with an ambassador from the Düclaw family in order to draft up a proper treaty, and King Gier had already chosen his son Sigurd for the position by October of that year. After all, it was Sigurd whose role in the royal court pertained to that of the Norwulff military, and it seemed the natural choice to partake in negotiations with the Queen of the nation's once sworn enemy. But it was told in several of the personal accounts of those around him that he lacked the finesse and intelligence to handle such a sensitive task. He was immature in the mind, and hungry for an excuse to go to seeking honor and glory in war and victory, and while Queen Caecilia Düclaw had expressed uncertainty to her husband in sending the wolf for the negotiations, there was no one else in the family willing to take up the position of ambassador."

"But once again, it would seem the same strange 'wheels of fate' as Moira had mentioned in her writings would strike just three weeks before Sigurd was set to depart for Schottram. Another dream would take hold of Erik Düclaw, one that would shake him to his very core."

"Obviously this is the more famous journal entry, and I had briefly touched upon it in my initial notes without going into any real detail. The dream that made Erik beseech his father to stand in Sigurd's place, and meet Queen Blackwool as the ambassador in his stead. And this is the gist of what you would get out of a history book, both one that is for general purposes as well as those strictly based on Norwulff's history. However, Erik's actual entry is quite a bit more detailed, and may, in fact, allude to more than just a meeting of nations depending upon the translations."

"Like before, Erik awoke in the middle of the night in an apparent cold sweat, and immediately took to his journal to write down what he experienced."

"I thought I was to be forever rid of that feeling, the apprehension of knowing what I feel I am not ready to know. I was sure it left me in favor of a wolf more willing to heed the call, a true seer as devout in their beliefs as my grandmother. Yet here I sit in my bedchamber, soaked to the bone once again as I feverishly try to recall my experience.

It was the same scene as before. The black sea and icy shore illuminated by Lupa's glimmering gaze. Once again, the icy bridge appeared, crossing the frozen waters of Norwulff and splitting the sheet of glass that made up the ocean in twain. Its sheer presence stirring that same deep desire within to simply follow it blindly over the horizon. That irresistible beckoning call that I had felt once before. But now there was more to the land around it than I had previously seen. 

Where the shimmering bridge connected to the land, there stood two large mountains. One stood slightly taller than the other, the craggy peak of it split into shards of rock that were reminiscent of a crown. While the smaller mountain's peak featured gouges in the summit that reminded me of eyes. From these 'eyes' poured two trickling rivers, endlessly flowing down into the sea.

And between the mountains stood clusters of flame. They were not simply one great mass, but a series distinct fires, the colors of which ranged wildly across each one that served to further distinguish them from one another. But among the several unique flames, one towered above the others. Its brilliant red hue stealing the light of the others as it stood before the bridge. Slowly the fire began to cross the icy path, growing more and more intense as it journeyed toward the unknown realm beyond the horizon.

I could see the ice strain, I could feel it struggle to withstand the growing intensity of the fire. But ultimately the bridge faltered, withering under the brilliant red flame. And just like that, both the bridge and the fire were consumed by the icy black sea. The light extinguished in a flash, and with it, a sharper cold swept over the land. A chill that extinguished the remaining flames that flanked the shore, and caused the tallest mountain to topple to the earth, leaving nothing behind save for the smaller of the pair. The mountain that seemed to cry, whose rivers now flooded violently from the holes at its peak. The water ultimately whittling and wearing the mountain to little more than fragments as Lupa closed her brilliant eye, and the land fell into darkness.

And as quickly as the scene had left me, another took its place. All was as it was before. The bridge, the peaks, the children of flame. I felt as though I was to bear witness to the same scene once again. Yet suddenly I felt myself among them, among the brilliant flames that surrounded the mouth of the icy path. A pillar of ice taking the place of the brilliant red flame that now stood behind it. It felt as though I was one with the object, as if we were one and the same. And as I, or the glacier stared out upon the horizon, I was filled with the same need I had felt when I had dreamed of the bridge before. An irresistible desire to venture across the beckoning bridge, to discover what lay beyond the horizon.

And soon the glacier was crossing the glittering bridge, leaving behind the mountains, the flames, and the icy land and venturing toward the unknown. The bridge remained firm and steady beneath the gliding mass of ice, supporting it easily as it journeyed to the beckoning horizon. Never buckling, never withering as it had under the brilliant red flame that had tried to cross before. It continued onward, the icy home of the glacier fading away behind as I felt myself drawn closer and closer to the destination ahead. Drawn to an unseen call from something beyond my mortal senses. 

Soon, from the seemingly endless horizon came a black spire, illuminated by Lupa's glow. It rose from the sea, splitting the night sky. It filled me with a sense of intimidation as it grew defiantly on the horizon, drawing the drab green land up from the sea along with it.

As the glacier approached, I became aware of just how decayed the great spire seemed to be. It was crumbling, teetering on the brink of collapse as the pillar of ice arrived at the pale green shores. Its decrepit presence dissipating every ounce of intimidation that It had seemed to command earlier as the glacier arrived at the end of the bridge. But rather than stopping at the shore, the icy mountain began to rise into the air. Drawing closer and closer to the withered tower as I felt myself drawn into its startlingly warm embrace. There was no collision, no crumbling of the two forms, but rather, the icy pillar came to rest beside the tower. The form of the glacier supporting the tower, keeping it from tumbling to the earth.

Now fixed against the tower, I watched as the land suddenly came to life. The pale, washy hues exploding into blindingly bright emerald greens. The grass, the trees, the flowers, it all came to explode with life, and as it did, it began to crawl up the conjoined masses. The growth mending them, melding them, creating something bigger, something better than either of the objects could have on their own. Soon it grew impossible to distinguish where the tower began and the glacier ended, and through it all I felt myself filled with a warmth that I had never felt before. A heat and lightness that I felt as though I could not live without as the two forms became one. A brilliant palace of stone and ice, distinctly split but fused to one another. Presiding over a blooming land of endless green.

I find myself unsure as to what to make of this... dream? Vision? I am not truly sure. I'm am certain my grandmother would call it nothing short of a true seer's blessing, but I had always found myself rather dubious of her claims that such things actually exist. Still, what I felt in that powerfully vivid sleep. That all-encompassing and welcoming warmth that surrounded me. I know deep within my very soul that I would kill for even the briefest chance to taste it once again.

But for now I must set these curious thoughts aside and return to sleep. I will need to be awake and alert in time for our family meeting. While I detest these royal affairs, it would be a great slight to my parents to be absent for the discussion of the matter of the envoy to Schottram with the rest of my brothers." - Erik Düclaw November 5th, 1345A.P.

"As you can see, there is quite a bit to unpack in the full journal entry of Erik Düclaw's 'Prophetic dream'. But for the sake of brevity, I will note the passages that seem to have the most straightforward interpretations. At least, according to Norwulff historians."

"The ice bridge makes a return in this dream, and this is where the purpose of it seems to make the most sense. As we can tell by the nature of the passage as a whole, the ice bridge connects Norwulff to Schottram. The fields of green meeting the icy shores and so on. In the context of the dream, it represents a literal connection, but it also seems to represent the tenuous relationship between the two nations. The weak, fragile ties between the two that even the slightest offense or misstep could completely jeopardize."

"This is where the symbolism of the red flame comes in, as well as the general concept behind all the flames seen in the dream. The most agreed upon theory among Norwulff scholars is that the 'brilliant' red flame represents Sigurd, the war-hardened son looking for a fight, as well as the initial choice for the ambassador to Schottram. The red represented his headstrong, battle-hungry nature. And admittedly it makes the most sense in the context. The other flames represent the numerous children of King Gier, hence the different colors to distinguish each one. Perhaps it had to do with denoting their personal traits, or maybe it was simply a way to distinguish them for the purposes of the dream, but the fact that they are all made of flame representing that regardless of which is chosen to cross the bridge, it will ultimately fail. No matter which flame crossed, the bridge would melt away, and plunge Norwulff into the darkness of war."

"The icy pillar, or glacier is clearly representative of Erik himself. Of course, it doesn't take the expert knowledge of the Norwulff historians to piece that together. Erik makes several allusions to this fact during his retelling, the excerpt 'It felt as though I was one with the object, as if we were one and the same. And as I, or the glacier stared out upon the horizon, I was filled with the same need I had felt in when I had dreamed of the bridge before.' in particular eliminates any doubt that this is the case."

"Some say Erik is represented by the glacier simply because it represented the opposite to fire, akin to the coldness of the bridge itself and unable to melt it. While others go on to add that it also could be argued to represent Erik's cool and stoic demeanor that is mentioned in the last few entries of Queen Moira's journals before they came to an abrupt end."

"But the important point to take from it all was simply that Erik being represented by an iceberg made him the only suitable 'object' capable of crossing the bridge without utterly destroying it. A key element pointed to by historians and Norwulff symbolism buffs as being comparable to the sum of Erik's entire life's work under Moira. He was the only one among the Düclaw who would not only uphold the tenuous relationship between the two nations, but drastically strengthen them."

"Then there is, of course, one of the strongest symbols from the dream; the great black spire that split the sky, the crumbling relic sitting on the pale green shores of what we can easily assume is Schottram. Schottram itself is famous for its striking greenery that many would argue is unparalleled by anywhere else in all of Animalia. But more damningly, 'Blackwool Keep', which was famous not only its unusual black masonry, but the massive tower that loomed over the bulk of the castle, still sits on the western shores of Scottram to this day. While in ruins today, kept active by way of being a tourist destination, in the days of Declan and Moira it served as their home. The same home that Erik would soon find himself living within just mere weeks after his 'vision'. The description of which could be considered one to one in terms of the real-life counterpart."

"Keep in mind that Erik would have no knowledge of the look of the Blackwool home. Aside from largely staying out of the family politics, Erik had only ever ventured within the borders of Greater Norwulff. But somehow his dream seemed to accurately portray the general concept of the Blackwool keep to him. This particular passage alone is what many more seasoned Norwulff historians, including professors currently teaching the discipline in academic circles, will cite as an example of the validity of 'seer's visions' as a reliable historical account of some events."

"But now we come to something where there is a bit of an argument, and where the scholars separate from the theorists in terms of interpreting the important aspects of the dream. Namely, the portion of the text describing how the ice pillar came to support the crumbling tower, as well as the pair fusing into a fortress of ice and black stone as the land bloomed with renewed life. Going back to general historians, as well as experts in Schottish history, it is no secret that the 'Ram-Wolf pact of 1346' was instrumental in keeping the nation of Schottram from collapsing back into a series of fiefdoms.”

“Despite how hard the Queen worked to keep her country stable after the death of her husband, without the injection of wolf migrants, as well as the goods and services they would provide in the absence of the ram workforce that had been lost, it is estimate the nation would have only made it another six months beyond the date the pact was signed. Norwulff offered Schottram the ability to remain autonomous while the nations traded aid. Whereas other nations such as Kingland had been eyeing the lower sections of Schottram, hoping to swoop in and claim land once the nation crumbled. There are internal logs from the Kittish Royals that support this plan."

"Without Norwulff to prop the nation back up, most of Schottram would have been forced to turn to Kingland for protection and goods. And what Kingland did not absorb would have fractured into their own micronations."

"From the vision, Norwulff historians connect the state of the tower, and the ice pillar holding it aloft to keep it from crumbling as being representative of that. And the blooming green from that meeting of powers represents how the nation would prove to prosper in the wake of this union of nations. And that analysis is all well and good, but where it drifts into the area of debate is with some of the meatier portions of the passage. Namely the glacier and castle merging into one entity, distinct yet united, as well as the feeling of warmth that Erik would claim to be willing to 'kill' to experience again."

"Norwulff scholars will say it is a simple representation of the greater picture. The unification of the ice and the tower representing the cooperation between nations, and showing that with Norwulff's help Schottram would be able to re-solidify itself as formidable international power. But the warmth is the part that seems to elude a proper explanation, the prospect of Erik being unable to tell where the tower began and the frosty pillar ended. The best answer provided being that the feeling that was instilled within the wolf had to do with the pride he would feel to unite the nations. A sense of destiny and the acceptance of the role he was meant to play in the Animalian political scene. But skeptics and theorists are quick to point out, and rightfully so, that Erik hated royal life, and the duties pertaining to it, as well as going on to say that the language used is a bit too 'passionate' to describe simple 'pride."

"Among communities like Ulric's, the belief is that these passages refer to the intimate relationship that awaited the wolf. Much like Erik in the dream was represented by a pillar of ice, the black spire is presumed to be a representation of Moira. And what started out as Erik simply supporting the Queen by way of the iceberg holding the tower together, grew into something deeper and more meaningful. And as it did, the two objects fused into one, filling the wolf with a deep sense of warmth and lightness that many would argue was a manifestation of love. A taste of the fulfilling relationship he would find should he take his brother's place, and a more likely drive for his interest in taking up the mantle of ambassador rather than the wolf suffering a change of heart over royal politics.”

“It is also frequently pointed out that in the days of old Norwulff, using a phrase like 'becoming one' was generally reserved for conversations regarding tithing ceremonies, but considering the context of the events of the dream, that might be considered grasping at straws. "

"Needless to say, these interpretations have been filed away as wishful thinking by those looking for proof where it 'does not exist' according to authorities on the subject. To those seeking attention and fame by crafting elaborate scandals. One of the more common statements issued by even Norwulff experts is that 'visions are never meant to be interpreted literally', and in the case of Erik's dream, thinking that the two forms fusing in the dream as representations of Moira and Erik's personal relationship was simply thinking too small. But it is worth mentioning that a great deal of Erik's vision seems to revolve around him personally. His family, his siblings, himself, they are all represented in the dream. But suddenly this is discounted when he crosses into Schottram? Why does it suddenly become less valid just because of a change of scenery?"

"One last thing I'd like to cover before I move away from the journals entirely is what remains of Queen Moira's journal entries after Erik's arrival. Now as I mentioned earlier, both Moira and Erik appeared to have stopped keeping journals after the wolf arrived in Schottram. In Erik's case, this was an immediate hard stop, the wolf simply seemed to stop keeping a personal log as soon as he arrived at the Schottish shores. The only journals that we have from Erik are those in the possession of the Greater Norwulff historical society. However, Moira managed to keep up her writing for a least a few months after he had arrived. The entries tapering off in regularity as the general peace accord was hashed out and signed, and coming to a complete stop a few months after taking on the ambassador as a personal bodyguard. For the sake of brevity, I will only be including excerpts of the journal entries I feel are the most relevant to the topic at hoof."

"What's interesting to note over the several entries between those two periods was how the Queen's language and description evolved when writing about Erik specifically. Her first entry describing his presence in little more than two sentences, and in a fairly clinical manner."

"The ambassador from Norwulff arrived today, complete with an entourage of no less than eight Norwulff guards surrounding him, clad in what I can only assume is the Norwulff noble garb which appears more like some sort of battle regalia. I am already having doubts about these negotiations." - Moira Blackwool, December 4th, 1345A.P."

"However, as the entries progress, she began to devote more time talking about the wolf. Her attitude in regard to the young wolf envoy changing rather quickly."

"At first, I believed I had gotten exactly what I had feared, an arrogant, headstrong young wolf clad in pompous looking battle regalia and eager to start a war with my flock over the most minute perceived slight. But to my surprise, as I've grown to know him, I realize I couldn't have been farther from the truth with my initial assessment.

As it turns out, Erik is as soft natured as the wool I wear. A surprisingly caring mammal, who is indeed genuinely concerned for myself and my citizens above his own needs. And apparently as uncomfortable sporting the 'Official Norwulff Garb" as its appearance on him first made me feel. I shall have to do him a kindness and have something tailored to suit him more comfortably. Something that properly becomes someone of his intelligence and station." - Moira Blackwool, January 10th, 1345A.P."

"Then there is this interesting excerpt from the evening the treaty was officially signed by the pair, toasting the successful collaboration and lamenting the prospect of the wolf returning to his homeland."

"With the treaty signed, I can finally breath a sigh of relief knowing that Schottram will endure. Granted I know some of my flock aren't thrilled of with the idea working with wolves, but in time they will come to accept their presence among us as they see how well our nation thrives with their assistance.

But for now, I will revel in the celebration, or at least try to. The feast that was served afterward was quite the fitting meal for such a momentous occasion. And while there were many nobles and other mammals who wished to seek an audience with me, I found myself spending most of my evening with Erik. After all, the treaty was a victory for both of us, besides, I really can't get enough of his rather charming wit. Even now as I pen this entry, I still find myself snickering at the thought of his spot-on impression of the rather 'bloated faced' caprid bishop who attended the ceremonies. I have always loathed that mammal.

Sadly, in the wake of this joy, I feel a strange pang of sorrow. Erik will soon depart for Greater Norwulff, and I must admit it will be rather hard to see him go. I could scarcely have conceived considering a wolf a friend four months ago, yet here I sit, rather sad to see him leave. Perhaps there is something I can do to extend his time here in Schottram. Surely it may sound greedy to steal such an important mammal's time, but I must admit, I find Erik to be the only mammal I can talk to as myself. And the prospect of losing such a dear friend is quite hard to bear. Maybe I can find something else to add to the negotiations." - Moira Blackwool, April 14th, 1345A.P."

"It is obvious that by the time the treaty was signed, Moira and Erik had grown quite close. But what many conspirators find to be the smoking gun is this excerpt from the last of the Blackwool diaries, at least the very last that we are aware of."

"Erik often laments that despite being my bodyguard, he really has little to do other than keep me company. With Blackwool keep as secure as it is, there really is little risk of any danger befalling me within the castle walls. I, of course, was quick to tease him, doing my best to act as if I were offended and insinuating that he found it bothersome to conversate with me. I must admit it was rather funny to watch the 'fearsome' Norwulff warrior squirm as he protested the notion, claiming that our little talks were the highlight of his day. It was rather touching.

And the wolf did get a chance to prove himself despite his complaining, for without his swiftness I would have surely tumbled down the castle steps this morning after I tripped over a loose stone. I had barely even lurched forward before I found myself swept into his arms with the softest grace. I was only in his embrace for the briefest of moments, and yet I felt a strange....desire to linger. For all that is said about the softness of a sheep's wool, Erik's fur feels as soft as a fine silk. But that is not to say I was not acutely aware of the strong, firm form that lied beneath. It was...really...rather pleasant.. and I find myself struggling to describe it, or how it made me feel...

Perhaps I'm thinking about this a bit too deeply. A little time on the balcony might do me some good. At the very least the fresh air will serve well to clear my head from these rather...curious thoughts...Is it-" - Moira Blackwool, May 25th, 1345A.P."

"If there is more to that entry, then it has been lost to time. Because as far as we know, both in the academic community and the general public, this is where Moira's journals ended. She never wrote another log, not a single page. Of course, if there were any more journals or diaries that had been kept during their years together, at this point the only mammals who could conceivably know of the whereabouts of such documents would be the Schottram historical society, or maybe even the Schottish government. And of course, that comes with a whole mess of its own rather conflicting reports. Some saying that the government does indeed have more journals and refuses to release them, while other reports saying the government has denied the existence of such journals. The information is ultimately muddled as there seems to be nothing official on the matter. Ulric's own presentations were the supposed personal accounts of rams who had apparently worked in the royal archives, but the Schottram government has remained silent on the matter."

"Still, it seems rather unlikely that Erik or Moira would stop keeping a personal record of their lives. Especially Moira, as her diary was kept on a weekly basis with little to no changes since she had started keeping it. The same goes for her sons, Declan II and Roderick, who kept their own journals that abruptly stopped, aside from a few key released excerpts I mentioned previously when they each came into power."

"It just seems to me that there is a mystery there that needs clearing up, and those in Schottram who preside over the royal artifacts, government or otherwise would do well to at least say something official on the matter outside of the historians they may or may not have funded. Even so, I doubt whatever answer they would offer would do little to sate mammals like my brother in-law. And at this point, I wonder if any answer they could provide would even sway my judgment on the matter."

"But let us move on to the next topic which Ulric brought to my attention, and arguably one of the strangest pieces of this puzzle overall. With the journals out of the way, I feel the next strongest point of contention to explore is the works of art depicting Lady Blackwool and Erik Düclaw."

"Artwork of the pair is not exactly hard to miss even if you aren't searching within the realm of ancient mysteries and conspiracies. I know during my initial assessment I saw several, including one of the more famous paintings, 'The signing of the Ram-Wolf pact of 1346'." The painting was by one Leon McCallhoofer, as will be the rest of the paintings I cite in this section. The reason for this was the fact that Leon was the official artist commissioned by the Blackwool family during Moira's reign, and so any picture depicting Moira Blackwool and those around her was guaranteed to be his work."

"I'm sure most of you readers have seen it in your history books, as even those unfamiliar with the deeper history of Roaropean sheep and Northern wolves usual lycome across it in most of the standard Animalian History books in grade school. The importance of the event cannot be understated, as it was the first lasting cross-species treaty, and so it seems only fitting that most mammals would get a cursory look into that particular part of history."

"The painting itself depicts both Moira Blackwool and Erik Düclaw signing the document within what is assumed to be her negotiation room, as it appears to lack the presence of any visible royal guards. But aside from that, at first glance, nothing seems that out of the ordinary. It seems like a fairly standard painting, depicted in the popular style of the time. One that wouldn't be out of place set alongside various other paintings from the period currently hanging in the Houvre in Maris, Prance. And indeed, that was how I had always seen it. Just one of history's most famous works of art, coupled with the added little sliver of personal pride in knowing that the ewe in the painting was directly related to me. However, Ulric made me aware of a rather interesting anomaly in the painting that I had never noticed before."

"Upon closer inspection of the piece, both Lady Blackwool and Erik Düclaw seem to be wearing gloves, or rather a single glove. For Queen Moira, her writing hoof bears a fine black glove, designed to match her usual royal attire right down to the diamond-studded fringes dotting it like stars amidst the night sky."

"And in the case of Erik, his left paw is covered by a slightly rougher looking white glove with a similar gold banding to that of the rest of his royal attire. It is a strange sight, to say the least, and when it comes to cultural practices of either the northern wolves or the Schottish sheep there are no instances of any ceremony or holiday that requires the wearing of a single glove at a time."

"And what surprised me even more was the fact that this was not the last picture that had been painted of either mammal wearing one glove on alternating paws. Since the signing of the 'Wolf-Ram Pact', there have been several more paintings of the pair, some together, some separate, but in every painting, they continue to wear a single glove. Granted some of the elements change within each depiction, the gloves suited to match whatever mode of dress they were wearing the day the portrait was taken. But regardless, the gloves remained a consistent element in every single painting of the mammals. Moira, always on her right hoof, and Erik always on his left paw."

"The most glaring example of this is on display in McCallhoofer's 'Vision of Peace', which depicts the pair holding hands while standing outside of Blackwool Keep. Based on the angle historians presume it was created with the pair facing toward the sea, out toward Erik's homeland. Erik stands to the right of the Queen, his gloved left hand holding her own gloved right hoof as they stare off toward the artist, and presumably the horizon."

"Now some historians say that despite everything that Lady Blackwool said about trusting wolves, taking Erik on as her personal bodyguard, and living so close to him, she still was hesitant to actually touch the wolf. This is the official explanation for the intended purpose of glove, to keep the ewe from ever fully making contact with the wolf. But it does a poor job of explaining the need for the just the one of them, and even a worse job at explaining away the fact that even in separate depictions of them, each still wore the one glove despite the fact that they shouldn't have needed to. Let alone the picture painted by Moira's journals alone completely blow the idea that she was repulsed by the wolf's touch out of the water. The language utilized seems to if anything, evoke a strong fondness in regard to physical contact with Erik. But it is usually explained away with a simple 'she was going to fall, neither mammal had a choice. An excuse I find to be rather poor."

"So what are the alternative explanations for the mismatched gloves? Well, this is where we once again find ourselves delving back into the realm of internet sleuths and conspirators. With Ulric having already done the digging for me, he presented me with the most popular conclusion among the various communities. The belief that Lady Blackwool and Lord Düclaw had in fact, participated in a tithing ceremony, and the gloves are meant to hide the very obvious scar that would have been created during the ancient form of the rite. The fact that the gloves are on alternating hands give even more credibility to the idea, as alternating scars were ideal to allow the tithing couple to more easily press the wounds together and allow their blood to mix with one another while the cuts were fresh."

"Of course, like the other pieces of 'evidence', this idea is scoffed at by scholars, and I suppose rightfully so. This was the thirteen-hundreds after all. I'm sure I don't have to remind you if you've made it this far along in my book (Not sure if this is going to go in, or where, so keep that in mind if the need arises, remember to revise this statement.) you know that interspecies relationships, especially those between predator and prey are a deep social taboo. A forbidden relationship, scorned by the public at large. And I live in Zootopia, the most progressive city in all of Animalia"

"So, try to imagine what trying to have such a relationship was like seven-hundred years ago. With the 'Ram-Wolf Pact' just instated, and both sides still so wary and looking for reasons to hate one another. Back when religious beliefs and superstition held sway over most mammals, and lifestyles that threatened those deeply held beliefs could result in the accused be roasted at the spit. Even with both Erik and Moira being mammals of royalty, getting caught participating in such a relationship would at the very least see both of them most likely locked in separate towers for the rest of their lives, as was the custom for 'bad eggs' in most royal families, at least in Schottram. And as I explained earlier, tithing required the permission of the highest-ranking blood relative among the Düclaw pack, which of course would be King Geir. And while I imagine that the King was rather 'accepting' for the time period, considering his work to create and solidify the peace pact, I would think most would find the prospect of an old-world King agreeing to something that so defied the natural order under his name to be patently ridiculous."

"But, is it at all possible? Well those who speculate as to the true nature of the gloves, my brother-in-law among them, have compiled what they believe to be a wealth of supplementary evidence to support the claim, most of which revolves around the few correspondences between King Geir and Erik over the two-year period since he first arrived in Schottram, As well as some third-party accounts of clashes between the mammals during Erik's return visits. Once again, I will only supply the relevant excerpts to try to keep this section as streamlined as possible."

"According to the historical record, what little of Erik's mailings to his father that have been released reveal a rather interesting shift in the tone of his writing. The first four or so months spent at 'Blackwool Keep' sees the wolf's usual, arguably more amicable writing style, Erik spending more of the letter concerned with the well being of his siblings and parents than discussing the negotiations in Schottram."

"Dear Father,  
I hope this letter finds you well. I am in good health and spirits, although I find it hard not to be in this land of warmth and greens. Although I must admit I find myself already feeling somewhat homesick. I miss you and mother, as well as my brothers. Yes, even Sigurd, although I'm sure he is still burned up about my taking his place in these negotiations. Queen Blackwool seems a little cold, but I suppose that's to be expected considering. I will be keeping you all in my heart and mind as I sleep, as well as during these negotiations. I know what my success will mean for our people, let alone our family.  
-Your faithful son,  
Erik Düclaw - December 15th, 1345 A.P"

"However, his letters take a more clinical turn after his first return to Norwulff, along with Moira's request to take the wolf on as her personal bodyguard. Accounts from the personal logs of the Düclaw castle staff make mention of several arguments taking place between the King and his son over the prospect of him living in Schottram, but nothing concrete, more so the general theme of the arguments overheard as the echoed to nearby rooms. King Geir was against the idea, and remained reluctant despite the wolf returning to Schottram a week later. But it appears there was something more to the tone of their conversation that hadn't been properly picked up on, or perhaps a few arguments that hadn't been overheard if the change in language in Erik's correspondences are anything to go on."

"King Geir,  
Lady Blackwool wishes to re-negotiate the trade good taxation prices in regard to fine metal imports. Enclosed is her missive request for review. Send mother my love.  
-Ambassador Düclaw - May 13th, 1346 A.P"

"As you can see, the difference is practically night and day, and the state of  
the correspondence between father and son seemed to take an even further nosedive after Erik returned to Norwulff along with Queen Blackwool as a show of goodwill between nations. Again, this visit is rife with second hoof accounts of even more bitter arguments between Geir and Erik behind the scenes. But the one I feel is most relevant is this particular entry from one of the Castle pawmaidens."

"After Erik had curiously requested everyone, even the royal honor guard to remove themselves from the chamber, and King Geir acquiesced to his rather bizarre request. It sounded as if the two were at each others throat, as if they were well and prepared to draw swords on one another if the tone was anything to go by. But alas, the castle walls reduced the words to muffled yelling and snarls. It was impossible to tell exactly what topic had gotten the pair so incised at one another. It was only when Erik burst from the chamber with a clatter, yelling back at his father defiantly.

"What does a name matter if it is to control my life so brutishly? Such a name is not worth having!" 

At that the wolf turned to notice me, flashing a scowl as I drew back from the wall. I am ashamed to admit I had a paw cupped to the cold stone. But Erik simply sighed, turning away and leaving me to scurry back to my duties."  
-Bodil Bergsnärl - July 24th, 1346 A.P

"After this visit, Erik seems to completely cut off contact with his father. I suppose I don't have to tell you why that is a bad thing considering his status as the nation's ambassador. But as far as the historical records show, at least what has been released with permission by the Norwulff government, the correspondence between the two simply ended. This 'cold war' between father and son persisted for almost four months, with no letters sent from either side until finally, King Geir seemed to reach his breaking point. Whatever argument that had so fractured their relationship, King Geir seemed ready to apologize, and make good for whatever trouble he had apparently caused Erik with the following letter.

"My dear son Erik,  
What sort of ruler is a mammal who cannot admit he is at fault? What kind of father is one that would deny his son, who had so willingly devoted himself to the cause of his family and nation, one of the most fundamental desires that no mammal that draws a breath should be exempt from? I was a fool Erik, A fool who has forgotten what it was like to be young. I was so concerned with the politics involved that I simply refused to listen to what you were saying. But I intend to make this right, consequences be damned.

I am not sure how we will make this process work. Something like this has never been done before, but as long as both parties are still willing, I will begin to make the proper arrangements. I will expect you to arrive the week before December twenty-first, that should give you more than enough time to prepare yourselves for the proceedings on our most holy of nights. May Lupa, Oldwyn and Freyja watch over you, and may they look upon these proceedings favorably.

And if anything should go wrong my son, know that you will always have your home here to come back to. I will do everything in my power to keep those who object from having any sway over your choices.

-With love,  
Geir Düclaw- November 24th, 1346 A.P. "

"Now of course, exactly what disagreement and whatever 'arrangements' were being made for the night of the solstice is a hotly debated argument between historians and theorists. Again, scholars pose the idea that Erik was growing tired of being entrusted political duties, and in the case of the name issue, was willing to throw his name away in order to be free from his pack. I should mention this practice is completely unheard of in North Wolf circles, and Norwulff history experts conclude it was probably more figurative rather than the wolf actually taking part of what is largely a Native Wolf only practice. A race of wolves, I might add, that the North wolves wouldn't come into contact with for some time to come. But what is really striking is the bizarrely, almost conspiratorial hoop jumping the experts themselves go through to make sense of the described 'proceedings."

"As you can already guess, both Erik and Moira returned to Greater Norwulff for yet another 'goodwill' visit just in time for the Yule holiday. Which of course, lines up perfectly with whatever King Geir was describing. But historians again scoff, saying the intent of the proceedings Geir was talking about was passing Erik's duties on to one of his other sons. The idea was that Erik would stay in Schottram to keep up appearances, but be free of the initial political aspect of his job. Instead, Queen Blackwool would correspond directly with one of the other Düclaw males via letter. I feel I don't need to point out why this was a significantly harder arrangement to uphold than having an ambassador actually show up to negotiate terms. But even more preposterously, there is no hard proof of this. Yet historians and experts cling to this idea as if it was a solid, indisputable fact. and when faced with the fact that they have nothing to show for this hypothesis, the general response is that the theory is less wildly speculative than the alternative, and that they would rather rely on 'occram's razor' when it comes to the likeliness of historical events. But still, it seems rather hypocritical of those who demand hard evidence to go public claiming that their own theory is simple fact."

"In the interest of remaining transparent, I will tell you that after all of this I've written here, there is nothing I could find that tells of when the gloves truly first appeared. Just as with Erik's mysterious 'proceedings on that cold December night, I don't have conclusive evidence of when they began to wear the gloves, or why. But It is worth noting that the painting of the 'Wolf-Ram Pact' was commissioned some two years after the actual signing, depicting a mere mock-up of the actual event. Well after the possible 'tithing' that may have taken place in Norwulff. And I would honestly be hard pressed to find an alternative answer that filled the gaps so neatly. 

"The gloves make perfect sense, as if the couple had elected to get a tithing ceremony, both would be aware of how important it would be to keep any proof of such a union a secret. If it were to become public knowledge that the Queen had become smitten with a wolf, it could have threatened all the good done by the peace pact between the previously warring nations. Geir's arguments and subsequent fight with Erik may further allude to such a threat, the King being well aware and unwilling to risk the peace of the two nations over his son's desires.”

“To the Schottish citizens, such an affair would make it seem as though the Queen had simply been acting out of lust, and that the crime against nature she had chosen to commit had clouded her judgment when it came to the mammals of Norwulff as a whole. And while I imagine that not all the sheep of Schottram were wise to the cultural practices of their neighbors in Norwulff, the risk of just one learning the truth and spreading it like wildfire was simply one risk too many."

"There are some errant comments about the gloves in the private accounts of the Blackwool Castle staff, as well as those working at the Blackwool Royal Estate after the Queen turned the throne over to Declan the second, which only helped add to the plausibility of these gloves being worn at all times when it came to public appearances. But the entrees are too few and far between to be able to make a much of a compelling case. Much in the same way the accounts of Erik's stray howling, some reportedly emanating from the Queen's bedchambers are too few and far between and lack the proper nuance to disseminate them from any howling standard. So, the only thing that can be used to make any feasible case for the 'tithing' argument is the complete painted works of Leon McCallhoofer. And much like the other missing diaries and documents, the ram never kept a personal account when it came to the details behind his paintings. And so, all we are left to go on is the works themselves. All nine paintings from the first, commemorating the signing of the peace pact, to his last, commemorating the death of both Erik and Lady Blackwool, which brings us to our next topic."

"In March of 1386 A.P. Erik Düclaw was stricken with an upper respiratory illness, and despite the efforts of the Queen's hoofmaidens and the best medical care in all of Schottram, the wolf eventually succumbed to the illness after weeks of suffering through it. He was fifty-eight at the time of his death, which was arguably a long life for mammals back in those days, but still, that hadn't apparently made it any easier to bear for Lady Blackwool. During the course of his infection, she had refused to leave his bedside despite the warnings and fears of spreading the infection by the estate staff. She even reportedly slept alongside the wolf in order to tend to his needs as second hoof accounts describe her as becoming increasingly incised that the staff was not doing enough for the ailing wolf. And while the Queen did not catch the virus, she was unable to stop the wolf from ultimately passing away. She only had the good fortune of being present when the wolf peaceably passed in the night, leaving her to alert the staff of his untimely death."

"Erik's death was a national tragedy, both in Schottram and in Norwulff, as his efforts in securing the 'Ram-Wolf Pact' made him a hero among the population of both nations. But ultimately, when it came to the funeral, and the wolf's burial, it was requested by the Düclaw family that Erik's body be interred at the family crypt in the capital city of Ulefalle in Greater Norwulff. The people of Schottram would have to settle for a simple monument to the wolf, despite him having lived the majority of his life among them. Of course, that didn't stop Lady Blackwool from throwing a funeral of her own for the wolf who had spent the bulk of his life by her side. On the day his body was to be loaded on a ship to return to the Düclaw family, the Queen held a memorial service at the dock so that her people could see the wolf off properly."  
"There is a significant amount of documentation surrounding witness accounts of the ceremony, and what was said. Many of which devote an abnormally large description to the Queen's appearance during the proceedings. Words like 'crestfallen', 'sullen' and 'despondent' show up across many of the written accounts. And one even referred to Lady Blackwool as appearing to be 'heartbroken'."

"But despite her clearly corroborated appearance, by all accounts she gave a very powerful and stoic speech about everything Erik had done for her people, and thanking the wolf for his years of service protecting her, as well as his loyal companionship over the years. It was only after she concluded her speech was she reported to have broken into tears, something she had, in her own words taken from some of her previous diaries entrees, been unable to do for the loss of her husband Declan."

"After the ceremony, Lady Blackwool accompanied the body of Erik Düclaw on the voyage back to his native land of Norwulff, where she would attend the Düclaw's private ceremony. Of course, her personal staff was staunchly against the idea. The Queen had yet to elect an official replacement for Erik as her bodyguard, and even so demanded to be allowed to attend the funeral without any of her royal entourage intruding on such an intimate affair. And as they always did, her staff inevitably backed down when faced with the Queen's powerfully stubborn and tenacious spirit. Even in her old age, the Queen refused to lay down and die for any mammal, or at least, almost any mammal."

"The Queen came back a very different mammal after her month spent in the frigid cold north of the city of Ulefalle. While not visibly ill, the Queen's apparent despondent and sullen demeanor had only steepened since her trip. That last glimmer inside the ewe that had been seen when she argued for the freedom to travel to Norwulff alone seemed to be long gone, leaving a frail husk of a ewe who seemed significantly older than when she had left." 

"Over the next two months, her condition only seemed to worsen as the staff did everything they could to pull her out of her apparent depression. She spoke less and less, electing to stay in her bed most days and her appetite rapidly diminished. Even in her son's, King Roderick, own journal, he described his own attempts to bring his mother out of her dire straits had met with complete and utter failure. Near the end he had come to describe her as ' a mammal already bereft of life, simply awaiting death to come and finish the job'. She seemed to just waste away, and it wasn't long before Roderick's words rang true."

"Just shy of three months after Erik's death, Moira followed after at the age of fifty-seven, passing peaceably in her sleep. To this day the reasons as to why she ultimately perished are unknown, and her passing left the doctors at the time who had been trying desperately to treat her completely baffled. It was as if she had simply willed herself to die, and no amount of work could be done to pull her back from the brink."

"But where this truly becomes interesting is just after Queen Moira's burial. Like Erik, the funeral held for the Queen was massive. Mammals had come from all over Schottram to honor her memory, as well as many of the Düclaw pack members from Norwulff, including the current King, Magnus Düclaw, Erik's youngest brother."

"It had taken the wolves a week to arrive, and the Queen's body had been held until their arrival in order to allow the family to honor her, but aside from that little caveat, the ceremony went forward as one would expect. King Roderick spoke of the virtues and leadership his mother had embodied, and how the nation of Schottram owed Lady Blackwool to live on, to continue to embody the ideals set forward by her memory. To embrace what she started, and by doing so it would most assuredly lead them to prosperity and continued peace. King Magnus also spoke, talking highly of the Queen's tireless work to bridge the gap between the two species, and how to him, and his family she would always be a Düclaw as well as a Blackwool. That she had earned her place as a wolf, as part of their family. Needless to say, that comment sparked quite a bit of a buzz among the Schottish citizenry, and many believe Magnus' statement may have been the catalyst for the rumors about Moira and Erik that persist to this day. It was definitely enough to spark the start of said rumors among the Schotts, but what was to come would only further stoke those suspicions."

"The Queen's body was placed in her own, specially constructed crypt that acted as a monument to her memory. It was separate from the family crypt, but still within the family cemetery. And that is where she remains to this day, or so it is thought."

"You see, the crypt was sealed shortly after the ceremony. But a week later, the groundskeeper found himself discharged from his duties by the King himself. According to his personal account, as the hour grew late, and the moon began to rise, the King approached him accompanied by two of his royal guards. But what made it that much more curious was the fact that King Magnus, as well as an entourage of Norwulff soldiers, had accompanied him. The groundskeeper's journals say that the King mentioned he was concerned over reports that there had been attempts to defile Moira's grave. When the groundskeeper offered to inspect it with him, the King denied him. And when he questioned the presence of Magnus and his wolves, Roderick said they were accompanying him to make sure that all the proper traditions were being upheld. But it was the grave keeper's insistence in aiding the King, and his overall confusion that saw Roderick take ire with him, eventually instructing his soldiers to throw the old ram out of the cemetery, the King issuing a firm warning before leaving him at the gate."

"This lamb I had known since he sat upon Moira's knee, the gentlest of the two sons Moira had birthed, yet he was filled with a coldness I had never seen in him. An ire that burned through me as his guards tossed me out of my place of work as if I were nothing more than a common thug. But it was the words that truly struck me dumb, words I could scarcely conceive to leave that rams lips in my direction."

'My guards will be posted at this gate until sunrise. Should anyone try to cross the threshold of this gate before then, they are instructed to kill them on sight.'

\- Excerpt from the writings of Colin Cruickshank, June 28th, 1386 A.P."

"When he was able to safely return, the two Kings and his soldiers were long gone. But in their absence, they had left a tomb that was visibly more firmly sealed than before. Multiple stone slabs now tightly fixed in place where there had previously only been a single, and the dirt in front of the monument had been disturbed, as if the original covering had been dragged away at some point before the new stones were placed. Of course, he was an older ram, so most of his account of the strange incident was brushed aside as the ramblings of some grizzled old tup, looking for notoriety by adding to the rumors that were already circulating."

"Coincidently, that night would also be the same evening when King Magnus and his wolves would return to Norwulff. Records of the ship manifest show that the royal flagship actually left at midnight, which was something that was considered relatively abnormal for the time period. Most ships, cargo or otherwise would leave in the morning, to allow the sailors to work with the most amount of light for the longest possible time in order to properly chart the vessel. Even if the Düclaw pack was leaving under full moonlight, it still would be considerably more dangerous than leaving in the morning. These were facts the sea-faring wolves surely knew quite well, yet they still elected to leave during the night. As if it were necessary to leave as soon as possible, despite the fact that they were visiting a country they were on friendly terms with, and the home country was not under any duress."

"One more thing noted on the royal manifest is a list of carried cargo, logged by the rams who loaded the ship. And while most of the description of said logged goods is fairly standard fare for ship travel during the period, one rather unique entry has raised numerous eyebrows among the conspiracy theorists since its discovery. It was a fine black chest, large enough to fit an average sized ram, wrapped tightly in fine black linens that were soaked in a thick perfume. The contents were unlisted, which was a rare occurrence with freight, and while the manifest had been written by the rams present, the chest was only permitted to be handled and loaded by Magnus' own soldiers. Any lingering curiosity by the shiphooves working the dock was met with similar threats by Magnus and his wolves with death should they inquire further. Furthermore, it was among the ships notes that Roderick had permitted Magnus to use force 'if deemed necessary' when it came to shipping inquiries, signed with his official seal.

"It is also worth noting that it was the last piece of cargo to be loaded upon the Düclaw royal flagship, arriving at the dock mere minutes before the ship departed from port, bound for the frozen shores of Norwulff."

"Following the return of the Düclaw family to their homeland, the shrouded chest was, according to accounts by the castle staff, moved to the inner sanctum of the Düclaw family crypt. Once moved to that location it was put under twenty-four-hour guard for the next two days. During that time, any questions asked by the castle staff about the mysterious chest to the King, or the members of his court were ultimately met with similar threats to those of the rams at the dock and the groundskeeper. And such threats were quick to put an end to any lingering curiosity about the peculiar item the royals seemed so keen to protect almost immediately, at least out loud anyway. And the personal records of the royal court made no mention of the box, or its contents."

"Two days after arriving in the family crypt, the chest seems to disappear completely from the historical record. The only inkling to its ultimate fate being from the accounts of a few wolves walking near the royal graveyard on the night it slipped out of history. It would be these passers-by that would write of seeing lights similar to those that were lit during a royal funerary service. But of course, most of these accounts are seen by historians as unreliable."

"There are many theories around the mysterious chest that was transferred into the Norwulff royals paw's by King Roderick himself. I mean, the ships manifest proves it did in fact exist, so that much we do have on record. However, theories as to what is was range from some sort of treasure given over by Roderick to prevent the wolves from invading now that Queen Moira was gone, to an item left explicitly to the Düclaw royals by Queen Blackwool herself as part of her will. But in keeping with the theme I will be discussing the most popular theory, the idea that it was Lady Blackwool's body that had been taken overseas in order to be interred alongside her mate, Erik Düclaw"

"It is documented that Magnus' stay at Blackwool Keep before he left at midnight was a noisy affair. Many accounts by the hoofmaiden's and castle staff speak of muffled arguments between the two kings, the pair spending most of the week following Queen Moira's funeral in heated debates in the negotiation room over topics that were not privy to any other mammals save for Magnus and Roderick themselves. It is unsure what the two seemed to be fighting over so aggressively, but we do have a snippet from one of Roderick's guards who had been posted outside of the negotiation hall during a particularly loud disagreement."

"Oh such a clamor I have never heard, a war of words that I couldn't make out, but the tone sounded as if they were being thrown with the sting of a blade. Suddenly the din reached a zenith, and as it did, the chamber door I stood astride flew open wildly. Out came the icy white furred King of the wolves, stomping with ire as he strode out of the room. He was growling so deeply I could feel myself trembling within my armor as it penetrated my flesh. The primal fear nearly causing me to collapse as the King of ice and fire spun on his heels to face the room again. Baring his fangs, he snarled loudly.

"I will march all of Norwulff through this door if you refuse to submit!"

\- Excerpt from the writings of Neil McGrazier, June 25th, 1386 A.P."

"And this is the basis historians use to explain the strange circumstances around both King Magnus' visit to Schottram, and the mysterious chest. The historical record has always painted Roderick as one of Schottram's weaker leaders, of course, it would be hard for any lamb to follow up Moira's legacy. But that said, this perceived weakness is what scholars point to as the source of the mysterious turn of events involving King Magnus. With Moira gone, it is believed that the true intent of Magnus' visit was to renegotiate the terms of the "Ram-Wolf Pact" further in the favor of Norwulves, and this was the source of the argument. Whatever was in the chest, was some sort of payment to keep fealty to the nation of Norwulff, and the secrecy was to keep the King from appearing weaker to his citizens."

"But then there is the issue of Magnus and Roderick's night at the graveyard, one that still has the scholar's struggling to explain the purpose of it."

"But conspiracy theorists believe that the arguments were about the exhumation of Moria's body, and turning it over to King Magnus so that she could be buried along with her mate in Norwulff. Following along with this line of reasoning, we are going with the premise that Roderick was well aware of Lady Blackwool's relationship with Erik. Although for how long is entirely uncertain. It is believed that in Moira Blackwool's will, (again, yet another document that seems to have gone missing over the ages, and was only ever read by Roderick himself at the time,) she had left explicit instructions to be buried alongside Erik Düclaw. This was not only her desire, but is directly in line with Norwulff cultural tenets in regard to tithing rites. If this was the case it would have left the King in a rather difficult position."

"To Norwulves, tithing rites are some of the most respected, and culturally important traditions to uphold. And the case of Düclaw royalty, who were devout upholders of the Norwulff mysticism, it could be seen as an act of war to interfere with upholding the laws of a tithe. If Moira was indeed tithed to Erik, Norwulff law would demand that she would need to be buried along with her mate, and as Erik's grave was in Norwulff, that would require moving Moira's body to the Düclaw crypt in Norwulff's capital. Of course, all of this would have to be done under secrecy, lest the Schottish public be made aware of Moira's indiscretions. Her body would have to be exhumed during the night, and quickly spirited off to King Magnus' ship. But with the tomb empty, should anyone ever discover the Queen's body missing, it would not only put Roderick at risk of being blamed, but if Norwulff was proven to be involved, the Schotts would be clamoring for war."

"It would better explain why King Magnus and the Norwulff royals spent a week in Schottram after the funeral despite there being little reason to. If it had to do with renegotiations of the pact, Magnus could easily have sent a new ambassador rather than show up himself. But he chose to spend a week there personally, and spent most of the time arguing over 'something'. Something he was willing to go to war over if he didn't get. And so, a series of events have been pieced together based on the fragmented information we have to work with."

"Presumably after finally getting Roderick to agree to his demands after days of negotiations, the two drafted up a plan that they quickly put into action. It is believed that hours before the Düclaw royal ship left port, King Magnus and his soldiers accompanied Roderick and his rams to the royal graveyard. Once the groundskeeper was dealt with, the Queen's body was exhumed and placed into one of the king's wolf-sized chests. However, since the body of the Queen was something to be revered, steps still had to be taken in order to properly honor her remains. This lead to the wrapping of the chest in the shroud and dousing it in perfume. The perfume also helping to mask the scent of decay the box would be sure to give off. Afterward, they hastened back to port with the Queen's body in tow."

"The chest was the only parcel loaded on the Düclaw royal flagship by wolf soldiers, a practice that is usually reserved for funerals. It is worth mentioning that Erik's own casket was loaded the same way. However, the argument is that since it was a public funeral of sorts, it had to be handled that way. Still, the threat of death that loomed over the dockhooves by way of both Roderick and Magnus' orders added an extra layer of protection. While it may have stoked some curiosity, it prevented any rams from getting too close to the chest during the transfer.

"With the final piece of cargo loaded, the Düclaw's left immediately. Assumedly this was not only to get the body back to the crypt as fast as they could, but also to prevent anything from stopping them from getting to their destination should any mammals had caught wise."

"The next day, the groundskeeper returns to his duties and finds the tomb sealed even more tightly than before, and with evidence that the initial seal had been disturbed during his absence."

"Meanwhile, upon the return to Norwulff, King Magnus arranged a private funeral service to take place. Something limited strictly to the members of the royal family to keep the affair as discreet as possible. Still, the chest had to be guarded until the services could be rendered, and so the curious questions of the castle staff were unavoidable. But much like King Roderick, much of the curious murmurs were easily shut down with threats of being crammed into a crypt of their own."

"That night when the chest officially dropped off the face of Animalia, the container was brought into the bowels of the family crypt by Magnus and his family. The body of the Queen removed and placed in Erik's coffin with the deceased wolf. The empty chest was left in Erik's chamber, and that portion of the crypt was permanently sealed."

"This at least would explain why that section of the family crypt remains sealed to this day. And the remaining Düclaw royals still refuse access to anyone looking to study or explore the sacred halls of the sealed portions of the crypt. The same goes for Moira's own tomb. The hastily sealed monument remaining inaccessible to any and all mammals by order of the Blackwool royal court."

"Naturally this theory, while stringing together a lot of the strange, broken and mysterious fragments of the events following Lady Blackwool's death, is quite far-fetched. Much of what has been filled in here is all hearsay, constructed by a series of conspiracy theorists in order to make the most sensible picture pertaining to the events of those few days, and the mystery surrounding them. Of course, the simplest answer is that Moira's body is where Schottram officials say it is, buried in her tomb which has remained undisturbed for centuries. And while I think the ultimate answer is somewhat more complicated than that, I can't help but feel that perhaps the story Ulric told me is making far too many assumptions to fully embrace."

"Of course there were even more dramatic claims made by my prospective brother in-law in regard to Lady Blackwool and Erik Düclaw. Ones I am uncertain as to whether or not I'm even willing to entertain despite how convincing some of his other claims were. Most specifically the purpose of the large tower that had been built at the Blackwool Royal Estate shortly after the Queen's retirement. He had brought it up when going over the mysterious chest that Lady Blackwool was allegedly transported in after her death, mentioning that it hadn't been the first time the Düclaw royals had done such a thing. It seems that shortly after the fire at the royal estate, a similar chest was shipped to Norwulff, this one accompanied by Erik himself. Allegedly, it was supposed to contain the charred remains of..."

"No, no..." Dawn muttered to herself, shaking her head dismissively. "That's far too outlandish. Impossible."

"What is?" That had come from Vernon, the wolf still pulling his arm through the sleeve of his green flannel nightshirt as he glanced back at the petite ewe curiously.

Dawn let out a sigh, pressing a hoof to her temple as she skimmed over the last few sentences once again. "It's just something..." 

"Patently ridiculous." The ewe completed the sentence in her mind. Dawn rolled her eyes as she began to rapidly tap the backspace key. 

"It's not important." The ewe muttered, pawing at her tired eyes as she watched the last paragraph of her draft unwrite itself. "I think I might have spent a little too much time listening to your brother."

Vernon let out a soft chuckle as he finished buttoning up his shirt, taking a moment to lamely brush at the wrinkles with a paw as he eyed the ewe curled up on the rustic style grey comforter. 

"Can't be that bad." Vernon replied, taking a moment to stretch his arms out above his head. Dawn watched a slight shudder travel through the wolf's body as he began to yawn, his muzzle splitting open wide to reveal rows of pointed teeth as he arched his back into a much deeper stretch. It was a sight that would have terrified most prey mammals, but Dawn had long since grown into finding it amusing. So much so that the ewe had to do her best to stifle the urge to giggle as she watched the wolf's yawn play itself out. The tip of his tongue curling as his yawn shifted into an adorable quiet whine before his muzzle snapped shut. 

"Looks like the 'big bad wolf' is sleepy." Dawn said with a smirk.

Vernon rolled his eyes. "Yep..." The wolf smirked. "I could use some sheep to count."

Dawn could see a familiar flash of something in the wolf's eyes. A mischievous twinkle as he made his way over to the bedside, just enough of a hint to warn her of what was coming. She had barely managed to brace her laptop with her hooves before the wolf simply threw himself onto the mattress next to her as if he were dead weight. Dawn let out a startled bleat as the sudden impact sent her a good foot into the air before coming back down with an unceremonious plop.

Taking a moment to adjust her now skewed frames, the ewe turned to glare at her mate. Dawn puffed her cheeks in irritation, letting out an annoyed huff, but the wolf didn't seem to notice. Vernon's eyes were already fixed on the monitor, his irises darting back and forth as he skimmed her draft.

"Doesn't seem that bad to me..." Vernon uttered, daintily tapping at the sheep-sized trackpad with his pinky finger in order to scroll the document along.

The ewe's irritated expression dissipated as she let out a sigh.

"You think so?" Dawn replied.

Vernon glanced back at his mate, quirking an eyebrow.

"I mean, I can definitely pick up on Ulric's influence..." Vernon trailed off, pulling at the fur on his chin softly as he mulled over his words. "But unlike his writin', yer's comes off much more...clear and..." The wolf tapped his chin. "Intelligent."

The wolf glanced back at the screen, scrolling through a few more pages as he continued to skim the half hour's worth of effort Dawn's intensive efforts.

"I mean, I can understand what yer sayin', so that's definitely one up on ol' Ully." Vernon added.

"Ugh..." Dawn shook her head. " You think I'm crazy, don't you?" The ewe whined. "For even considerin-?"

"Nah, I don't think yer crazy." Vernon chuckled, reaching a paw out and gingerly rubbing the ewe's cheek. " I mean the way y'all have presented it seems plausible."

"I might not even put it in the final draft." Dawn continued, tapping her hooves together nervously. "Even if I do, it's going to be with heavy revisions. I mean I never intended our book to be about something like this, but after Ulric showed me the evidence I just had to put it to paper to get it off of my mind. And-"

"Hey, hey..." Vernon cooed, caressing her cheek with his thumb. " Ain't nobody got a gun to yer head." The wolf chuckled. "If y'all don't want to put in in the book, I ain't gonna stop ya."

Dawn clasped the wolf's paw against her cheek, giving it a small squeeze.

"Well, I sort of promised I would include this in the book." Dawn murmured.

Vernon shook his head, a bemused smirk crossing his muzzle.

"Why would y'all do that?" Vernon asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Dawn flashed the wolf a small, nervous smile.

"Well...Ulric said he wouldn't believe I was serious about you unless I was willing to go public with the 'truth' about Moira and Erik's tryst." Dawn chuckled. "As if I knew anything more about it than he did."

Vernon smirked. "Serious about me?" The wolf repeated.

Dawn shrugged slightly. "I don't know. I mean..." Dawn lolled her head slightly as she struggled to find the words. "He wanted to make sure my intentions were pure."

The wolf let out a loud laugh, clasping a paw over his eyes in sheer disbelief.

"'Pure intentions?'" Vernon snickered. "Darlin' this ain't Moira Blackwool's time. Nobody talks like that anymore. There ain't no mammal's that need their 'purity' protected."

Vernon drew his paw back, placing it to his chin and tapping it gently with his forefinger. "Although maybe I'm wrong, I mean y'all did sorta soil mine purty thoroughly." The wolf flashed her a mischievous grin.

"Vernon!" Dawn snickered, giving the wolf a playful push with both hooves. "I'm being serious!"

Vernon rolled his eyes, shaking his head slightly.

"I thought it was kind of sweet." The ewe continued. "I mean, as strange as your brother is, he does care about you in his own weird way."

Vernon glanced downward, scratching back of his head awkwardly.

"I guess..." Vernon muttered before glancing back up at the ewe. "But y'all don't have to put somethin' like that in yer book just to-"

"Our book." The ewe corrected, holding up a finger. The wolf let out a soft chuckle.

"Alright, our book." Vernon adjusted his phrasing accordingly. "Y'all don't have to prove anythin' to Ully, or anyone. If you ain't sure about puttin' that in, y'all don't have to."

Dawn sighed, glancing back at the illuminated screen sitting on the mattress in front of her. In a way, she could easily argue that the entire book was the culmination of the two of them proving themselves to the public at large. Proving that a relationship such as theirs was just as valid as any other mammal's. That aside from a few small differences, the life they shared was nearly identical to any other couple. But in all honesty, it was really more of a declaration of how the two of them had found happiness in a place they had never expected, rather than an effort to prove anything. A celebration of herself and Vernon being together, and a story that could possibly inspire hope and strength to similar couples that struggled to stay together due to the discrimination that being in a pred/prey relationship brought with it. 

Once again, the ewe found herself thinking back to her fears of just how such an outrageous chapter might take away from those ideas. The scandalous take, even with well-cited evidence to back up the claims, as well as the fact that she had mostly withheld her judgment, would surely diminish the core message of what she and Vernon had managed to put together so far.

With a sigh, Dawn closed the laptop.

"I suppose I should stop for now anyway..." Dawn sighed, lifting her glasses to swab away the sleep forming in her eyes. "I'll look it over again once we get back to the city and figure out what I want to do with it then."

Vernon nodded.

"Seems like a smart idea Darlin'." The wolf replied. "Always good to look at somethin' like that again with a fresh take."

Dawn leaned over the side of the bed, stretching an arm behind the night table in order to unplug her computer. Of course, she had initially plugged it in before crawling up onto the mattress, and now it made for a particularly awkward reach that the ewe had to struggle to make. She had almost lost her balance as she precariously leaned over the edge of the bed. But almost as soon as she felt herself starting to slip, she suddenly felt the familiar reassuring grip of Vernon's paw on the back of her nightgown keeping her steady.

Yanking the plug free, the ewe turned back to the wolf with a meek smile.

"Thanks."

Vernon smirked, giving the ewe a nod as she leaned over the mattress edge once again to open her suitcase. 

"Say..." Vernon uttered as Dawn placed the laptop inside her bag. "That reminds me..."

"What reminds you?" Dawn replied as she began to zip the bag back up.

"Talkin' about headin' home." Vernon replied. "We should probably call yer Ma and tell her we wanted to stop by on our way back." The wolf continued. "It'd be rude to just show up."

Satisfied with her work, Dawn slid the case back under her side of the bed.

"Mutton chops, I nearly forgot." Dawn replied as she turned back to face the wolf, an uncomfortable frown crossing her muzzle. "I mean, Mom isn't usually busy. Especially with it being a holiday and all." Dawn idly shrugged. "But we should probably check in."

With a yawn, Dawn lamely reached for her phone, scooping it off the nightstand as she settled deeper into her pillow.

"Is it too late to call?" Vernon asked.

Giving the phone a tap, the ewe was faced with the illuminated lock screen displaying the time.

"It's three minutes past ten." Dawn sighed, using a finger to slide the lock on the screen open. With the lock released, the phone quickly switched over to the pin screen.

"Unlike me, my mother has always been kind of a night mammal." Dawn continued, punching in the four-digit pin. "So, she's probably awake."

"Night mammal huh?" Vernon chuckled. "Maybe I took up with the wrong ewe then, eh miss early bird?"

Dawn gave the wolf a playful jab with her elbow, sticking her tongue at Vernon as he chuckled to himself.

"Blame prison." Dawn retorted. "It's hard to break that kind of programming when yo-" Dawn stopped as the password prompt finally gave way to the home screen, exposing her to the flurry of notifications that took up more of half of the face.

"Three messages from Judy Hopps?" Dawn read curiously. "And four missed calls?"

She felt Vernon rest his head on her shoulder, the wolf's attention now fixed on the phone as well.

"Looks like 'someone' needed to get ahold of y'all bad." Vernon muttered.

Dawn placed a hoof to her muzzle as she let out a quiet gasp. "I hope it wasn't an emergency."

Dawn was fairly taken aback by just how much her phone had blown up without her noticing. Then again, she had been fairly busy since the last moment she had last texted the rabbit. Between running the food stall, the barbeque, and everything else, it shouldn't have been all too shocking that she might not have noticed the phone buzzing away in her purse. 

Scanning the time of each subsequent call and post, it appeared Dawn's guess had proven to be more or less spot on. The texts and calls ranged from sometime between two and six in the afternoon.

"Well, I can see why I missed them." Dawn said, pointing out the times to the wolf with a finger. "We were swamped at the stall by then, and my purse was in the backroom pretty much the entire time."

She felt Vernon nod in agreement against her shoulder.

"So what do they say?" Vernon asked, an edge of excitement and curiosity in his tone as he leaned slightly closer to the screen.

Dawn tapped the call notifications first, only to reveal that Judy had been the caller all four times, and hadn't left a single message.

"Shoot. She didn't leave any phone messages." Dawn muttered.

"Damn cell phones." Vernon said with a sigh. "Everyone is so used to textin' that they're at a loss when they get an answerin' machine."

With the call log out of the way, the ewe opened the first text message from Judy. 

"Judy: Hey Dawn, just checking in to see if your day is getting any better. Sadly, mine hasn't really improved much. Nick and Dad started fighting right out of the gate this morning, so I've had no choice but to resort to my emergency Ferris wheel plan. Wish me luck!" The message concluded with a wide-grinning rabbit emoji and a thumbs up.

"Ferris wheel plan?" Vernon asked?

Dawn quirked an eyebrow at her mate, wincing slightly as the prospect of trying to explain the whole complicated situation to the wolf.

"Eh..." Dawn trailed off. "Let's just say that Nick is having a few problems of his own now that he's meeting Judy's family as 'her mate'." 

A wince formed across his muzzle as the wolf softly sucked in a hiss of air through parted teeth.

"Sounds fun." The wolf said sarcastically. "At least it's good to know we ain't the only ones havin' a 'great' weekend with the folks." Vernon muttered.

With a tap, Dawn opened the next message. It had been sent just five minutes later, and seemed to be the last text message preceding the desperate spat of calls.

"Judy: I think Mom and I are going to be here for awhile. Nick and Dad are just shouting at each other from the top of the wheel." The rabbit followed up with an annoyed looking bunny emoji, and then a tired looking one. "And now dad shoved him, and he'-OSW$"

Dawn scrunched her muzzle in confusion, trying to decipher the curious jumble of letters that had abruptly ended the rabbit's message.

"That..." Vernon's glanced back at Dawn with his own curious expression. "Probably ain't good, is it?"

"It is weird to say the least." Dawn muttered, a growing unease settling in her gut as her mind began to run through a variety of worse case scenarios ranging from something as mild as Judy dropping and breaking her phone to something as serious as the Ferris wheel breaking free from its moorings and cutting a path of destruction through Bunnyburrow. And while Dawn could only pray it was the former, she couldn't help but feel and a slight sense of guilt for failing to be there for her friend. A friendship that was still in the process of regaining the stable footing it had before Dawn had gone off the deep end.

The ewe tapped the final message with a shaking hoof, biting her lip as she prepared for what she was becoming increasingly certain was an angry message from the rabbit putting the ewe on blast for being a bad friend.

"Judy: So...Dad and Nick...uh...both fell off the Ferris Wheel.-"

A sharp gasp escaped from the ewe as she read over the first sentence, and she quickly slapped a hoof over her mouth.

"Teeth to tails..." Vernon murmured, running a paw through his head fur.

Dawn bit a knuckle as she mustered the courage to continue reading the message.

"They are fine though! It's okay! So don't worry!-" The rabbit continued, the sentence followed by a sweating bunny emoji. "But thanks to Nick's cast were going to be here for another week at least, so, it looks like I'm going to have to get sick leave for the both of us. I guess I kinda overdid it with my plan huh?-" Another emjoi, this one seemed to look tired or depressed.

Dawn felt relief that at the very least everyone seemed to be alright, and actually managed to chuckle slightly at Judy's comment. The rabbit did have a habit of being an overachiever to a fault.

"The calls were just to let you know what was happening, but I sorta forgot that you are probably just as busy as I was. So no worries. That said, things are gonna be kind of hectic here for a while, so I'll message you again when I get a little breathing room. The hospital in Bunnyburrow is always kind of...insane."

"I can imagine." Vernon said with a laugh, clearly skimming over the same passage the ewe had read. "The maternity wing alone has gotta be fit to burst."

Dawn snickered softly. "It's not that much better in Zootopia." The ewe shook her head. " The hospitals closest to high populations of bunnies and rodents was almost always begging city hall to fund more staff for their maternity divisions."

"And hey, in a weird way my plan did sort of end up working."

Dawn raised a curious eyebrow as she read the sentence, only to find herself smirking as read the remainder.

"Because Dad and Nick have to share a hospital room for the next week or so." Judy followed the text with a devilish looking rabbit emoji. "They are going to have plenty of time to work on their relationship. Ttyl Dawn, <3 Judy"

"Ugh...now that's gotta stink fer old Red, 'specially if old mam' Hopps is as stubborn as my Pa." Vernon murmured. Dawn turned to find the wolf wincing as he finished reading the screen. "Bein' stuck with him fer another week would be like torture." 

Dawn sighed as she cleared her notifications. The look of disgust and distaste as Vernon spoke was clearly etched into his muzzle. But underneath the mask she could see a hint of disappointment, a shimmer of pain behind his emerald green eyes. It immediately brought Dawn back to the story Vernon had told her earlier when she had been tending to his wounds from his scrap with Yuri. About the qualities she never had the chance to see when it came to Dorian. Vernon's description sounded like such a wildly different mammal. The father that sounded much more like that kind of mammal that had raised a wolf like Vernon.

Dawn had never been close to her own father. The only good thing she could say about Aster was that he hadn't abandoned the family, although the idea of that being ultimately considered a 'good' was questionable looking back. The ewe couldn't think of a single memory of the mammal that was tainted with the stink of booze, his wild rants, his furious temper, or some combination of the three. His eyes always clouded with a burning disappointment over the daughter he was stuck with over the son he had wished he had. Aster had made himself impossible to love, nor even possible to like, at least in Dawn's eyes. And thinking back to her past, to that miserable time in her life growing up under the searing, vengeful hoof of Aster Bellwether, filled her with nothing but sickness and hate. There was no love in her heart for that ram. There had never been, and that fact had made her aware of just how hard it would be for her to understand what her mate was going through.

Dorian was a father to Vernon. A real father, not just in name only as her father was. He had been there, right alongside Audrey, doing their damndest to support Vernon through the best and worst moments of his youth. He had been a shoulder to cry on, a friend to play with, a real mammal worth looking up to. And now, in Vernon's mind, that wolf had seemed to simply disappear. Replaced by some cold, unfeeling facsimile of the law wolf he had been raised by.

Vernon had been looking forward to this reunion. It was evident every time he had spoken to Dawn about it during the weeks prior. The prospect of introducing Dawn to his mother and father was something he clearly took pride in. He was proud of her, proud to love her, and he just wanted to share that with the mammals he trusted the most aside from Dawn herself. And while it warmed the ewe's heart to think of Vernon's pride in her, it did little to lighten the weight she now felt over what she could only assume the wolf was feeling. A painful mixture of anger and disappointment for his father, clashing with the warm and sweet memories of the wolf he had expected to see when they arrived, and the struggle to come to terms with it.

Dawn placed a gentle hoof on the wolf's shoulder, rubbing it reassuringly. But as she opened her mouth to speak, the wolf was quick to cut her off.

"Anyway, we still callin' yer Ma?" Vernon asked, the troubled look on his face being quickly overwritten by his usual pleasant smirk. 

Dawn was silent for a moment, wondering if she should continue to press the issue. The slight strain in the wolf's expression was easy to see. He wanted to move on, probably to avoid the ewe drawing him into another conversation about his father. And while Dawn was concerned, she ultimately decided it was better to table the discussion for now. They had agreed to save this sort of discussion for when they returned to Zootopia after all, hadn't they? And ending the night on such an emotional topic would certainly ensure a bad night's sleep for the both of them. With a sigh, Dawn opened her contacts list, tapping her mother's name with a finger.

"Let's see if she answers." Dawn muttered, as the screen displayed the name 'Mom', followed by the simple 'dialing' prompt. After a few seconds, it began to call. But almost as soon as the prompt had switched to 'calling', the ewe was met with a busy signal.

"That's odd." Dawn murmured, closing the call.

"That she's busy?" Vernon replied.

Dawn raised a curious eyebrow. "Well I mean it's ten at night." The ewe shook her head dismissively. "And my mother doesn't exactly have many friends." The ewe raised a hoof as she turned to her mate. "I mean, my father kind of...well, drove them away."

"Maybe yer mom's on a date?" Vernon asked.

That earned a giggling snort from the ewe as she shook her head in disbelief.

"Puppy please!" The ewe did her best to choke through her laughter.

"What?" Vernon shrugged. " She could be back on the prowl, huntin' fer some handsome young rams to have a little fun with." The wolf bobbed his eyebrows suggestively.

Dawn pushed the wolf playfully.

"Puppy, Stahp!" The ewe whined, sticking her tongue out as her muzzle scrunched in disgust. "That's gross!"

"Why?" Vernon chuckled. "She ain't that old. She deserves a good fella to make up fer yer dad. It's only natural she'd want to-" 

"That's my mom!" Dawn spat through her laughter.

Vernon closed his eyes, gesturing lazily at nothing in particular with a free paw.

"I'm just sayin'." The wolf snickered. "Anywho, try again."

Taking a moment to shake off the lingering giggles, Dawn rang her mother again. But this time, rather than a simple busy signal the call was disconnected.

"She..." Dawn murmured. "Hung up?" The ewe glanced at her mate in confusion. The wolf closed his eyes again, holding up his paws defensively.

"What'd I tell you?" The wolf said.

Dawn gave the wolf a playful swat. "Would you stop already!" Dawn giggled. "She's just....busy."

"Mhh-hmm." The wolf replied.

"Doing...something." Dawn continued to protest.

"Hhh-hmm." The wolf repeated, his tone remaining the same.

"She's not dating!" Dawn puffed her cheeks in annoyance.

Vernon flashed the ewe a smug grin.

"You get so cute when you get flustered." The wolf's grin widened, revealing his teeth.

Exasperated, the ewe let out a terse sigh before slumping lamely into the wolf's side, her head nestling onto his shoulder.

"I guess we'll just have to call her on the train tomorrow." Dawn said sadly, her free hoof traveling idly up Vernon's flannel shirt before stopping at the first button and twiddling it between her fingers.

"I'm sure she won't mind even if we just show up." Vernon cooed, wrapping his paw around the ewe's shoulder.

With her free hoof, Dawn moved her phone to the edge of the bed before removing her glasses and doing the same with them. Free of her specs, the ewe began to undo the buttons on Vernon's pj's one at a time, playing with each fastener between her fingers briefly as she worked her way down from his collar. By the time she was down to the third button, the wolf quirked a curious eyebrow.

"Floofs, just what are you doin'?" Vernon said with a soft chuckle. " I think the last thing we should be doin' is getting' frisky at a time like this.

"Oh hush!" Dawn snapped, swatting the wolf playfully as she worked the third button free. It was only once the fourth button was open, fully exposing the thicker plume of fur on Vernon's chest did the ewe finally cease her little game, taking a moment to run her hoof through the luxurious pelt of invitingly snug fur. 

"You are such a dog..." Dawn shook her head briefly before nestling it into Vernon's chest. The ewe nuzzled against her mate's fur, listening to the thrum of his beating heart as she began to idly stroke his pelt with a hoof. "I really missed this."

"I'm just playin' Darlin'." Vernon sighed. Keeping his paw tightly wrapped around the ewe, the wolf edged up deeper into his pillows. With his other paw, he pulled the comforter out from underneath them, carefully draping it over the pair as he turned on his side toward the ewe. The wolf smiled warmly down at the ewe buried in his pelt. "'Sides..." The wolf cooed, wrapping his other arm around the lamb. "This is purty nice too."

Dawn took a deep breath, inhaling that familiar earthy scent as her eyelids began to flutter dreamily. She really had missed this, even if it had only been two nights she had been forced to sleep without her Puppy Love. But in her book, two days without the warm and loving embrace of her mate as she drifted into a much needed peaceful sleep, was two days too long.


	43. Forgotten Memories

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Forty-Three: Forgotten Memories

Vernon opened his bleary eyes, blinking numbly as a soft chill ran through his fur. It was dark, the pale yellow glow of iridescent lighting barely illuminated the old oaken porch as the wolf's eyes adjusted. He wasn't sure exactly how long he had Dawn had been camped out on the porch, lost in a haze of the drowsy, sluggish feeling that now racked his frame. Surely he had nodded off, and judging by just how dark the meadow beyond the porch had grown, enough time had passed to obscure the moonlight from touching the area beyond the shadow of the porch. Perhaps it was simple clouds, or worse yet, the wolf's unintentional nap had allowed a majority of the night to drift by without him noticing. Hiding the glow of the moon far on the other end of the house, and leaving the area shrouded and dark.

Another chilly breeze ruffled through his fur, the scent of winter blustering in on its heel as the wolf shuddered. Subconsciously, the wolf tightened his grip around the ewe he had been holding against his body. But as what he thought was Dawn's frame completely collapsed into his grip, the wolf quickly snapped awake. Looking at his paws, the wolf found nothing more than one of his mother's old guest quilts, something he was certain had been passed to the family by a friendly caprid neighbor. The wide red and yellow stitching and fluffy woolen strands were only vaguely similar to his mates in appearance, and held some semblance of warmth. But lacked the plush, comforting heat that only Dawn seemed to carry when he held her close. The surprise swap had set the wolf's ears at attention. He couldn't quite remember when he had dragged out a quilt for the pair, but more pressingly, Dawn was no longer curled up next to him.

Tossing the blanket aside, the wolf scanned the porch swing for any trace of the ewe. But even in the dim lighting he could easily tell she was missing. Aside from the quilt, there wasn't a scrap of wool for as far as he could trace the lighting. From corner to corner the small boxed in porch was empty save for himself, which only only lead the wolf to surmise that for whatever reason Dawn had slipped back into the Hunter Ranch without him. 

The wolf's legs felt like jelly as he tried to rise to his feet, most likely a result of the odd position he had dozed off in. They had grown so numb that the wolf stumbled as the swing moved under his weight, and if Vernon hadn't managed to catch one of the posts holding up the netted enclosure with a paw, he most likely would have collapsed directly onto his snout.

Vernon let out a tired snort, rubbing his eyes blearily as they fell on the meadow beyond the screen. Nothing but shapeless forms in the cold, dark night. The sound of dwindling crickets and the weak trickle of the nearby stream were all that seemed to lie beyond the pale. But as Vernon prepared to turn to the house and begin his search for the ewe indoors, his eyes caught a flicker of something in the dark. A shimmer of weak moonlight across something in the distance that grabbed the wolf's attention immediately. Vernon pressed his muzzle against the mesh screen of the porch as hard as he could, squinting his eyes as he struggled to discern the source of the glimmer from the vague shapes out in the dark. Holding a paw over his eyes in an effort to block out the remaining light in an effort to draw his slumbering night eyes to the surface after the light had chased them away. For a few moments, the meadow remained vague and formless, his mind filling in the gaps of where the river and hills were based on his memories of the sight in the day. But slowly he began to actually see the hint of the rocks and trees, the shimmering of the water as the stream broke among various stones on its trip by the property. The weak flickers were almost enough to allow the wolf to simply write off what he had seen as merely that. But as his eyes continued to adjust he saw yet another quick flash of that broad shine, the light dancing over the shape of a glasses lens as it stared back at him from the dark.

The form was small and dark, but unmistakable. Dawn was standing out there. Alone. In the dark. Simply staring back at him. She couldn't have been more than twenty feet or so away, just shy of the stream. And while he couldn't make out the ewe's features in the dark, he could only assume she must have been in distress. At the very least, the sight alone had put Vernon ill at ease. 

“Dawn?” Vernon whispered softly in the dark. But the form remained unmoving, standing in place as it continued to stare back at him. She didn't reply, or even make a sound, leaving only the chirping of crickets and the trickling stream to fill the unnerving vacuum left in the absence. 

Vernon wearily stumbled to the porch door, spreading it open quietly as the wolf leaned against the frame for support. His legs still felt somewhat numb, and the blood seemed to be taking its sweet time to run back into them.

“Honey Lamb?” The wolf barked into the dark. “What are you doin' out there?”

The ewe remained silent, her glasses lens simple shimmering slightly as the wolf adjusted his gaze in an attempt to better make out her face. 

The wolf took a few shaky steps forward, nearly tripping down the short flight of stairs to the yard as he began to move in her direction. The night sky had grown darker since he had dozed off. Not only had the moon drifted out of sight, but even the stars appeared to be fewer in number as the wolf dumbly tromped into the moist grass of the meadow. There was an unnerving, unnatural feeling to it all, and Vernon felt his hackles slowly rising with each progressive step.

“Dawn, are you playin' some sorta ga-?” The wolf was unable to complete his sentence as the ewe suddenly turned toward the dark of the stream, her form shrinking as it began to move further into the darkness. The wolf heard her hooves splash through the stream as she crossed it, sprinting further away from the wolf. 

In response the wolf picked up the pace. His staggering gait improving as he began to jog toward the stream. He wasn't exactly sure what Dawn was playing at. If it was a prank or something else, but it only managed to make the wolf more uncomfortable.

The water was chilling as Vernon waded into the calf deep stream. His toes curling as his sensitive paw pads felt as though they were suddenly icing over. But what made the sensation all the more unbearable was the sudden gust of wind that bristled over his fur as he entered the water. A decisively colder chill that had the wolf bracing his upper arms as it seeped into his bones.

“D-Dawn, t-this ain't fu-” Despite trudging out of the stream, the cold never seemed to leave the wolf. The unnatural chill that somehow cut through the defenses of his plush, thick fur. The air shouldn't have been this cold for fall, even this late at night. It was faintly familiar to the wolf somehow, but he did his best to push through the feeling as he continued to pursue the dark shape of Dawn Bellwether that had once again grown still on the hilly banks ahead. 

At least until he got close again. Because as soon as Vernon was within ten feet of her, she took of sprinting once more, further into the dark toward the mountains beyond.

“Da-!” Another chilling, frosty gust, this time accompanied with a faint, rising fog that chilled the wolf deep down in the core of his being. The wolf grit his teeth sharply, biting the air as he began to grow frustrated.

“Dawn this ain't funny!” The wolf began a brisk jog toward her, and in turn the ewe continued to sprint away. Deeper into the dark, into the fog as the wolf struggled to keep up with her. He couldn't remember the ewe begin so fast before, then again smaller mammals tended to be pretty good at running circles around larger ones. It was a strange concept to consider, after all, his mate had never seemed to be the athletic type. “We're gonna get lost out here!”

More running, more fog, more darkness. The wolf's eyesight was failing him now. He had lost sight of his mate, and was only running based on the sounds her hoof falls made. It was only when the fog had become so thick that it became impossible to see a few feet beyond his snout did the wolf pause to pace himself. Placing his paws on his knees, the wolf panted softly as he tried to catch his breath.

“Mam' I'm outta shape...” Vernon muttered. “Maybe I should have been a police officer after all...” The wolf whined, running a paw through his damp head fur. “Least I'd be fit enough to chase-.”

“BaaAhahah!” A bleat? It sounded like one. The jarring call had Vernon's ears at attention once again, his ears tilting and twisting in an effort to discern where the sound had come from.

The fog was thick enough to cut with a knife. But within the smog, he could see that familiar glimmer. Vernon furrowed his brow in annoyance.

“Dawn!” Vernon whined as he began to trudge in her presumed direction. “Can ya stop alrea-!”

Vernon froze as his eyes adjusted to what he was seeing. It was a door. At least, it looked like one. A cold steel door with a glass pane at about the wolf's height. It filled the wolf with a sense of familiarity that made his stomach drop, yet he couldn't quite place it. And for some strange reason, the wolf found himself drawn to it. Vernon held out his paws as he grew closer and closer to the object in the fog, a million questions running through his mind as he struggled to figure out just where he had recognized the worn, reinforced door from. It seemed so familiar to him, as if it were etched into his brain, but it remained on the tip of his tongue. As cloudy in its nature as the fog that swirled around him. It was only when the wolf 's paws finally made contact with the glass that he heard it.

Screams. It was all Vernon could hear. That familiarly haunting shrieking that brought a flood of memories rushing back to him in an instant. The sound of shredding vocal chords called out from the savage beasts with only the faint droning of an alarm blaring in the distance as it echoed through the night. Some were the feral bleats of mammals that had lost their minds. But it was the painful, terrified squeals, those were the ones that truly shook the wolf. The sound of the unaffected mammals desperately trying to flee only to be met by the brute force of their night howler stricken comrades. The shrill screams pierced his mind as they echoed through the night, sending shivers down his spine as the baleful sounds rooted themselves within him, unwilling to be shaken out. It was a horrific din Vernon would never be able to forget, the sound permanently burned into his memory from that dreadful dark night in Tundratown. That unforgettable, traumatic evening spent trapped in the frigid abandoned slaughtering ground that was the old abandoned Woolery Wine Bottling Plant, the night when hell had come to Zootopia.

The fog the wolf had left behind had seemingly vanished, and it its place a room had formed around the wolf, boxing him in and separating him from the world beyond. A familiar room, at least in some aspects, to the one the wolf had found himself trapped in that very night. However, it's appearance made it look as though it had aged significantly since the last time he was there. 

The dilapidated. Rusted steel walls bent and warped unevenly as they rose to meet the ceiling, causing the condemned chamber to appear to differ in height greatly from corner to corner. Where there once had been reinforced, unbreakable windows, there was now nothing but a wall of creeping ice. A thick frost that had squeezed in through the seams in the old, weakened plating, and spread over it as the perpetual winter from Tundratown forced its way inside. It had layered itself so thick that the original wall was barely visible through the opaque sheen of the frost, and icicles, some as tall as the wolf and deadly sharp now dangled from the top most edges of the icy wall. The massive dangling daggers taking an unnaturally deep azure color in the poorly lit observation chamber.

In the rooms center, the remnants of broken chairs lay partially frozen to the floor along with strips of icy, frayed rope. Broken shards of seating the wolf recognized as the ones he and his companions had been strapped to, as well as the shreds of frozen rope splayed across the floor after they had made their escape. The only thing that had seemed to retain any semblance of how it appeared as the wolf had first seen it was the reinforced steel door with the view port that now separated him from the once gray fog he had been rushing toward while chasing his mate. A fog that had swelled into an angry, deep blue hue that had enveloped the rest of the factory within its icy embrace. A smog so thick that it made the area beyond the door appear to be little more than a featureless void, save for nothing but the ghostly shapes of drifting smoke and the overwhelming, oppressive deep blue hue that saturated the world outside.

Vernon was here again. Back in that terrible place, and in his mind, back in that terrible moment. The night he had nearly lost Dawn. The general motions of the event seeming to repeat themselves right down to the wolf finding himself pressed against the door, his paws clutching against the glass as if he were attempting to escape the relative safety of the sealed chamber. To rescue to his mate, his Dawn. The ewe who was now left to the mercy of the feral and savage rams almost double her size, and out for blood. And there was nothing he could do about it. 

'Even if I could break through this door, what good would it do?' The wolf thought. Once he ventured beyond the door, he was sure to succumb to the effects of the night howler toxin that had consumed the outer factory. He knew better. He knew what night howler was capable of, and what it would do to his mind should he venture into the cloud. If he even found Dawn within the blinding plume, he would surely be at more risk of harming her in a savage state. After all, Nick had told him as much in...

It was that thought that broke the wolf out of sequence. Bringing a halt to the flow of the scene currently replaying itself as his paws dropped listlessly from the door. Vernon had gotten out, they all had. Hadn't they? The wolf's memories were foggy and muddled beyond the scene that laid before him, and try as he might to recall just what had happened, his head burned and throbbed in response. It didn't make any sense to the wolf. How had they gotten back to this place? 

Another bleat sounded, echoing through the deep blue fog beyond the door. This one, a more familiar guttural call that made Vernon's stomach drop as in rang out over the chaos outside the door. The feral call that had, more so than anything else that night, truly left the wolf scarred. Because he knew who it had come from, and the painful sight his mind associated with it. The wolf froze, tears beginning to well in his eyes as he tried to muster the courage to turn back to the door. To look out that window and see what Aster's terrible weapon had done to his Honey Lamb. To be faced once again with the twisted and agonizing sight, and not be able to do anything more than watch. The wolf gulped, the tears steadily streaming from his eyes as he slowly began to turn himself toward the door.

There, crawling out of the blue haze, was the familiar form of Dawn Bellwether. The ewe stalking toward the door on all fours. Her gait seemed to waiver as she stepped, her hooves shaky and uneven. Although whether that was due to the effects of the night howler overwhelming her nervous system, or that she had already taken a hit or two from some of the crazed rams lost in the fog was uncertain. The clothes she had been wearing that day were tattered, damaged as though she had already been in a scuffle or two before making her way toward the wolf. Her glasses retained the damage they had taken from the trip over the falls, one of the lenses being fractured into a spider web of shards. And behind them lay those unnaturally blue eyes, smoldering with rage as she stared back at the wolf with a familiar, fearful glare. The ewe raised a hoof, backing up slightly as Vernon placed a paw on the pane of glass.

"D-Dawn..." Vernon choked. The wolf wasn't fully sure what was happening, but never the less it hurt all the same just to see the ewe like this again. It felt as though a blade had been twisted directly into his chest, deep into his heart as he braced against the door. Each beat sending a renewed agonizing jolt of pain as he appraised his poor Dawn.

From there it played out just as he remembered, or at least he thought he did. He watched the ewe's eyes soften, a vague look of recognition overtaking them as she cautiously continued her approach to the door. It seemed as if a part of her remembered something. A fleeting fragment, some image, a vague impulse. Now that Vernon was watching her a second time, studying the ewe's features even more intensely, he was damn certain of it.

"Dawn! " Vernon barked, his paw sliding down the door as the ewe froze again. "Floofs!" The wolf sniffled sharply, pawing at his eyes in an effort to wipe away the tears as he continued. " I'm here Darlin'. Its me..." The wolf whimpered.

The ewe took another meek step, her tightly grit teeth, clearly braced from the strain relaxing into a soft frown.

"It's Puppy Love!" Vernon whined. "You know me! I know you do!"

Vernon watched as the ewe slowly sat down, but unlike what he remembered of that cold June night, she remained facing him. The feral lamb tilting her head curiously at the wolf behind the glass.

"I don't know what's going on Floofs." Vernon panted. "But I'm gonna get you out this time! I swear it!"

Dawn's eyes began to shimmer, and the wolf watched as a single tear slipped down the corner of one of her seemingly iridescent eyes. She did remember him. Even in that state, her night howler addled mind managed to see past the wolf's pelt. Through some miracle, Dawn seemed to be overpowering the drug. It was proof that Nick had been wrong.

"Daaaawnnniieeee..." A raspy, hideous growling voice emanated from the fog, the coldness and tenor of it causing both the wolf and lamb to jump. It was familiar, disturbingly so despite how mangled it sounded. In the distance, Vernon could make out a slumping silhouette against the fog. At first, he couldn't make out anything, other than the dull blue glow of what he initially thought was some sort of penlight. But as the hunched, limping figure dragged itself out of the shadow, Vernon found himself recoiling in sheer terror.

The wolf recognized the creature shuffling its way out of the fog as Aster Bellwether, at least to some degree. The wretched old ram who had been the mastermind behind the scheme to tear Zootopia apart with the same toxin that now consumed him. The miserable drunk who had abused Dawn and her mother for decades, and set Dawn on her initial path of self-destruction. A ram Vernon hated to the point that even uttering his name forced bile up into his throat. And if given the chance Vernon would have paid to be locked in a room with the mammal for even just five minutes to make him pay for everything he had done to his own wife and child.

But the familiar hateful churning in his gut found itself completely replaced by overwhelming fear. A paralyzing terror that had the wolf glued to the spot he now stood, his mouth hanging agape as he desperately tried to figure out just what he was truly looking at.

What Vernon was staring back at was nothing short of a demon. He was like something out of a nightmare, and as Vernon stared at what remained of Aster he could only shudder. The ram was more skeletal than mammal. His once crisp brown suit so badly burnt beyond recognition it simply clung to him in gristly tatters, and his now deeply blackened color wool was wildly unkempt, at least in the places where it remained. The rams features were dark and ashen, the wrinkles on his skin forming deep cracks as if he were made of crumbling obsidian stone. 

Vernon's eyes traced his remaining horn. The exaggerated, fractured spiral almost as large as the rest of his body. And his once flattened, skewed teeth now pointed and bestial, his maw oozing with night howler solution as he clamped down on his stub of a cigar. But the most horrific feature of all was the ram's eyes. Both were just as hateful as Vernon remembered, but only one of them was truly intact. His left eye was simply a socket, a hole which burned with a smoldering blue pupil in the center. Vernon felt a violent shudder travel down his form as the burning dot fell directly on him. It filled him with a cold, empty chill that nearly stopped his heart. An icy feeling so all-encompassing, that it would make a blizzard in Tundratown feel like a heat wave in Sahara Square.

The ghostly ram's muzzle twisted into a sinister grin as he glared over the two huddled on opposite sides for the door. Aster clasped at the cigar in his jaw, his chest expanding slowly as he took a prolonged drag. The startlingly blue ember ignited as his chest swelled, a deep blue smoke billowing from some of the holes in his suit as he breathed in deeply. Vernon clasped a paw over his muzzle, trying desperately to suppress the sudden urge to retch at the horrific sight.

Aster exhaled sharply, smoke pouring not only from his muzzle, but the nearly empty socket, and the hole in his skull where one of his horns used to be. The deep azure smoke mingled with the toxic fog briefly before becoming completely indistinguishable from it.

"It's time to come home Dawnie dear." Aster hissed. "To join the rest of us where you belong..." The beast snarled. The ewe let out a startled bleat, backing closer to Vernon as she eyed the creature with fright. Of course, Vernon wasn't doing much better. The fear that had overtaken the wolf had left him frozen in place, his body trembling as he struggled to make sense of the sight that stood across from him and his mate. 

"A-Aster..." Vernon muttered dumbly, his throat tightening as he struggled to swallow. 

The ram let out a low, throaty chuckle that made Vernon's stomach churn.

"Well, well, well..." The monster's blue ember of an eye fixed back to Vernon, sending another shiver through him. "The mutt's here too?"

The crumbling, charred form took a step closer, tilting his head curiously.

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised..." Small wisps of blue smoke emanated from the holes in his face as he shook his head. "Still tryin' desperately to hold on to somethin' that doesn't belong to you?"

"Belong?' Vernon muttered, his confusion managing to dissipate some of the fear that had crept into his bones. The wolf pressed his paws against the glass on the door, glancing out at the specter in the distance.

"She belongs to me." Aster replied, his hideously fanged smile returning. " I spent my whole life training that girl, investing so much of my time to make sure she grew up to be something I could be proud of." The ram took another drag of his cigar, the blue smog swirling around him as he exhaled. "I reared her to be just like me. To ensure my legacy is secured one way or another."

Vernon felt that familiar surge of hate building inside his gut, fueling a rage that was quickly overcoming the wolf's fears.

"You don't own Dawn. No one does." Vernon began to growl softly. "She's a mammal, she ain't property!" 

Aster let out a chilling, pitying laugh. A raspy chuckle that came off as belittling to the wolf's words. which only served to stoke Vernon's ire that much further.

"And what legacy?" Vernon spat. "You have no legacy! Dawn is nothing like you, and she ain't never gonna be!" The wolf snarled. 

Aster chuckled, taking the stump of a cigar out of his dribbling maw and eyeing it thoughtfully for a moment. The ram's mismatched eyes followed the smoke trail as it mingled with the surrounding fog. 

"You really think so boy?" Aster asked.

"She turned on you! She stopped you when she had every chance not to!" Vernon growled. "She's not going to finish what you started, she never will!"

"Heh heh heh." The laugh was different, something of a mixture between amusement and a growl. It was enough to send another frigid chill into the wolf's core.

"Oh, did you think I meant to take over the city?" The withered ram shook his head dismissively. "Oh no, we're past that now as you can already tell by my rather unique condition."

The ram extended his frail, darkened arms as portions of his tattered suit jacket fell to dust, the fragments turning into the wisps of the same blue fog the filled the room.

"I'm simply here to collect." The ram muttered, allowing his arms to drift back to his sides lamely. A few more ribbons of his jacket dissipating as he did. 

"C-collect?' Vernon quirked a curious eyebrow.

"She lived as I did for so long, it is only fair that she perish along with the rest of us." Aster tutted. "To be spared the same retribution well..." The ram trailed off, placing the cigar back into his muzzle and taking another drag. "It's not really fair is it?"

Vernon glanced down at the feral ewe back up against the door. Her wild eyes glancing back up at his with a fearful gaze.

"I've come to take her to where she belongs." Aster continued. "To keep our name from being any further sullied by your unnatural union." The ram sneered. "To leave some semblance of a legacy for those few who shared the dream that my father and I were striving towards bringing to life. To inspire others to continue with what we started instead of leaving it branded as the name associated with a filthy crosser!"

"Y-you!" Vernon struggled, dragging a paw down the glass as he desperately tried to think of something he could do. He had to get to Dawn. The possible effects of the night howler be damned. "You can't have her!"

"And what are you gonna do?" Aster muttered, taking another step forward. "You gonna stop me?" The ram let out a chuckle.

Vernon slammed his arms against the door in a burst of frustration, but it refused to budge. This only made Aster bust into a full blown cackle, the sound of which made Vernon sick to his stomach.

"I will!" Vernon growled, slamming against the door again. Still it remained fixed in the frame.

Aster shook his head dismissively, letting out a pleasant sigh before raising one of his twisted hooves and snapping his fingers.

In that instant, the sounds of the factory died away. The echoing snap traveling through the vacuum before falling silent amidst the howler fog. Aster took another drag from his cigar, puffing out more of the night howler gas.

"Now, now my boy." Aster's smile made Vernon want to retch. "Dawn has no place with a mammal like you..." The ram trailed, letting out a slight wheeze. "She doesn't belong here. And the existence of your deluded attempt at forging a 'relationship' which runs contrary to the natural order of things is merely just more proof of that." The ram emphasized the word by shifting to a mocking tone.

"But we have a place for her." Aster uttered, his smile returning.

Vernon stopped short of slamming his fists against the glass when he caught a glimmer of movement from the fog. A larger shape was shuffling out of the mist at a considerably slower pace than Aster had entered with, and its form was unrecognizable until it grew close enough to actually see.

Vernon's jaw dropped once again as he struggled to process the disgusting mass of mammals he was staring at. It had clearly once been multiple rams, if the limbs and horns could tell him anything. The jagged horns all pointed at the top of the converged creature as if they were the twisted branches of tree limbs clawing up to the sky. Its multiple withered and stubby legs dragged the bulk of the creature forward, drawing it closer to Dawn as many sets of glowing blue eyes darted in various directions at a frenzied pace. Each movement was punctuated with what sounded like dull, painful bleating groans, as if the simple movements caused the beast a great degree of pain. However, the most distinctive forms in the mass were what appeared to be two large heads. They shared similarly gnarled, exaggerated teeth and hooves much like Aster's, each having their own large, muscular arm to each side of the heads. The only difference between them was the head on the left had a third eye between the primary two, the socket hollow save for a similar blue glowing pupil like the one Aster had. 

The eyes on both heads, as well as the various other ones that stippled the surface of their form continued to dart spastically in multiple directions, seemingly scanning the surrounding area with a laser like precision. But as it slid alongside Aster, the mass of glowing eyes ceased all movement before all at once falling on Vernon. As they focused on the wolf, even more eyes began to open along the pale blue skin of the mass of rams. Eyes the wolf was sure it didn't have before, all staring into him with a chilling, cold intensity. For a moment, Vernon found himself locked under the horrific, infinitely judgmental gaze that had beset him, the wolf feeling almost two inches tall. 

A wave of renewed terror rushed through Vernon, making his fur stand on end as the wolf stumbled back from the door. He was overwhelmed by the desperate urge to run, to flee from the monstrosities gathering within that cold tomb. And if not for the fact that his Honey Lamb was still trapped within the factory, the wolf might not have been able to stop himself from doing just that. But a fearful bleat from the ewe had the wolf back up against the door in seconds. The fear for Dawn's safety overtaking the fear of the creatures within.

"Yes Miss Bellwether." The voice of the three eyed head spoke. It was the same withered, hateful voice as the ram who had been the warden of the prison Dawn had been incarcerated in. The ram who tried to walk away from Aster's plan, only to be met with the cold barrel of a gun. The ram known as Gavin Mouflon. 

"There’s a special little cell that was made just for you." The other head spoke, which Vernon recognized as Arthur Wooligan, the other warden in Aster's little plot. "Its been lying vacant since the night you were meant to arrive." Arthur added as they continued their slow march forward.

“It’s time you share our punishment Miss Bellwether.” Mouflon hissed. “You’ve evaded it long enough.”

Both heads seemed to grit their teeth in unison, their deformed muzzles curling into twin sneers.

"Thanks to the meddling of that mongrel!" Both heads snapped, the hateful eyes returning to Vernon's own as the mass let out a serious of lamenting wails from unseen mouths. The strains of tortured rams echoing through the fog as the cluster of rams squirmed in pain.

"She would have went along with the plan if that wolf ha-!" 

Wooligan was unable to finish his sentence as Mofloun snapped at him, his gnarled jagged teeth causing Wooligan to draw back just shy of being bitten. In response the other head snapped back, the two seemingly arguing as if they were nothing more than simple wild beasts. 

Despite the fear and revulsion staring back at the multi-headed beast stirred in the wolf, Vernon managed to muster enough of his former courage to reply in defiance.

“You got what you deserved!” Vernon hissed back. “What’s that thing speciest prey mammals like y’all always say? ‘Lay down with dogs, and wake up with fleas?’”

Mouflon and Wooligan let out a sharp, hate filled hiss in unison as they regarded Vernon’s words, the many eyes among them now glaring at the wolf behind the glass. 

“We ain't here to argue boy...” Mouflon glowered at his companion breifly, causing Wooligan to shirk into the mass meekly. “None of that matters anymore.” The ram continued. “We were simply sent back to collect what's ours.”

“I won’t let you take her.” Vernon hissed, pounding against the glass again.

"Death does not take kindly to being cheated boy." Wooligan snorted. 

“Yes...” Arthur sneered. “A price must be paid.”

"But we will make it right." Wooligan hissed, his muzzle twisting into a gleefully evil smile that stretched into the mass itself. "The way it was meant to be."

From the shadows, two more forms appeared alongside the mass. Both relatively small, but one moving considerably faster than the other. 

The smallest, more impish was the first to come into view. Right away Vernon could tell it was Doug Ramses, Dawn's old flame, and Aster's right hoof mammal. But much like the others he was disfigured and distorted. His overall size, as well as the fact he was hunching made him look as though he was half Dawn's size. His withered arms and legs tapering to pointed ends, almost like the legs of an insect as he rubbed his little arm stumps together. Unlike Aster, Doug's wool had apparently been stained by the gas, taking on a deep indigo hue against the fog. His glowing blue eyes darted from side to side nervously for a moment before he set his sights on the couple. 

But it was the larger of the two figures that left the wolf bewildered as it stalked out of the fog. The figure that Vernon quickly recognized as the rabbit cop that had recently rekindled her fractured friendship with Dawn. The same rabbit that had been responsible for turning her in all those years ago. Lieutenant Judy Hopps.

The rabbit looked much as he remembered her. Aside from the hateful, night howler infected glare she leveled at the wolf, and the startlingly pointed teeth she seemed to bare. Her once violet eyes now the same piercing blue that told the wolf she was just as infected as Dawn was. Yet there she stood, allied with the ranks of the army of damned rams that were now closing in on the ewe pressed against the door. Dawn began to desperately claw against the metal barrier, her hooves audibly scraping the metal as she let out a series of terrified bleats.

"Un-natural is right." Doug muttered. "I can’t believe I ever wanted to get back together with a disgusting pred-baiter like you!"

"Justice needs to be served." Judy uttered, gritting her oddly pointed incisors as she continued to move forward. "She's worse than a criminal..."

"Judy?" Vernon muttered in disbelief. 

"She is a monster!" Judy added, not even acknowledging that Vernon had spoken to her.

With that, the wolf was back against the door, beating against it in his struggle to get it open. The horde of hideously mangled mammals seemed to be growing by the minute, all of them closing in on the little ewe pressed against the other side of the cold steel door. He had to get out there, he was running out of time.

"A debt must be paid." Mouflon groaned, a gurgle escaping his throat as his arm dragged the mass ever closer. 

"She belongs with us." Wooligan added, his own arm matching Mouflon's motions as it clambered forward.

Among the moans coming from various other parts of the mass that made up Wooligan and Mouflon, Vernon began to hear the rabble of a building crowd. A garble of noise and protests occasionally punctuated with phrases like 'pred-baiter' or 'prey-chaser'. The collective consciousness of the mob trapped within vocalizing its disgust along with the other night howler addled monsters.

Dawn let out another terrified bleat as Vernon continued to hammer away at the door. He beat his paws on the glass, the seams, the lock plate, probing for any weakness, any sign of a give. But the door remained firm.

"A wolf and a sheep?" Doug hissed. "Better dead than with a pred!"

The phrase was swiftly picked up by the churning mass, the groaning voices now chanting in unison.

"Better dead than with a pred!" The ambiguous throng of voices cheered. "Better dead than with a pred!"

They were only a few feet from the ewe now, Aster leading the ranks as he grinned up at Vernon evilly.

"Face it boy. " Aster said coldly. "The last place my little Dawnie belongs is anywhere else but with you."

"Ver-er-er-non?"

The wolf froze, stopping his fruitless barrage of blows against the reinforced door at the sound of his own name. It was a startlingly familiar voice, one he knew all too well despite the staggered, bleating like quality in the way it was delivered. Glancing through the glass view-port, the wolf peered down at his tiny mate. For all intents and purposes, she still appeared as feral as before. But there was a new found softness to her eyes. The smoldering blue tint that had overtaken her irises had seemed to fade slightly, allowing some of the more familiar lime green to seep back into her irises. Dawn's expression was one of a confused sadness, her head tilting slightly as she slowed her frantic pawing at the metal door.

She did remember him. Somehow, despite the odds, despite what Nick had told him, the ewe had managed to remember exactly who he was. Whether she had managed to power through the toxin through sheer force of will, or the nature of the toxin itself couldn't overcome the memories she had of the wolf. But either way, it was enough to send a renewed surge of energy and determination through the wolf. He was going to get out there. He was going to save his Honey Lamb, and nothing was going to stand in his way.

The wolf reeled back, bracing his shoulder with an arm before ramming into the frame as hard as he could. But all it managed to do was make the door tremble slightly within its frame as the vibration of the impact traveled through it. It simply wasn't enough force.

Aster and his minions drew closer to the ewe, mere feet away from her now as she returned to her desperate scraping against the door.

"Ver-er-er-non!" The call was still feral, but more pleading now. She called again and again over the desperate sound of her own scraping hooves.

"Now, now boy. It's better this way." Aster grinned, adjusting the hem of his tattered coat with a gnarled hoof. The bulk of the charred material fell away as he did so. "After all, don't we both have family names to preserve?"

Vernon ignored the ram as he slammed into the door again, this time from further back into the room. Again the door remained fixed within its frame, shuddering, but defiant under the impact of his arm. 

"An order to preserve." Mouflon hissed.

"Law to uphold." Judy growled.

Vernon slammed into the door again and again, starting his charge from further away each time. But despite his best efforts the door refused to budge.

"Ve-er-er-er-non! He-ee-ee-lp!" The ewe cried. Her bleating practically shrill now as the mob began to descend on her. Vernon could see the monstrous paws of the creatures all clutching at her, the ewe writhing and swatting at the mass of mammals in a desperate attempt to avoid their grasp.

But it was a short lived fight. The ewe was both too small, and simply far too outnumbered to hold her own against the creatures in the fog, and soon enough they had a firm grip on the feral sheep. Each of the mammals holding her still with a paw as they began to drag her away from the door.

"VERNON!"

The feral nature of her tone had completely slipped away now, replaced by the pure, unaltered call of his mate. Dawn writhed in their claws, trying desperately to pull free as she reached back toward Vernon with an outstretched hoof. Her eyes were green now, pure and untainted by the howler that still filled the room around her. 

Vernon froze, but only for a moment as Dawn's call resonated within him. The wave of realization quickly giving way to an even more intense burning determination. It felt as though fire was now coursing through his veins as he made his way to the far end of the room. Now against the adjourning wall, the wolf readied himself for another charge, bracing his arm as he lowered his hateful glare on the mammals now dragging Dawn away from him. The wolf took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he tried to channel as much energy as possible within himself in preparation for his charge. He could feel every muscle in his body tightening in anticipation as he held his breath, his entire body tensing like a coiled spring as he prepared to throw every ounce of strength and will he could muster at the seemingly impenetrable barrier.

Vernon's nostrils flared as he exhaled sharply, his eyes flying open as he let out a roaring snarl. He was charging with reckless abandon, his eyes fixed on the door that was rapidly approaching, and the mammals that were drawing farther and farther away behind it. He was almost on it now, and the wolf closed his eyes as he braced for another sharp impact. He wasn't sure exactly how much the impact would hurt, but as long as it knocked the door loose, the wolf was more than willing to endure it.

But the sudden, sharp impact the wolf had been expecting never came. Instead, Vernon was met with what felt like little more than plywood that quickly gave way under his charge. His eyes flew open in surprise as he lurched through the frame, revealing the door to be bending and warping unnaturally under the weight of his body as they both toppled to the floor.

Vernon hit the ground with a thud, the impact sending a dull shock through the wolf's braced arms that resonated through his entire frame like a tuning fork. It was painful, but Vernon had barely registered the pulse of pain as his attention was now fixed on the formerly reinforced door that had shattered like glass beneath his body. The shards were quickly withering away from under him. The once thick, impenetrable barrier curling and charring as if it were nothing more than a scrap of paper being burnt away by some phantom flame. The remaining ashes quickly swirling up into the same blue smoke that filled the rest of the chamber. The wolf was bewildered for a moment, running a paw though his mane of fur as he glanced back at the room he had left behind in disbelief.

Much like the door, it too was disintegrating away. The night howler that surrounded the chamber and created the void the wolf now found himself seemingly thrashing against what remained of the room like the ocean tide against the shore. Each pulse of the fumes causing what remained of the room to crumble and wither in the same way the door had. Its lingering, powdery remnants adding to the billowing blue haze that had consumed the rest of the world.

"VERNON!" Dawn's call drew Vernon's attention back on the mob that was moving through the fog. The mass of mammals that held his writhing mate had gained so much distance that they had began to fade back into silhouettes as they dragged her deeper into the fog. Growing increasingly darker and more formless while Dawn's outstretched hoof continued to claw desperately toward Vernon.   
"DA-" Vernon had barely opened his mouth to reply before night howler smog quickly washed in to fill the empty space. It had flooded into his open muzzle almost as soon as he had opened it, the toxic fumes carried by his breath down his throat and filling his lungs as he began to gag. The wolf let out a ragged series of coughs as he tried to stumble to his feet. His chest felt as though it was filled with fire, with each shallow breath he managed to take in almost as abruptly expelled in a painful, hoarse coughing fit. It made it hard to fully rise to his feet, and that much more difficult to begin his trudge through the swirling haze between him and Dawn as he reached for her desperate hoof.

A part of Vernon was terrified. The toxin was in him now, and he continued to breathe in dose after dose as he struggled to adjust his labored breathing to something he could tolerate. For the time being his mind still seemed clear, at least enough to keep his focus on the trapped ewe that he was rapidly catching up to. But in the back of his mind, a growing sense of paranoia was starting to take hold of his rational mind. A rising fear, jumping irrationally at every unusual sensation or impulse as the wolf nervously awaited the effects of the drug to begin to show. To take control of his mind and reduce him to little more than a savage mongrel, leaving him unable to save Dawn while lost in the haze of the howler.

But the effects never seemed to come, at least in the way he had expected. Vernon's senses only seemed to grow sharper as he adjusted to his surroundings. His lungs had started to adapt to the foul air, and while the toxin still tingled as it entered his lungs, it had ceased to slow the wolf's progress toward Dawn. He was quickly closing the gap between himself and the mob, and only seemed to gain speed as his balance and senses managed to stabilize. His vision was growing increasingly tight as it remained fixed on the ewe, blocking out the surroundings as he slipped into a sort of tunnel vision. As long as he could hold his focus on the lamb, he was certain he could overcome whatever the toxin could do to him.

“VER-!”

The wolf dove at the ewe, wrapping as much her body as he could in his arms before pulling back with all his might. But the grip on the ewe held by the group of monstrosities was far more powerful than Vernon had anticipated. Despite the rather decayed state of most of the beings, Aster and his horde were considerably stronger than they should have been. And Vernon's underestimation quickly found the wolf slipping backward onto the floor from the sudden halting jerk. His back slammed against the foggy ground, sending a gust of the mist out from under his body as well as free from the wolf's lungs as he let out another painful cough. But despite getting the wind knocked out of him, the wolf maintained his grip on the ewe in his arms.

As Vernon tried to take a breath of the soiled, yet desperately needed air, Aster's minions finally turned their attention to the wolf who was now interfering with their task. The sea of smoldering blue irises that had long taken to ignoring the wolf's presence quickly turned to fix their collectively cold gazes upon him.

“What do you think you're doing boy!?” Aster chuckled, the ram seemingly bemused by Vernon's performance.

"Vernon! Vernon!" The wolf felt Dawn's arms wrap around his neck as she desperately clung to him for safety, and the wolf strengthened his grip in-turn.

Vernon fired off a wild kick at the mob of mammals, managing to strike Mouflon's head hard enough to knock it into Wooligan's with a startlingly loud 'thok'. Immediately the pair withdrew their burly, mangled appendages from gripping at the ewe in Vernon's arms. The two deformed heads quickly turned on one another as they had before, Mouflon snapping his crooked, jagged teeth at Wooligan as the other ram hissed and withdrew. They began to strike at one another with twisted, mangled hooves, A violent slap fight ensuing between the mammals as the mass of eyes on their back began to scramble in all directions in a frenzied panic.

With the largest of the creatures no longer grappling his mate, Vernon managed to pull himself onto his feet, allowing the wolf to take a better stance in this game of tug-of-war he suddenly found himself in.

“You are wasting your time mutt.” Aster chided, the ram freeing up one of his arms to adjust his cigar for a moment. “You are only delaying the inevitable.”

Vernon snarled at the dark, ashy looking ram, baring his teeth and chomping at the tainted air as he spoke.

“You don't know anythin' you grizzled old ghost!” Vernon hissed, raising a paw and swatting at Aster's charred frame. The wolf swung wildly at the hoof still gripped to Dawn's waist, slapping at it with open claws. The first two swats did little to free Dawn from Aster's grip, but the third was hard enough to cause Aster's arm to fracture away at the shoulder, the startled old ram stumbling back as his crumbling arm hung limply off the ewe's coat.

Vernon blinked at the severed arm in shock for a moment, his eyes fluttering rapidly as he tried to process what he was seeing. But as quickly as it had broken away from Aster, it began to dissipate in the same way his tattered coat had. The ruined limb cracking into clumps and falling away before turning into more of the fog that surrounded them. In mere seconds Aster's arm was completely gone, nothing more than ashes added to the toxic blue void. With another one of the monster's grips successfully torn away from Dawn, Vernon was starting to drag the remaining mammals back with him as he struggled to pull the ewe free. He was gaining ground, and with a few good tugs, the wolf was certain he could yank Dawn free of Judy and Doug's considerably weaker paws.

Aster narrowed his gaze at his remaining stump of a shoulder that had formerly connected to his arm. Wisps of blue smoke emanated from the wound as if it were the end of his cigar as he began to move the open joint. Excess ashes falling away as he made a few small circles with what was left of his shoulder before letting out an irritated sigh.

"No matter how you try to go about it, it ain't gonna work boy." Aster snarled as his smoldering blue iris fell back on the wolf. "Y'all ain't meant to be together."

Vernon's sneer fell slightly, and while he had maintained a firm grip on his Honey Lamb, Aster's words carried a strange familiarity that gave the wolf pause. His cadence and pitch had changed slightly. It was Aster's voice in some sense, but it had lost some of the gravelly, otherworldly tone he had been speaking in throughout the night, instead taking on more of a rural twang.

“W-What do-?”

“Vernon!” Dawn cried.

The wolf glanced down to find Dawn had buried her face into his pelt, the ewe swabbing it back and forth as she clutched desperately to his chest. Looking back up toward the other mammals, Doug and Judy were still pawing at Dawn in an effort to pull her away as Aster continued to stare at him. The older ram shifted the cigar stub in his muzzle from one side of his mouth to the other as he glared deep into Vernon's eyes, sending another sharp chill down the wolf's spine.

“After what she did to yer brother?” Aster spat. “To yer family?” The ram grinned evilly, his uneven teeth twisting into an impossibly wide smile. Aster's voice had continued to fade, giving way to what sounded like two voices speaking through him, one overlapping the other as they struggled for dominance.

“Why should you always get yer way Vermin?” Aster hissed.

Vernon opened his muzzle in surprise. He tried to speak, but at first he could only make wordless mouth movements as his mind struggled to understand just what he had heard Aster say. After all, there was only one mammal who had ever called him 'Vermin', and Aster wasn't him.

"V-Vermin?" Vernon asked. Furrowing his brow as he struggled to stammer out his follow-up question. "Y-y-?"

“Don't like that name?” Aster asked, his normal cadence returning as he chuckled. “I find it rather fitting, although it might not be my place to say it.” 

With that, Aster placed his remaining hoof on his cigar, playfully tapping his digits along its slimy surface as he eyed the wolf with a smug sneer.

"But I do know of some mammals who it may sound more...natural coming from." Aster laughed. "Why don't we see what they have to say?"

With that, the cold, blue ember on Aster's cigar began to ignite as he drew deeply of the toxic smog. Vernon could see wisps of night howler leaking from what remained of his suit as he inhaled deeply. 

"You miserable little mongrel!" A voice cried as a gnarled hoof suddenly grasped at Dawn's skirt. Mouflon and Wooligan had apparently concluded their little spat while Vernon had been distracted, and were keen to return to the task at hoof. Luckily, the wolf had managed to pull Dawn just out of reach of the handicapped ram's wild grasp. But the sudden lunge by the mutated Mouflon had taken Vernon's attention off Aster, and as Vernon turned back to face the old, decayed looking ram once more he was met with a face full of pungent, blue cigar smoke.

Vernon hacked and gagged as the fresh wave of rancid toxin surrounded him in a blinding blue cloud. It was thick enough to obscure Aster and his cronies, but thankfully he could still see Dawn, and only resolved to grip her more tightly as a result of the sudden partial blindness. 

“Vernon! Please-!” Dawn cried.

“Whatever yer tryin'-!” Vernon hacked, knocking what he thought was Judy's paw finally free from its death grip around Dawn's ankle. “It ain't gonna-!”

The sudden feeling of a weighted grip coming to rest on both of Vernon's shoulders sent a frigid chill down the wolf's spine. Despite Aster's smoke screen clouding the wolf's vision to no wider than a few inches from his snout, he could easily make out the gnarled paws that now rested on his shoulders. One with patchy white fur and gnarled claws that jutted from each finger, and the other a moist, slimy black furred paw with similarly mangled claws. The wolf knew as soon as saw the phantom limbs just who they were attached too, but it didn't make it any easier to come to terms with as the smoke faded away to reveal the towering wolves now standing behind him. 

Dorian, or at least what Vernon could only assume used to be his father was the owner of the patchy white paw. The mangy white wolf was clad in his familiar, yet tattered sheriff's uniform. It clung to his patchy fur in tattered ribbons, which only served to amplify his warped and spindly features. It was as if his normally more solid build had collapsed into the wolf, sharply increasing his height while withering his hardened features. The towering white mammal stood out against the deep blue fog like an ethereal form, a haggard and twisted old ghost with burning blue judgmental eyes. Smoldering, night howler infected irises that were fixed on the ewe in Vernon's arms.

As for the black, oily paw, it belonged to what Vernon could only assume was his brother Yuri. The jet black wolf's form creating what seemed like a void in the deep blue fog. His wet, slick fur clung to his equally exaggerated and spindly frame like beached seaweed withering on the blistering sands of Sahara Shores. The darkness of his fur made his wild and unruly teeth stand out against the blackness, his fangs curling almost as wildly as the horns of a ram as he gnashed them in Vernon's direction. Unlike Dorian, his smoldering eyes were fixed directly on Vernon.

"Yer gonna give up yer name for that waste of wool!?" Dorian hissed, tugging Vernon's shoulder with a jerk. A congealed night howler color foam dribbled from his maw as he spoke, a substance that seemed that much similar to Aster's own beastly drool.

“Yer better off tithing a sweater Vermin!” Yuri chuckled, clacking his twisted teeth together as he gave the wolf a tug of his own. “At least a sweater doesn't come with the criminal record!”

“I-I don't care what you got to say!” Vernon tried to swat the wolves paws away, only for the pair to grip down that much harder. Yuri dug his mangled claws into Vernon's shoulder, drawing a sharp whine out of the wolf as he struggled to maintain his grip on Dawn.

“Vernon! Puppy, please!” Dawn uttered. Her previously panicked voice seemingly more laced with concern rather than fear. But Vernon barely had a chance to register the ewe's change in tone before Dorian pulled at him again.

"You are a HUNTER!" Dorian hissed. "A name you should be proud of!" The white wolf grabbed at Vernon with his other arm, starting to pull the wolf more aggressively. "Attaching it to a Bellwether is just gonna taint it!" 

"I ain't no Hunter! Not anymore!" Vernon cried. He could feel his grip on the ewe in his arms slipping as he struggled to fight back against his father's pull. "Now leave us be!"

“Cry all you want mutt, nobody cares!” Yuri cackled, his laugh twisting into a deep, bellowing, monstrous sound as it echoed through the fog. The slimy black wolf gripped his other paw on Vernon's arm, digging a fresh set of claws into his elbow and forcing another whine out of Vernon as he struggled against the pair. “Accept what you are and fall in line!!”

"You think you deserve to be an exception to the rule?" Yuri hissed, yanking the wolf so hard it nearly broke Vernon's grip on the ewe squirming in his arms. "Ma and Pa have bent over backwards for you more than enough times!"

"It's my life!" Vernon spat, Trying desperately to wriggle free of the pairs grip. "It ain't fer you neither of you to decide for me! Us bein' together doesn't concern-!"

“Enough of this Vernon!” Dorian chided. “Let the lamb go!”

“She belongs with us!” Aster hissed, gripping at Dawn with his free arm.

“You will ruin this family's reputation!” Dorian continued. “With or without the name! I can't let you do that!”

“She's a psychopath!” Yuri growled.

“She tried to kill yer brother!” Dorian growled. “How can you even-?”

“She's a criminal!” Judy snarled.

“A relationship like yours won't survive in the real world!” Doug laughed.

“She should have died that night.” Mouflon hissed.

The rising din of comments began to overlap one another, growing louder and louder to the point where they had become completely incomprehensible to the wolf. All the while both groups of beastly mammals continued trying to pull Dawn and Vernon apart. It was taking every last ounce of Vernon's strength to keep Dawn in his arms, to keep her from slipping into Asters hellish hooves as Dorian and Yuri pulled him away. 

Vernon grit his teeth tightly, each pull causing the wolf to let out another painful whine as his body felt as though it was on the verge of being torn apart under the pressure. But Vernon refused to let go like he had before. He was willing to die before leaving Dawn to suffer under Aster again. The wolf had made a promise, to Dawn and himself, and he was going to keep it.

“Vernon! Wake up!”

The entire world of blue smog and demonic beasts suddenly flickered out of existence, causing the wolf to let out a startled yelp as his eyes flew wide open in fear and surprise. While his vision was bleary and clouded, his new found surroundings filled the wolf with an immediate sense of relief. He was no longer in that night howler fueled hellscape, no longer trapped in an even more twisted version of the most horrible night of his life. Instead, he found himself in the warmth and safety of a darkened, rural-looking bedroom. And while it was clearly not his own, any place seemed more accommodating than the place he had just come back from.

"Vernon!?" As the rest of his mind began to stir from the haze of his experience, the wolf became acutely aware of the warm, plush body that was tightly gripped to his chest, as well as the hoof that was grasping at his chin in an attempt to draw his attention. Glancing down at the ewe in is arms, he found Dawn pushing back against his chest with a hoof, her lime green eyes laced with concern as she glanced up at the wolf with traces of tears in her eyes.  
"Puppy, are you okay!?" Dawn whimpered, her voice quavering as she spoke. The ewe's tone was clearly a mixture of fear and worry. The sound alone was enough to sober the wolf's muddled thoughts as his mind finally woke up. The reunion, the fights, everything came rushing back all at once as Vernon ran a paw through his sweat-soaked head fur. They were at the family ranch, sleeping in one of the guest rooms, and in the morning they would be returning to Zootopia. Far from his judgmental father, and his hateful brother. He was no longer a Hunter, but he still had Dawn. The ewe he loved so dearly was still safely tucked in his arms.

“So it was a dream.” Vernon muttered wearily.

The wolf abruptly strengthened his grip against the ewe, hugging her as tightly as he could muster as he buried his muzzle into her head wool.

"Yeah Darlin'." The wolf said, his voice cracking as he murmured into her wool. "I'm fine..." Vernon whined softly. "I'm gonna be fine..."

Dawn returned the hug, albeit with a much softer, more reluctant grip that Vernon's. 

"Puppy, you aren't fine." Dawn mumbled through the fur. "You were whimpering and crying while you were sleeping." The ewe gingerly began to rub the wolf's back with her hooves. "And you had me pressed against your chest so tightly you were practically asphyxiating me!"

With the ewe's admission, Vernon quickly drew back from the hug. Glancing down and away from his mate guiltily, the wolf scratched the back of his head in discomfort.

“I-I'm sorry Mutton Chop, I shouldn't have...”

He felt Dawn's hoof grip his chin before gingerly dragging the wolf's line of sight back into her own.

"Wolfy, it's okay..." Dawn cooed, scratching his chin daintily as she stared into his eyes. "I was more concerned about what was happening to you than how hard you were squeezing me." The ewe began to gently caress Vernon's cheek, frowning softly as she did so. "I mean, I've never seen you like that. You gave me quite a scare."

Vernon winced softly, his ears drooping as his irises broke away from Dawn's. The wolf let out a soft whine.

"Floof's, I..." Vernon muttered. He really didn't want to talk about what he had just been through. Not for the lack of being transparent with his mate, especially after they had just been over that whole topic earlier that night, but more so the fact that he didn't even want to revisit the terrifying dream at all. "It was nothin', just a nightmare is all..."

“Yeah, I figured that.” Dawn's eyelids drooped dully as she eyed the wolf. “But what was it abou-?”

"What time is it?" Vernon quickly tried to change the subject as he pulled out of the ewe's grip. The wolf leaned up and away from the mattress and glanced around the darkened bedroom. His eyes scanning the windows for the faintest trace of morning light as he prayed the ewe would move away from the rather uncomfortable line of questioning.

He heard the lamb let out a soft sigh, followed by the sound of her hooves quietly rummaging around the nearby nightstand.

“Let's see...” Dawn yawned softly as she slid her tortoise shell frames back on. Out of the corner of Vernon's eye he could see her phone light up, casting a faint light across Dawn's face as she squinted through her lenses.

“Three-fourteen in the morning.” Dawn murmured tiredly as she placed her phone back on the table with a dull clatter.

The wolf sighed, running a paw through his head fur again.

"We should probably get back to bed..." Vernon grumbled softly. "We've only got a little less than three hours worth of shut-eye before we gotta head ou-"

"Vernon." Dawn's tone remained caring, but there was a sternness to it that demanded the wolf's attention. He wanted to resist, to keep from looking back at his tiny mate. He could feel her eyes on him, her stare penetrating the very core of him despite not being able to see them, and Vernon knew that if he turned around there would be no getting out talking about his horrible dream. Slowly the wolf turned to meet his mate's gaze, the little ewe's brow furrowed as she eyed the wolf with a pouting lip. He was done for.

"It wasn't that bad. Honest." The wolf muttered, trying his damnedest to get through this conversation with as little admissions as possible.

"Vernon, we may not have been together all that long in the grand scheme of things, but I'd like to think I can tell what kind of sounds you would make when you are scared." Dawn crossed her arms, quirking a brow at the wolf. "That was the frightened Puppy I heard, and you aren't going to convince me otherwise.”

Vernon let out a mournful groan, but it did little to deter Dawn's apparent resolve.

“Dr. Gnu says talking about these things help." The ewe added, raising a finger knowingly.

Vernon let out a terse sigh, glancing up at the ceiling momentarily as he silently pleaded to the gods for enough strength to get through reliving his nightmare so soon.

“I was back...” Vernon murmured, placing a paw on the back of his neck uncomfortably. “Back in that factory in Tundratown...” Vernon grumbled. “That night when you...I mean...” The wolf averted his gaze from Dawn's once more. It was hard enough to get through it without staring back into those soft, glimmering eyes of hers. After all, he was picking at a painful scab just mentioning that night at the bottling plant. A wound that both of them shared, and he was certain would make the lamb just as uncomfortable as he was. “The night I almost lost-”

Vernon stopped as he felt the ewe's hoof come to rest on his leg, his irises darting back to meet Dawn's own as they quivered behind her frames.

"Oh Puppy..." Dawn cooed, her voice soft and sweet as she began to pet his leg gently. "I-I'm so sorry." The ewe sighed, sidling closer to her mate as she slid across the mattress. " I understand. I still have nightmares about that night sometimes too."

The wolf frowned softly, bringing a paw to Dawn's cheek and caressing it gently. The ewe leaned into his palm, reaching up with a hoof to clutch his paw closer to her face as she let out a warm sigh.

“It was worse than before though Dawn...” Vernon whimpered. “So much worse.”

The ewe squeezed Vernon's paw as she pulled it away from her face, wrapping her other hoof around it as she stared back up at the wolf in concern.

"Worse?" Dawn asked with a frown. "H-how so?"

Vernon closed his eyes, letting out a long, exhausted exhale as he tried to muster the courage to continue.

“Aster was there.” Vernon muttered. “And Mouflon, and Wooligan, and Doug.”

Vernon squeezed Dawn's hoof back as he pressed onward.

“My father too.” Vernon whimpered.

“Dorian?” Dawn asked, quirking a brow in confusion.

“And Yuri and Judy.” Vernon continued, leaning his head into his other paw.

“Judy?” Dawn asked in surprise, quirking a curious eyebrow.

The wolf sighed, placing a paw over his eyes before drawing it back over his scalp. 

“I don't know Darlin'.” Vernon murmured. “It was a nightmare, and she was...I mean back then...” Vernon shook his head. “She had it out fer ya. And I'm guessin' that's why she was there.”

The ewe gave a meek nod.

“They were all tryin' to drag you away from me, pullin' you off into that blue fog.” The wolf whimpered. “Tellin' me how you and me don't belong together. That it'll never work.”

"Oh Vernon..." Dawn murmured softly. Now the ewe had reached up to caress the wolf's cheek, her hoof gingerly stroking through the wolf's fur.

“I got a hold of ya, but then Pa and Yuri grappled me.” The wolf whimpered. “They were tryin' to rip us apart again.”

Vernon glanced up at the ceiling. He could feel tears starting to well in the corners of his eyes, and he lamely swabbed at them with a paw in an effort to push them back.

“They were all twisted and warped...” Vernon murmured. “Like demons that climbed out of the depths of hades itself.” The wolf wiped at his eyes again, but the tears were flowing now.

"It all felt so real..." The wolf trailed off slightly. "So vivid..." The wolf whimpered.

Vernon's attention snapped back to the concerned looking ewe now snuggled up tightly against his side, her own tear filled eyes glancing back up at him in concern.

"And you...you were..." Vernon closed his eyes, trying to suck back the tears as images of the nightmare flickered through his mind like a slideshow. Aster's gnarled and tattered features, the merged mass of mammals that made up Mouflon and Wooligan, his father's mangy, hulkish form, and Yuri's slimy features, all of them drifting through his mind's eye like ghosts haunting his very soul. But the worst of the images burned into his mind was that of his poor little Honey Lamb on all fours, consumed by the night howler's toxin and struggling to overcome it. Fighting to recognize Vernon despite what he could only assume was the overwhelming desire to flee from her natural enemy. It hurt that much more not only because he had been forced to watch the ewe suffer, but it was an accurate reflection of what she actually looked like that night. There was no smoke and mirrors, no wild and twisted reflections of Dawn like Aster and the other creatures in the dream. No, Dawn's feral state was exactly as he witnessed it on that terrible night in Tundratown, or at least it had started out that way.

“You were sufferin' from the night howler again...” Vernon whimpered, shaking his head in dismissal. “On all fours and lookin' to run...”

"Oh Puppy..." Dawn cooed, sidling into the wolf's lap as she reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. Vernon gave the ewe a gentle squeeze of his own as he sniffled sharply, trying and failing to supress the now steady stream of tears that were flowing from his eyes. "I'm so sorry you had to see me like that again..."

“Pft...see ya?” Vernon coughed as he tried to stifle his cries. “You had it worse than I did, you had to suffer through-.”

Dawn pulled back from the hug, placing a finger to the wolf's lips and stopping him mid-sentence.

"We both suffered that night Vernon." Dawn said somberly. "The amount of trauma we both experienced isn't exactly something worthy of trying to compete over, and it isn't really going to help either of us get over it."

Vernon let out a soft whine.

“It's been a really rough couple of days Puppy.” Dawn offered the wolf a soft, pleading smile. “All that stress that built up was bound to come out somewhere.”

“I-I guess...” Vernon sighed, shrugging uneasily.

"At least it was just a dream." Dawn continued, wrapping her arms around the wolf's neck again. "My father is gone, and I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

Vernon flashed the ewe a weak smile. “Y-y'all mean it?” The wolf asked, his eyes glimmering as he felt a fresh wave of tears welling up within them. He knew it was silly to ask such at thing, but he wasn't ashamed to admit he needed the reassurance.

The ewe wrapped her hooves around Vernon's neck again, but this time the wolf could feel her actively trying to pull him down to the bedding. Of course, the ewe wasn't strong enough to manage that without the wolf playing along, and so Vernon allowed the ewe to pull him back down to his pillow.

As the wolf came to rest his head against his pillow once more, Dawn brought her lips up to his, stopping just short of actual contact as she stared into his eyes affectionately. They stayed like that for a few moments, simply watching each other in the dark as Dawn gingerly stroked the back of his neck. Her shimmering lime green orbs staring back into his with nothing but pure adoration and affection. Vernon was satisfied with simply basking in the warm glow of Dawn's love, but soon enough the ewe moved in to complete the connection, kissing the wolf deeply as she continued to stroke his fur playfully. Vernon was quick to give in to the passionate gesture, pressing back against her delicate lips with equal measure as his heart fluttered warmly within his chest. The wolf savored the soft, pleading breaths that passed from Dawn's muzzle into his, lingering for as long as he could in Dawn's warmth before the ewe gingerly broke the kiss.   
The ewe flashed the wolf a broad smile as she continued to idly play with his fur with her hoof.

“Is that enough proof for you Puppy Love?” Dawn replied with a soft smirk.

Vernon grinned playfully. “I might need a little more convincin'...” The wolf chuckled. “But I suppose it'll have to wait till we get home.”

Dawn rolled her eyes, letting out a soft chuckle of her own as she continued to play with Vernon's fur. Her hoof idly twisting the larger strands of hair that made up the wolf's peculiar cowlick. But despite the warmth, welcoming change in conversation, a nagging errant thought had continued to tug at the back of Vernon's mind. One that kept dragging him back to that terrible dream, to that awful night trapped in Tundratown. The wolf could feel his smile faltering, and almost as soon as it had Dawn's expression changed to match it.

“Vernon?” Dawn quirked an eyebrow. 

"Darlin'...?" The wolf winced slightly. He didn't want to drag the conversation back to the dismal topic. But the dream had brought him back to that lingering question. The one that had troubled his thoughts in the immediate aftermath of that night spent in the factory. Something he had been wanting to ask the ewe, but had forgotten about for some time. The pressing issue lost the moment his Honey Lamb's eyes flew open in the hospital, and the wolf's dismal world came back to life.

"That night...in Tundratown-"

“Oh Puppy, we do-.”

Vernon held a finger a to Dawn's lips, stopping her just short of finishing her sentence. He needed to get it out, he needed to know.

The wolf let out a tired sigh. “Do you remember anything?” The wolf asked, his voice trembling slightly. “Anything at all after you got dosed with the...you know?”

Dawn's muzzle scrunched in confusion for a moment before dipping into a soft frown.

“You mean when I was...” The ewe bit her lip. “Infected?”

Vernon nodded somberly, an awkward silence filling the void as he awaited a response. A mixture of expressions came over Dawn's features. Sadness, pain, discomfort, a myriad of negative emotions washed over her as she seemed to be trying to recall the night in question. 

“It's just that...” Vernon muttered, breaking eye contact with his mate as he tried to think of how best to phrase what he was trying to say. “I mean...I...when I saw you...” The wolf scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably. “It looked like...I mean I thought you might have...recognized me.”

The ewe blinked at him in slight surprise.

“Recognized you?” Dawn murmured.

The wolf let out an uncomfortable grumble.

“I thought you...recognized me somehow.” The wolf struggled to continue. “You came closer to me, and you laid down by the door.” Vernon winced. “I mean, you should have been afraid of me.”

Dawn simply looked on as the wolf pushed through his best attempt at an accurate recollection of the events from that night, her expression a mixture of worry, confusion, and a hint of perplexion. As if she was struggling to drudge up anything that corresponded with the wolf's account.

"But I asked Nick about it in the hospital, and he assured me that there was no way you could have." Vernon whined. "He told me that night howler blocks yer higher brain functions and suppresses yer memories." The wolf mumbled. "It ends up blottin' everythin' out except for base urges."

Vernon reached out, caressing the ewe's cheek softly as he looked into her shimmering green orbs. 

“You don't remember anythin'...?” Vernon asked, his ears rising slightly as he eyed the ewe in a mixture of sadness and hopeful curiosity. “Anythin' at all?”  
Dawn looked down for a moment, the ewe scratching her head as she seemed to be lost in thought. Vernon could tell it hurt the lamb to even think about it, the slight pain visible in her expression making the wolf regret even bringing it up almost immediately. But just as he was about to let her off the hook, to tell her to forget the fact that he had even brought it up, she spoke.

“I remember...” Dawn muttered, the ewe nervously twiddling her hooves as she began to speak. “I remember the fog swallowing me and my father...” The ewe frowned. “And the pain I felt as the gas started to change me...”

Dawn glanced up at the wolf, her eyes shimmering with the start of tears as she struggled to continue. "I-I never realized how painful it was..." Dawn murmured. "That change." The ewe sniffled softly.

Vernon swabbed a stray tear with his thumb as he continued to stroke the ewe's cheek. Dawn let out a quiet shudder as she struggled to continue. 

"The last thought I can recall with any sort of clarity was ripping open Nick's fox spray and frantically dumping it all over myself." Dawn murmured. "I was just hoping, praying that it would protect me from the wild rams. That maybe..." Dawn whimpered. "That maybe I'd survive somehow, even though I was prepared to-"

“Hey.” Vernon stopped the ewe, running his paw down her cheek as he began to gingerly stroke the side of her face. “I'm sorry I brought it up.”The wolf continued. “We don't have to-.”

"No." Dawn protested, pulling the wolf's paw off of her face and clasping it with both her hooves. "I w-want to Vernon." Dawn murmured softly. "I need to."

Vernon fell silent, his eyes fixed on the somber ewe that was clasping his paw so tightly. He wanted to protest now, the pain on Dawn's face too much for him to bear, yet he found himself nodding softly. He may have began to tug at the bandage related to that painful memory, but now Dawn was adamant to pull it off.

“It's all sort of a haze. Just flickers of raw emotion flashing through my mind.” Dawn said, the lamb shuddering slightly as she spoke. “Fear, rage, all of it enveloping me at once as I stumbled through this...hellish world of blue.”

Dawn pushed her frames up slightly with a hoof, swabbing at her eye in order to stem the rising tears the wolf could make out glimmering in the weak moonlight. “It's all sort of jumbled. Feelings and images and everything, it makes my head hurt just trying to think about it.”

“I'm sorry Darlin'.” Vernon whined softly. “It's no-.”

“But now that I'm really trying to remember, I can...I can recall something.” Dawn scratched her chin, her brow furrowing as she seemed to be deep in thought.

“I remember sensing something...” Dawn murmured. “A shape, or form, or something in the distance.” The ewe scratched her head. “When I came upon the shape I remember feeling a deep terror. But, something kept me there...”

Dawn winced slightly, massaging her temple with a hoof.

“The hint of a familiar scent, something that made me feel...warm?” Dawn murmured. “It made the fear and rage....not go away...but die down. And I was filled with this overwhelming sense to protect it. Because I felt like it was mine.”

Vernon smiled softly, clutching the ewe's hooves in his paws as he stared at her surprise. He could hear his tail flopping against the bed as he squeezed Dawn's hooves affectionately.

“D-Do you mean it?” Vernon choked, tears started to form in his eyes once more. 

Dawn smiled warmly, snuggling up closer to the wolf by her side.

“I can't be one-hundred percent sure...” Dawn murmured softly. “But it feels right.”

The wolf ran a paw over his eyes as he drew the ewe into a hug.

“Red's never gonna believe it.” Vernon muttered.

"Does it really matter if he does?" Dawn asked, looking up from her spot nestled in the wolf's chest fluff.

“Not at all.” Vernon smiled, nuzzling the ewe's woolly poof with his snout.

Dawn let out a warm sigh as she buried her muzzle back into the wolf's pelt.

“Do you want to know what I was dreaming about Puppy?” Dawn asked, nuzzling deeper into his chest fluff.

"What Darlin'?" Vernon asked in a low, throaty rumble.

“I was dreaming about our wedding.” Dawn replied, letting out a soft yawn.

“Oh?” Vernon chuckled. Admittedly the ewe's statement had caught him off guard. With the general tone of everything they had been discussing, it had almost made him forget about happier prospects that lie ahead of them. “Y'all did?”

"Mhh-hmm..." Dawn cooed. "I dreamed were standing in a beautiful meadow." The ewe sighed, nestling deeper into the wolf's pelt. "It was blooming with all sorts of fall flowers, and I could see the patchy golden mountains way in the distance. Just like how I first saw them when we got off the train." Dawn mused. The ewe began to draw circles in the wolfs fur as she continued to recall her dream. "We were both standing at the altar, under an archway made of flowers and foliage." Vernon heard the ewe let out a soft yawn as she rubbed her muzzle against his fur. "And I was dressed in my Mother's gown, except it actually fit me. Unlike when I used to dress up in it and get pretend married when I was twelve." The ewe giggled softly.

Vernon chuckled softly, his eyelids starting to grow heavy as he listened to the warm, lovely picture his mate was painting for him. “And what about me?”

"You were dressed in the deep green tuxedo that was perfectly tailored to fit you." Dawn sighed warmly. "You looked so dashing."

“I'm sure you were lookin' mighty fine in that dress.” Vernon mused. “I'm lookin' forward to seein' it.”

“Gus was there too.” Dawn murmured.

"Oh yeah?" Vernon replied. "How'd he do on officiatin' the ceremony?"

Dawn let out a soft yawn. “He gave a lovely service.” The ewe murmured dreamily. “I can't remember any of the words, but he was very professional. Even Melanie was moved to tears.”

"He brought Melly huh?" Vernon chuckled. "You sure she wasn't naggin' ol' Gus about when he was finally gonna get hitched to her already?"

Dawn giggled softly. “No, although she did catch the bouquet I think...” Dawn murmured quietly. “Either her or Ada.”

Vernon let out a tired yawn. “ Oh really now?” The wolf chuckled. “Ada was there too?” 

“All of your sisters and brothers. Audrey too.” Dawn replied. “Except for Yuri and Dorian, I don't know where they were.”

“Maybe it's better that way.” Vernon chuckled. The wolf closed his eyes, nestling deeper into Dawn's woolly mane. 

"It was so beautiful." Dawn sighed. "Everything I could have ever wanted Puppy Love."

Vernon felt one of the ewe's hooves gently caress his cheek before drifting back down to his chest. “I can't wait for it.”

“Me too Honey Lamb.” Vernon murmured softly. “Me too...”

Those were the last words to leave the wolf's muzzle as he drifted back to sleep, his arms wrapped around the petite little ewe that had so thoroughly ensnared his heart. Her own dream setting the wolf that much more at ease as to where their future truly lie. Tomorrow they would be gone from this place, and there would be nothing to stand in the couples way. Not Aster, not Doug, not Dorian, not Yuri, not even all of Animalia. The pair would soon pledge their eternal love and devotion to one another, and nothing would be able to take that away from them. Vernon would never be separated from his Honey Lamb ever again.


	44. Early Morning Ambush

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Forty-Four: Early Morning Ambush

Dawn opened a tired, bleary green eye; the sound of dull rattling rousing the petite ewe from her rather pleasant sleep. It was a thrumming, familiar hum that Dawn knew all too well. The way it rattled softly before coming to an abrupt stop, only to start again moments later. It was the unmistakable pizzicato strains of a carrot phone vibrating against a hard surface as it struggled to sound a wake-up call despite the ringtone being muted. It was a noise that Dawn easily recognized, but had rarely been on the receiving end of when it came to waking up in the morning.

Dawn had always been more or less a morning mammal. From when she had first entered grade school up until she was sworn in as Assistant Mayor, the ewe had lived most of her life waking up fairly close to the time of day from which her namesake had derived. And the ewe's time in prison only served to further hard-wire that sort of regiment into her. By the time she was released from prison, it had grown into her natural sleep cycle, and it was that reason that made her brief time working the night shift at Bug Burga particularly taxing and tiresome. The sudden, sharp contrast in sleep schedules was so jarring that the ewe had never quite been able to get used to the late shifts. But now that the ewe was working her own hours as a freelance author, she had just as easily slipped back into a steady pattern of waking up around eight in the morning even when she had very little to actually do. That is, when Vernon wasn't dragging her back into bed.

And that's where the actual purpose of the alarm came into play. After all, the ewe was the last mammal to need a wake-up call. But in sharing a bed with Vernon, she quickly came to learn that the wolf was a very late sleeper. Working the night shift at Bug Burga had been ideal for the largely nocturnal mammal. But interning at the city's architecture department demanded an entirely different kind of schedule, one the wolf was still struggling to get used to. The alarm itself was the first in several lines of defense when it came to wake-up calls, all geared at spurring the sluggish and sleep deprived wolf from his deep slumber. And most of those other wake-up calls had been crafted and implemented by the ewe herself.

On a normal workday, Dawn usually found herself waking up at around seven-thirty. The next ten minutes or so were devoted to trying to slip off the mattress without the wolf noticing, because if he did, he would simply pull the ewe back into her previous position curled up against the wolf's side. For her, it was the hardest part of the 'fight' to get the wolf up and ready for work. The wolf's strength and desire to sleep-in regardless of the circumstance was hard for the ewe to overcome. Especially, because the more she failed to slip away successfully, the more her resolve to get him up faltered under the growing desire to linger just a little longer in the wolf's comforting embrace. To fall victim to his inviting warmth and gentle caress, and ultimately cause her to sleep in herself.  
However, if she managed to succeed, the next step was brewing a fresh pot of Vernon's favorite coffee to bait the wolf out of his slumber. By the time the alarm finally rumbled to life, the ewe had already finished a cup of coffee of her own. With the extra caffeine boost to strengthen her resolve against the wolf's particularly drowsy charm, the ewe was more than ready for anything the wolf could throw at her. And with a mixture of gentle verbal prodding and wafting fresh coffee vapors under the wolf's snout, she was usually able to get the wolf on his feet. Whether he was functioning at one hundred percent or not was another question entirely, but at that point, it was left in Vernon's paws. 

But now Dawn was on the other end of that same alarm, being drawn out of her blissful and hazy slumber far earlier than she was used too. The ewe let out a soft grumble, closing her eye tightly as she turned to bury herself back in the wolf's pelt. She wasn't ready to be awake yet, and much like her mate's behavior when it came to morning wake-up calls she was more than prepared to ignore it. But the ewe was not about to be afforded that luxury, for as she went to nuzzle more deeply into Vernon's chest fur, she felt a jarring pressure against her eye. The sudden painful jolt causing the ewe to draw back with a sudden jerk.

“DAGS!” The ewe placed a hoof over her eye, rubbing it aggressively as she tried to chase away the sudden stinging sensation. Her eye began to tear as she sucked in a painful breath through parted teeth. “Stthhhhhh!” The ewe hissed.

The startling jab was enough to dispel any lingering sense of drowsy comfort that had been draped over the ewe's mind. She was wide awake now, and as the room came into a sort of half-focused haze the ewe quickly realized just what had poked her in the eye. With a sigh, Dawn removed the glasses that were dangling limply from her left ear and appraised them with an irritated glare. She had never taken them off after Vernon had asked her what time it was, and fell asleep with them on. The ewe took a moment to inspect the right arm of the frames, opening and closing it with a hoof to check for bends before slipping them on again.

With a sigh, Dawn swabbed at her other eye, chasing away the last grains of sleep dust as she began to scan the rustic bedroom she and Vernon had spent the night in. It was still rather dark, the faintest glimmers of sunlight just barely filtering in under the blinds in a futile attempt to chase the lingering night away. Aside from the quiet murmur of Vernon breathing next to her, and the stray chirping of the early morning birds outside, the Hunter Ranch was completely silent. Under different circumstances, the tranquil atmosphere would have put the ewe enough at ease to allow to easily drift back to sleep had she wanted to try. But now that she was awake, she could easily recall just why the couple had decided to wake up so early in the first place. It was time to go home, to head back to the safety of their peaceful little apartment in Zootopia and away from the residence they found themselves no longer welcome in. And if they had any intention of getting away without causing any more of a stir than they already had, they had to slip out before the rest of the Hunter pack even woke up.

Dawn turned her attention in the direction the phone still rattling against Vernon's nightstand. The rather ineffective alarm was obscured behind the frame of the still slumbering wolf, and the pointless buzzing was already starting to grate on the ewe's nerves. It never really did work when it came to rousing the wolf from his slumber, even when the actual alarm had been set to blaring. And as she glanced at the blissfully snoring wolf, the ewe couldn't help but wonder just how Vernon would be able to function in a day job if it wasn't for her giving him the extra push in the first place. Dawn shook her head dismissively, letting out a soft chuckle to herself as she reached a hoof out to stroke the wolf's head affectionately. 

“I suppose even this counts as part of 'supporting each other' huh?” Dawn thought, a warm smile crawling across her muzzle. “I'm just glad I can help...”

The buzzing caught the ewe's attention again, drawing her out of her more pleasant thoughts. The ewe had lingered enough, and the time had come to get moving if they intended to leave as quickly as possible. With a grunt, Dawn crawled herself partially over the wolf's body, reaching an outstretched hoof toward the phone charging on the adjacent nightstand. Her first few passes didn't even manage to touch the carrot phone, and it didn't help that it was slowly vibrating itself further and further from her reach. Dawn stuck out her tongue, pressing it against her lip as she strained to reach further, just barely brushing the side of Vernon's phone with a hoof before losing her balance and slipping partially down the other side of the wolf. Dawn's muzzle pressed into the bedding near Vernon's back, but her eyes remained fixed on the detestable buzzing cell phone. She nearly had it now, her hoof just shy of coming down directly on the device.

Suddenly the ewe felt arms wrap around her, clutching tightly around the middle of her frame before she found herself being pulled away from her prize. The cell-phone disappearing behind the ridge of the wolf's back as she found herself pulled back into her previous resting place.

“What, oh Puppy no-!” The ewe was unable to finish her sentence as the wolf nuzzled up under the ewe's chin, letting out a lingering, pleading whine as he snuggled tightly against her. The top of his muzzle effectively shutting her mouth before she could finish her sentence. The ewe managed to pull her head up slightly, giving her enough room to speak properly.

“Puppy...” Dawn murmured softly. “We have to wake up now.” Dawn once again found herself in the usual morning routine. Pulled into one of the wolf's sleepy hugs, restrained by his rather aggressive cuddling as the struggle to wake him up began in earnest. 

“Mhhh....” The wolf grumbled, snuggling a bit more tightly against the ewe as she struggled to free one of her hooves. 

The wolf's actions were rather endearing, and it was part of what made it so hard to willingly force him to wake up and let her go. The other difficult part was, of course, just how much she enjoyed the warmth of his embrace. The feeling of the wolf's strong arms holding her close to his warm fur as he nuzzled up against her was the fastest way to melt through her defenses. And the ewe was ashamed to admit that Vernon had already run late several times to his job because of how often the wolf had managed to prolong that particular war of attrition. 'Just five more minutes' becoming the ewe's reluctant go-to mantra when she caved under the pressure of her own neediness. But this was a different matter altogether, and the ewe couldn't stand to waiver for even a second, lest they be faced with the possibility of being the center of a massive family argument.

With a terse yank, Dawn managed to finally free one of her arms. Gently, she pressed her free hoof against the wolf's brow, stroking it softly.

“Vernon, it's time to get up now...” Dawn cooed softly.

“Mmhh...!” The wolf muttered again, nuzzling deeper into the ewe's neck. She could see his eyelids twitch as the wolf fought to keep them shut. In response, the ewe gingerly tapped her digits along his scalp as she continued to stroke his head.

“Puppy, you need to get up.” Dawn murmured. “We need to go.”

“N-nrr..” Vernon let out another quiet grumble. Slowly one of his paws reached up toward the ewe's free hoof, weakly grasping at it in what Dawn could only assume was a futile attempt to restrain it once more. The ewe drew her hoof back accordingly, leaving the wolf to drape his searching paw lamely over his face where her hoof had been. “Nooo....” The wolf moaned weakly.

“Yes Vernon.” Dawn cooed, smiling weakly.

The wolf let out a soft huff, attempting to pull the ewe closer to him. However, Dawn managed to somehow resist by pushing against his head with her free hoof until she felt his pull slacken. The wolf slumped, returning to his inert state. 

“Five more minutes Honey Lamb...” The wolf murmured. “J-just snuggle awhile more...”

Dawn let out a sigh.

“Vernon...” Dawn groaned as she worked to pull her other hoof free. “We aren't at home remember?” The ewe pulled as hard as she could, but the wolf's grip was surprisingly tight. She could feel her hoof starting to grow numb under the pressure. “We-” Dawn huffed. “ C-can't stay-” Each attempt at pulling her other arm free fractured her sentence further. “Here!”

The ewe stopped for a moment to gather her strength. Her other hoof was nearly free now, it just needed one more hard yank to pull it out of Vernon's grasp. The ewe took a deep breath, channeling all her energy into one final pull of the increasingly numb appendage. Thankfully it didn't take all that much effort, and as her other hoof slipped free of Vernon's grasp, the wolf let out a soft, mournful whine.

“Can't stay where...?” The wolf grumbled, his voice still dripping heavily with a drowsy tone. It was clear the wolf was confused by the timbre of his voice, the veil of sleep presumably dampening his thoughts.

“The ranch Puppy?” Dawn replied, placing her hooves gingerly against the top of the wolf's head. Dawn began to twiddle the wolf's cowlick between her fingers as she continued to try at gently rousing the sleepy wolf. “Your family's ranch?”

The wolf let out another soft grumble, rubbing the side of his face against the ewe's chest as he continued to grapple her waist.

Dawn shook her head softly, placing a hoof to her head as she let out a tired sigh. Trapped in the wolf's grip she couldn't even check her own phone, let alone turn off the wolf's alarm. Who knows how much time they had already wasted participating in this cuddle based standoff, and at the rate they were going Dawn was sure she would be stuck there until the rest of the Hunter's not only woke up, but became curious enough to check on them. There simply wasn't time to fool around if Vernon intended to keep to his proposed plan. And the last thing Dawn wanted to see was the sullen faces of Audrey and her sister-in-laws as they had to explain why they were leaving and never coming back.

“Dorian, Vernon?” Dawn asked, her tone more firm than before. “Your father?”

Dawn watched the wolf's deep green eye flutter open almost instantaneously, the pupil shrinking slightly under the sudden exposure to the morning light before lowering its gaze on the ewe. Dawn was frowning softly as she continued to pet the wolf's head.

“Pa...?” Vernon muttered. His tone was deeper as he spoke, more gravely although the rather tired quality it had held decreased significantly. The wolf closed his eye, releasing his grip around the ewe to wipe lamely at the hint of a bag that had formed underneath. 

“Right...” Vernon grumbled softly, continuing to twist a balled fist over his eye in a clear effort to shake off the lingering tiredness within. 

With the ewe now free of the wolf's tight and possessive grip, Dawn quickly scooted out of reach of the wolf's grasp. She wasn't one hundred percent sure that she had truly woken him up, and wasn't keen on staying close enough to find out.

Hopping off her side of the mattress, the ewe gave the bed a wide berth as she made her way around it to get to the wolf's phone. She wasn't sure exactly how far the wolf could reach if he suddenly decided to go for a grab, and she didn't want to chance it. But as she rounded the corner on his side she could see the wolf was slowly sitting himself up. Vernon gave his head a brisk shake before letting out a quiet yawn. His tongue curling as he ended the action with a soft yelp before placing a paw against the mattress to keep himself from slipping back down. It was more than enough to tell the ewe that he was up for the time being, and she could lower her defenses to some degree.

On the nightstand, Vernon's phone had nearly shaken itself to the edge of the table top. Another minute wrapped up in Vernon's smothering embrace, and she was certain she would have heard it clatter to the floor. Taking the device up in a hoof, the ewe quickly disabled the alarm and opened the wolf's phone to the home screen.

“Five ten, Vernon.” Dawn said, presenting the phone to the wolf. “If we want to be out by six we don't have a lot of time.”

The wolf winced slightly as he stared back at the phone, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly with a paw.

“Rut me...” The wolf grumbled, blinking his eyes several times as he continued to attempt to chase off the lingering specter of sleep. “What is that like...sixty minutes?”

Dawn chuckled weakly. “Fifty Puppy.”

The wolf chuckled softly in response. “Right...right...” The wolf tapped the palm of one of his paws against the side of his head. “Sorry...my head's all...”

“I know Puppy Love.” The ewe replied. “But we have to start getting dressed and make sure we have all of our things if we want to make it out on time.” Dawn continued, placing a hoof on the wolf's knee and rubbing it affectionately. “Not to mention call the Zoober.”

“Right, right.” The wolf gave his head another brisk shake. Vernon smacked his lips together for a moment, his muzzle curling into a cringe as he began to scrap at his tongue with his teeth. 

“Alright, hand me my phone will ya?” The wolf said, reaching a shaky paw past the phone the ewe was already holding in his direction. The wolf made two more weak, grasping motions around the ewe, bracing his other arm over his eyes as he tried to shield himself from the rising sunlight. But for all his efforts, he continued to miss the phone by a mile. Dawn rolled her eyes briefly before slipping the phone into the wolf's paw.

“It can wait a few more minutes before you have to call.” Dawn chuckled, turning to make her way back to the other side of the bed. “At least wait until your brain wakes up, okay?”  
She heard the wolf let out an audible chuckle as she walked back to her side of the room.

“Yer the boss Darlin'.” The wolf replied, rubbing his eye with a paw.

Dawn let out a soft sigh as she rounded her side of the mattress.

“Please don't call me that Vernon.” The ewe muttered. “I'd prefer to never be another mammal's boss for the rest of my life if it's possible.”

She heard the wolf chuckle softly as he shifted over to his side of the mattress, sliding his legs off the edge.

“Fair enough Mutton Chop.” The wolf said with a tired sigh as he ran a paw through his head fur. Dawn was just about to kneel down to pull her suitcase out from over the bed when the wolf glanced over his shoulder at the ewe. She could see a small smile curling across his muzzle.

“And thanks Dawn...” Vernon added. 

Dawn chuckled, a smile of her own forming as she quirked an eyebrow in mild confusion.

“Thanks?” Dawn asked. “For what?”

“Fer helpin' me wake up...” The wolf grinned. “A-and, fer last night.”

The ewe's smile widened, the sheep waiving an idle hoof at the wolf as she closed her eyes tightly. 

“Always Puppy Love.” Dawn cooed. “I-It was nothing, really.” Despite her attempt at downplaying her emotions on the surface, little moments like that still managed to make the ewe's heart swell in her chest. It was nice to be appreciated, even if it was for something so trivial as simply helping her mate get up on time.

“We're a team after all.” The ewe added as she knelt to the floor. “Even when it comes to the small stuff.”

Vernon nodded softly. “Wouldn't have it any other way Darlin'.” The wolf said with a contented sigh.

Gripping the case with both hooves, the ewe carefully pulled her suitcase out from under the bed. But as the case slid free of the dust ruffle, Dawn became acutely aware that something was off. As her eyes followed the zipper trail along the edge of her lavender suitcase, she could see the zipper was partially split. Both ends had been pulled back far enough to leave the case halfway open, but the ewe couldn't remember leaving it that way before heading to bed. 

“I hope we can get a Zoober.” Vernon muttered, drawing the ewe's attention off the suitcase and back to the wolf. Vernon was glancing at his phone, scanning the app as he flicked through menus with a thumb. 

“What's wrong?” Dawn asked. The ewe promptly dropping the hazy answer to what she considered a rather trivial question as she leaned against the bed.

“I forgot just how rural this place is despite being so close to Zootopia.” Vernon shrugged. “ Looks like there ain't a driver even close to comin' this way without jumpin' through a lot of hoops.”

Dawn winced. “W-well...what can we do?”

The wolf shrugged. “I guess we'll have to go with a taxi.” Vernon replied, the wolf continuing to scroll through pages on his phone as he spoke. “I know at least those should be runnin' out here from experience.” The wolf glanced back at Dawn, frowning slightly. “Provided at least one of 'em is still in business.”

Dawn scrunched her muzzle, biting the inside of her lip nervously.

“Well...” The ewe murmured, turning her attention to the clothes she had laid out for herself on the nightstand. Grasping at the fresh skirt from the stack, the ewe began to slip out of her pajama bottoms. “If none of the Zoober drivers run up this way, then it would stand to reason that they haven't chased the taxi companies out of this part of town, right?”

“Makes sense enough.” The wolf said, continuing to scroll through his options. “I just hope if I can find one that can get here about as fa-ah!” The wolf stopped, tapping something on the face of his phone with a claw. “Still active, we got one!”

Dawn let out a relieved sigh as she slipped into her fresh skirt. With that taken care of, she moved on to unbuttoning her top.

“I'm sure it will be fine.” Dawn shrugged. Inside the ewe was slightly nervous, but the bluff was more to keep the wolf at ease. “If he takes too long we could always agree to meet him at the edge of the road, right?”

“Hmm?” Vernon asked.

"Well, I mean I doubt if anyone woke up and found us gone, they'd think of walking out to the main road to look for us. So it's a good place to wait if the taxi is running late" Dawn continued, carefully buttoning up her polka-dotted blouse and straitening the collar as she spoke. "It would probably make us that much easier to spot for the driver too."

Vernon nodded softly. “Sound reasonin'.”

Dawn offered a meek smile as she slipped her deep navy blue blazer on over her blouse, giving her arms a brisk shake in order to better loosen the more restrictive fabric and allowing it to slip into place more comfortably. Seemingly satisfied with the feel of her jacket, the ewe took a few moments to attend to straightening her clothes. Adjusting and straightening her skirt and brushing away any lingering bits of lint that might have gotten stuck to it in the drawer in an effort to look at least somewhat presentable as they made their way back into the city.

"But do ya think we could get away with brewin' just a little bit of coffee?" The surprising comment caught the ewe off guard, and she turned to find the wolf hunched slightly further over himself as he wearily glanced back her way. The wolf let out a long, tongue curling yawn as he pawed lamely at his eyes. "I don't think my brain is any more up than it was five minutes ago..."

Dawn chuckled, shaking her head dismissively as she began to gather her used pajamas in her hooves.

“We'll have to wait till we get to the train station.” Dawn replied. “We can't take the chance of waking anybody up.”

Vernon groaned, running a paw down his face weakly. “They don't even have a Snarlbucks at that station...” The wolf lamented.

“Want me to do the talking?” Dawn gestured toward the phone in the wolf's paw, offering him a smirk.

Vernon wearily passed his cell phone over to the ewe with a shaking paw.

“I already hit dial...” Vernon mumbled, wiping at his eye with a paw as he tried to push himself off the bed. Dawn had to stifle a chuckle as she watched the wolf struggle to push away from mattress while she held the phone to her ear.

“Honestly Puppy...” Dawn giggled. “Not to pat myself on the back too much, but how did you manage to get up the last two mornings without me?”

With a loud grunt, the wolf finally managed to push himself to a standing position. Vernon ran a paw through his mane of fur as he glanced back in the ewe's direction.

“I didn't say I slept well, did I?” Vernon chuckled. “I grew up with those mutts, and I know from experience y'all can't let yer guard down around them fer a second when yer sleepin' or else you'll wake up with a mustache drawn on yer fur.”

Dawn could barely contain the giggle fit the wolf's statement had forced out of her. Pressing the mound of clothes she had been holding in her other arm against her mouth proved barely enough to contain the laughter, and the sight alone was clearly amusing to the wolf standing across from her. 

“Hello, Ritzi's taxi servoice, how can I helps ya?” The sudden voice on the other end of the line was enough to force the ewe into composure, at least for the most part. The mammal on the other end of the line sounded surprisingly like Ada, at least the accent did. But the tone was decidedly more masculine than hers, and significantly less enthusiastic sounding. The tired disinterest in the mammal's voice was palpable, and it gave the ewe momentary pause.

“Y-yes, hello...ahem.” Dawn cleared her throat in an attempt to shake of the lingering giggles. “I need an 'average sized' taxi to pick-up two mammals.”

"Average-sized is all we have ma'am." The voice replied dully. The ewe realized she should have expected as much. Compared to Zootopia's main districts, most other areas didn't have a great degree of selection when it came to accommodating the more unique species of Animalia. Generally speaking, they were largely limited to the size that accommodated the species with the biggest presence in the area. Of course, this being the North Meadowlands, the ewe couldn't be entirely sure if 'average' applied to wolves or sheep.

“I-Is that big enough for a wolf?” Dawn replied.

“If dey ain't bigger den six foot five, den yeah.” The operator replied.

“Great.” Dawn let out a sigh of relief. “How soon can you get here?”

"Depends on where we're pickin' you up." The edge on the mammal's voice seemed to rise with his reply. "Can't exactly send out a drivah wit no address, ma'am.” The operator had emphasized the title with a tone of derision usually reserved for mammal's that actually knew who she was, at least when she was fresh out of prison.

Dawn glanced across at her mate as the wolf sluggishly pulled a sweater over his head. His muzzle had yet to breach the surface, and Dawn could see the point of his nose bulging from different areas around the neck hole as he lethargically tried to guide it through.  
“Vernon, what is the address for the ranch?” Dawn asked, holding a hoof over the speaker.

“Mmhn, Twff, Oh, twff, rehd rake road.” The wolf muttered through the fabric.

The ewe nodded, the wolf's reply was muffled, but she was confident she had made it out.

“One three zero three red lake road?” Dawn murmured into the phone.

Vernon managed to finally squeeze his head through the neck of the sweater, running a paw through his fur as he let out a sigh.

“Toity-five minutes, give or take.” The voice replied. “I got a few drivers who know da area, so it shouldn't be a problem findin' youse.”

“Alright, that sound-” The ewe stopped as she heard the receiver on the other end disconnect. Pulling the phone away from her ear to inspect the face, the ewe confirmed that the operator had indeed hung up on her. Dawn grimaced, puffing her cheeks in irritation.

“Hmph, rude.” Dawn muttered. “He didn't even give me time to tell him what the driver should be looking for.”

"And they wonder why Zoober's puttin' 'em out o' business." She heard Vernon chuckle as the wolf began to slip into a pair of jeans. Vernon hopped lamely on one foot as he tried to guide the other into a pant leg. "I can't think of a time I had a pleasant experience takin' a cab anywhere."

Dawn let out a soft chuckle of her own as she placed the wolf's phone onto the bed.

“I don't think I ever had either.” The ewe mused as she returned to gathering the loose portions of her clothes back into her arms. Back in college, taxi travel had always been her last choice when it came to public transport. Every experience she could recount either had a rude driver, a smelly car, or some combination of the two. By comparison, Zootopia's subway systems were practically a paradise.

Kneeling back to the floor, the ewe's mind quickly returned to the state she had found her suitcase in as her eyes once again fell on the open zipper. Back to the lingering mystery it had left ruminating at the back of her mind. Something she found herself unable to fully shake despite just how minuscule it was.

“Vernon?” The ewe murmured.

“Hmm?” The wolf glanced over his shoulder as he continued to struggle with his jeans.  
The ewe paused as she mulled over whether it was something even worth asking the wolf about. Vernon most likely wouldn't know any more than she did. No, it was more than likely that the ewe had simply failed to close the suitcase the first time.

“Nevermind...” Dawn replied, pulling the zippers the rest of the way back. “It's not really important.”

Vernon gave the ewe a simple nod as she stuffed her pajamas into the suitcase and sealed it shut once again.

The rest of the preparations went by as quick as a flash. With the pair electing to skip the morning bathroom rituals in favor of taking care of them once they were back in Zootopia, they would be well ready with considerable time to spare before the taxi arrived. Time which they spent planning the quietest route possible to slink out of the ranch and remain unseen. After some debate, as well as having to contend with the fact that going down the stairs was an unavoidable prospect despite Vernon's assurance that he had been really good at climbing down the balcony as a pup, they had come to the conclusion that the best way to slip out would be through the back porch. While it would force them to pass by the kitchen, until the rest of the Hunters awoke it would be the path of least resistance. And even though it passed right by the boy's bedroom, it allowed them a great degree more coverage. 

The only alternative was the Ranch's main hall, which was probably the largest and most open room in the whole house. Connecting to the dining room and the hall, and only a simple doorway away from three bedrooms, six rooms total. Should even one of the Hunters poke their head out from any of those places during their attempt to sneak away, they would be caught red-hoofed. Not only that, but they could find themselves easily boxed in as the rest of the Hunter's filtered in around them due to whatever commotion being spotted by just one might brew up.

At least, that was how Vernon put it to Dawn. The words and phrasing the wolf used oddly reminiscent of some sort of military leader planning a complicated exit strategy to catch the enemy off guard. It was mildly off-putting to the ewe considering this was the wolf's family they were talking about. But the thought alone of facing the sullen faces of the Hunter females, especially Vanna and Audrey's, was more than enough to drive the ewe to take the wolf's talk seriously. If she found herself caught under such a gaze, she knew she would be rendered powerless before them.

Slipping out of the bedroom quietly was the easy part, especially with Vernon shouldering the weight of the suitcases on his shoulders to keep Dawn's roller case from making any excess noise. Considering it was as big, if not bigger than the ewe herself it was quite an impressive feat, at least in Dawn's eyes. 

Yet the wolf didn't even sweat as they slowly crept past the girl's bedroom, maintaining the balance of the heavy case on his shoulders with almost flawless precision. Before the ewe knew it they had reached the spiral stairs that lead into the main hall of the Hunter home. 

It took considerably more time to make their way down the large set of stairs, Dawn leading the way as Vernon carefully followed behind. The tight space had forced them to walk down single file, and while Dawn had an easy time of it because of how comparatively light she was to the other mammals in the house, Vernon struggled with each step. The wolf moved like a sloth, paying careful attention to just how much pressure he applied to each step as he snuck along behind her. After all, with all the weight he was carrying, one wrong move was certain to force a creak out of the old wooden stairs. And whether that would be enough of a noise to grab one of the sleeping Hunter pack member's attention was too big a risk in the wolf's eyes. Still, when all was said and done, the ewe felt like a solid ten minutes had passed before both mammals had their feet firmly planted on the ground floor. Dawn let out a quiet sigh of relief as Vernon gently slipped her bag to the floor, the wolf taking a moment to collect himself.

They were halfway there, so nearly in the clear. 

"We'll move slowly down the hall." Vernon whispered to the diminutive ewe. "Extra quiet around the boy's room, okay?" The wolf quirked an eyebrow. "You remember what I said about sleepin' in there?"

“T-that you couldn't sleep well because you were always on your guard?” The ewe asked timidly.

“Yeah, and I ain't the only one.” Vernon continued. “Those fella's are trained officers, and a part of that training is ingrained in them.” The wolf murmured softly. “It's something they can't turn off at this point.”

Dawn nodded softly.

“If somethin' sounds off to 'em, even subconsciously, it may be enough to wake 'em up.” Vernon whispered. “So try yer best to just walk smoothly.”

Dawn gulped audibly. Why did every part of this plan sound so deadly serious and menacing? It was enough to make the ewe think back to the various romanticized novels she had read about 'the Great War.' Tales of mammals trapped behind enemy lines, trying desperately to live long enough to return home to the family and friends they were forced to leave behind, and knowing that one wrong move or audible utterance could be met with a bayonet in the back. The ewe took in a deep breath of air, filling her lungs to bursting before gritting her teeth determinedly. They were going to get out of here, they were going to get home. Worrying about where to even begin fixing this was a problem left to the hooves of future Dawn. 

Letting out the air in one, slow exhale, the ewe felt her thoughts and fears drift away as her mind grew clear. She could do this.

The ewe glanced up at her mate, giving the wolf an affirmative nod as he slung the pair's bags over his shoulder once more.

“Alright, let's do this.”

Slowly the couple crept through the hall, slowing even more as they neared the door where presumably the other six Hunter males now slept. As the ewe grew close enough to pass by the actual entrance to the room, she moved as close to the opposite wall as she could without leaning into it, giving the Hunter bedroom a wide berth as she attempted to take Vernon's statement to heart. She was nearly halfway across when Vernon's arm suddenly blocked her path, pressing her against the wall protectively. 

Dawn glanced up in surprise to find the wolf pressed against the wall just as firmly, his eyes focused down the hall. Vernon's fangs were on display as he grimaced tightly.

“V-Vernon?”

“Do you hear that?” The wolf whispered to the point where he was barely audible.

At first, the ewe was unsure of just what he meant. But as she tilted an ear up, she managed to pick up the tiniest hint of a sound. It was a continuous, droning sound, muffled by distance and room presumably.

“Y-yes?” Dawn replied quietly. “What is that?”

Vernon held a finger up to his lips, before releasing his grip around the ewe and gingerly gesturing her forward. Dawn hesitated momentarily, the mysterious sound drawing back the lingering fears and worries she had only monetarily forced out with a soothing breath. Was it something like the fridge motor? Or perhaps the dishwasher? The ewe could only pray as much as she found herself gulping again. After all, the only alternative was...

The sound grew louder as they cleared the bedroom, now broken up with an uneven, cascading series of sounds on top of the droning. To Dawn, it sounded like splashing. As if water was flowing, and being manipulated by something.

“Water...” The pair said, practically in unison. Dawn and Vernon traded a brief, nervous glance before turning their attention to the edge of the hall, right where the kitchen and porch connected to it. The sound was definitely coming from the kitchen, and the splashing certainly didn't sound automated.

“Who could be up at this hour?” Vernon murmured as the two continued to slink down the hallway toward the edge of the kitchen.

“Your mother?” Dawn asked.

This time the gulp had come from Vernon. The wolf ran a shaky paw through his head fur. “C-can't be.”

Dawn quirked an eyebrow at the wolf. He sounded uncertain of his own words.

“You sure?” Dawn asked.

“Five thirty is too early.” Vernon replied. “Even fer her.”

“Then who's-?” Dawn asked, only for the wolf to cut her off by holding a finger to his lips. They were right near the edge now, where the sound was the loudest. Joining the increasingly loud sounds of running water, and the uneven sloshing of it splashing around, the ewe could make out the clanking of plates and silverware.

“Someone's doing dishes?” Dawn thought to herself.

Vernon glanced at the ewe, his features taking on a stoic and serious expression.

“I'll take a peek.” The wolf spoke barely above a whisper.

Dawn nodded softly, unable to stop from twisting her hooves together nervously. They were so close now, and of course just at the last minute, they had to run into a complication. The ewe could feel the flush of panic return in full as she braced herself more tightly to the wall, electing to grip her hooves along the edge of the door frame.

Just who was it? Who was up this early doing dishes of all things? There was a part of her that was terrified of having their cover blown, but the ewe's curiosity was tugging at her mind in equal measure. She needed to see as much as Vernon did if she stood any chance of helping. The ewe took in another deep breath of air, her eyes fixed on Vernon as the wolf waited to strike.

As soon as he poked his head around the corner, the ewe moved to do the same, jutting the top of her head around the hardwood frame in one smooth, fluid motion as she continued to hold her breath. But the sight was nearly enough to make her force all the air out in a sharp gasp. There was indeed someone washing dishes. A dusky gray wolf stood hunched over the sink, muttering quietly to himself.

“Who is-”

A sudden crash. A hard cluttering noise made the ewe nearly jump out of her wool as she drew back behind the edge of the wall so quickly she fell onto her rump. The ewe winced, rubbing her back as she turned her attention to the source of the noise. Glancing across the room she could see her suitcase had spilled onto the floor and slid across the archway. Vernon's head was still frozen in place, jutting out around the corner of the kitchen with a look of heightened terror plastered on his face.

The wolf had dropped Dawn's case.

“Vern?” It was Wade's voice,

“W-wade?” The wolf replied, his tone filled with overwhelming shock, and just a hint of fear. “W-why are you up s-so early?”

They were busted. The plan had been compromised. There was no longer any real sense in trying to stay hidden now. Perhaps at the very least she and Vernon could try to salvage the escape by convincing Wade not to tell anyone they were leaving if they explained the situation quickly enough.

"And why are you doin' dishes?" The wolf continued, in a confused tone that told the ewe even he wasn't sure why he was asking. Perhaps he was still in shock, and his sleep-deprived brain was struggling to come up with an out. Either way, she could tell he was probably going to need her help to talk his way out of this situation.

Dawn stuck her head back out from around the corner, catching sight of the gray wolf as he offered the pair a meek smile. The wolf scratched the back of his neck with a dripping wet, gloved paw.

“O-Oh...” Wade grinned weakly. “T-that?”

The gray wolf's smile widened as he closed his eyes.

“It's err...kind of my punishment...” Wade admitted.

“Punishment?” Vernon replied. “What fer?”

Wade rolled his eyes, his grin growing increasingly uncomfortable as he seemed to struggle to explain himself.

“Fer lyin' to ma...” The wolf winced, his ears sagging sharply as he spoke. “You know...about Giselle?”

“Ah...” Vernon cooed, his tone starting to even out as the wolf appeared to be calming down. “Right...”

“Yeah, I'm gonna be handlin' most of today's chores thanks to that...” The wolf sighed. “And there's that much more to do because...” Wade trailed off, his eyes widening for just a moment before a rather inquisitive look overtook his features. The dowdy gray wolf placed a paw to his chin as he squinted in the direction of the pair.

“W-why are you two up so early?” Wade asked.

“I uh-.” Vernon stuttered. Dawn watched the wolf's mouth open and close, wordless motions and soundless responses filling the gap as his mind clearly struggled to think of some excuse. They were running out of time, and Vernon was already running on fumes. It was time for Dawn to take the initiative.

Dawn stepped forward, entering the kitchen from around the large wolf still peeking into the room from overhead. The ewe struck as confident a stance as she could muster as she prepared a response for her brother-in-law.

“Wade...” Dawn said sadly. “Vernon and I, well...” The ewe took a deep breath, trying her best to dredge up the necessary courage to continue as she stared down the concerned looking wolf. “We...”

“I hope y'all two weren't thinkin' of leavin' early...” Dawn froze at the sound of that familiar voice. A mixture of terror and shame coursing through her veins she suddenly found herself paralyzed. It was clear Wade was not the only member of the Hunter family who was awake.

“At least not a'fore the big party we've been workin' on.” Audrey grinned knowingly as she entered the kitchen from the dining room, the she-wolf crossing her arms confidently as she eyed the petite ewe who now stood across from her.

Dawn tried to speak, to even confirm what she was seeing by simply saying the she-wolf's name. But much like her mate, while her mouth was moving, the words just wouldn't come. Sure, her brain was firing at a mile a minute now, her head swirling fractured plans and concepts in a frenzied attempt to still pull the sinking ship that was their escape out of the water. But the connection from her brain to anywhere else in her body had been severed the instant Audrey's eyes had locked onto her own.

“HEY! WHAT THE!?” Dawn whipped around without even being fully aware of it only to find Vernon pinned to the hardwood floor of the hall. The wolf was being held down and restrained by Trenton and Zach, while Yuri wrapped the wolf's paws in what looked like zip-ties. Vernon squirmed and writhed beneath the weight of the wolves on top of him, biting at the floor as he glared back at them.

“WHAT IN OLDWYN'S GREAT GRAY BEAR D'Y'ALL THINK YER DOIN'!?!” Vernon spat as Yuri continued to work the makeshift cuffs.

“Not too tight Yuri.” Trenton scolded.

“Oh I'm sorry, I fergot. I'm a plumber, right?” The wolf replied with a sneer. “Don't tell me how to do my job! Especially shit I've done a million times by now.”

"Correct me if I'm wrong." Dawn watched as Xavier crossed behind the cluster of mammals, squatting carefully as he inspected the dark-furred wolf's handiwork. "But I believe Ada said one of the most common complaints to come up when it came to being 'reprimanded' by your superiors was just how tightly you tied these sort of restraints." The gray and white wolf adjusted his glasses with a paw. "Torn fur and wrist lacerations seem to be your forte, at least when it comes to what should be considered 'easy apprehensions'."

Yuri growled softly, but his eyes remained fixed on his fastidious paws.

"Not to mention." Zach piped up, flashing the wolf a half-lidded glare as he spoke. "Yer history with all of us, especially Vern, ain't exactly one to inspire faith in-"

"YOU'RE THE ONES WHO ASKED ME TO DO THIS!" Yuri snapped. "SO SHUT UP AND LET ME WORK ALRIGHT!?"

“Chose?!” Vernon spat. “Wha-”

“Well we weren't gonna let you be the one to handle the pin, not after yesterday.” Trent responded.

The black wolf scoffed.

“Would some mammal please tell me...” Vernon muttered. “Just. What. The. Rut. Is. Going. ON!?”

“Dawn!” The ewe snapped back to catch sight of Vanna entering the room, the rest of the Hunter girls following close behind. For the most part, the group of mammals seemed to be just as distressed by the scene that was unfolding as Dawn was. All of them, save for Ada, sharing concerned and sympathetic expressions as their eyes darted from one group of mammals to the other. Ada on the other hoof, seemed to be rather aloof about the commotion, the hyena taking a moment to stretch her back as she smiled at the mass of wolves writhing in the hall.

“This was your brilliant 'Vernon plan'?” Vanna asked, clasping a paw to her forehead in irritation.

“It worked didn't it?” Yuri snapped back. 

Ada gave a disinterested shrug. “I suppose youse can't argue wit results.”

“Considering how we caught him, what other options did we have?” Zach replied. “I mean, they were going to try to slip out while we were asleep, just like Ully predicted!”

“Didn't he predict that the sheep 'mothership' would come to extract them too?” Qali chirped innocently.

“True...” Xavier replied. “Still, he was partially right.” The wolf pressed his glasses further up onto his snout. “Then again, considering the circumstances I'm sure Vernon didn't think they had a lot of options to choose from. So it was only natural that something like this was a possibility.”

“Either way. If they were going to choose to sneak out, there was no way he was going to come along willingly.” Zach grinned confidently up at his mate. “This was the only way.”

Vanna let out a tired sigh. “I-I guess?” The tigress muttered, pressing her index and forefinger to her brow. “Ugh...I'm sorry Dawn.” The large feline glanced the ewe's way.

“Y-you...knew?” The ewe muttered dumbly as her senses began to return. Dawn wasn't sure if the rest of the Hunter pack had somehow become aware of the full picture. If they actually knew about the fight between Dorian and Vernon, or what was said. But somehow, without the pair even leaving so much a hint to go on themselves, the Hunter brood had deduced exactly what she and Vernon had decided to do, as well as route the pair were going to take, and how best to intercept them based on that possibility. It was an astonishing feat. Then again, the ewe remembered that they were dealing with six mammals who worked exclusively in the realm of investigation to varying degrees. As amazing as it was, it wasn't all that illogical that they could be found out. But still, the ewe could barely grasp what was happening. Why were they all here? To stop them from leaving? To go as far as restraining Vernon to keep them here? Why?

“W-What is going on?!” Dawn asked, the ewe's concerned tone had grown slightly in confidence as she glanced back up at the she-wolf. 

“I can't tell ya too much Darlin'.” Audrey chuckled. “It would spoil the surprise.”

“Surprise?” Dawn stuttered in disbelief. Glancing back at her mate, she could see the wolf continue to squirm as Yuri crawled off of his back. Trenton and Zach pulled Vernon to his feet, trying their hardest to keep a firm grip as the wolf desperately writhed for freedom.

“Did pa put you up to this!? HUH!?” Vernon spat, snapping his jaws at Trenton. “Bad enough he won't let Dawn be a part of this pack! But now he's actually goin' as far as seperatin' us by force!?” Dawn could see the rage burning in Vernon's eyes as he snarled, an intense fire that seemed to burn just as strongly as it had during his fight with Yuri the previous day.

“Vernon, it's not that, please calm do-.”

“You too ma?” Vernon turned his glare to the she-wolf. The ire fading for a moment as his eyes began to fill with tears. “H-He got to you too?”

Audrey's expression deflated in an instant. Her confident, knowing expression morphing into something more akin to sympathy mixed with uncertainty. Audrey raised a shaky paw to her muzzle. The wolfess stopping just short of clasping it to her mouth as she seemed to get a hold of herself.

“N-now Vernon, it ain't like that.” Audrey replied.

“Then what is it like!?” Vernon snapped back. “What is going on!?”

The she-wolf briskly shook her head. “I can't tell y'all.”

Vernon returned to his violent wriggling.

“But I can tell ya yer father has nothin' to do with this!” Audrey continued, the she-wolf seeming to regain some degree of her former confidence as she took a step forward.

“Oh please, he ca-!”

“Vernon!” The she-wolf's voice was firm, her previously saddened expression melting back into a determined glare. “Would I lie to you about that!?”

With that, the wolf 's struggling slowed as he quirked a brow in clear confusion.

"I-I..." Vernon murmured, glancing at the wolves flanking his sides momentarily before looking back to the she-wolf with glimmering eyes. Dawn watched him take in a slow breath, his back rising softly as his struggling came to a stop before the wolf let out a shaky exhale.

“A-alright...” Vernon mumbled. “I'm calm.” The wolf sniffled sharply, clearly trying his best to stifle the tears that were just at the surface.

“I trust you ma...” The wolf muttered.

Despite the she-wolf clearly getting the answer she was looking for, Dawn could see a hint of pain in her expression as Vernon's words landed. It didn't take a Hunter's intuition to tell Dawn, at least from this close-up, that something about that reply was bothered Audrey. The ewe got the distinct feeling that Audrey was holding something back. It was something the ewe wanted to press upon, but before she could speak Audrey took back control of the conversation.

“T-then you'll trust me when I ask y'all to keep those cuff on ya till you fellas get to the tux and tailor place.” Audrey asked.

“Tux and tailor?” Vernon and Dawn had spoken in unison, their tone sharing an equal degree of confusion as they eyed Audrey.

“Of course.” That voice was startlingly familiar, so much so that Dawn's mind seemed to go dark the instant she heard it. The sheer impossibility of the mammal she associated with that warm, wizened and caring tone actually being present causing the ewe to suffer a temporary short when it came to her mental processes.

“It wouldn't be much of a celebration if you weren't dressed for the part now would it?” Clover spoke as she entered the kitchen, making her way between the rest of the Hunter females as she walked up to her daughter. “And that goes for you too Dawn.” Clover chuckled softly. 

“M-Mom?” Dawn asked, the words slipping out thoughtless as the ewe struggled to comprehend the fact that her mother was standing before her.

Clover nodded softly. 

“Hi sweetie.” Clover replied, the ewe smiling warmly at her slightly shorter daughter. 

The two ewes fell silent for what seemed like minutes, the murmuring of mammals quickly following suit as Dawn stared back at her mother in mute shock. The noiseless kitchen growing more and more unnerving as the silence lingered. 

But it was when Clover opened her arms, inviting the ewe forward that Dawn's mind seemed to power through the block the disbelief had created. Her mother was there, she was truly standing before her. For whatever reason, she had come out to see her at the ranch, and it made Dawn's heart feel as though it had swelled to bursting. The lamb hadn't felt so happy to see her mother since getting out of the hospital. And while in retrospect it hadn't been that long ago, after the weekend she and Vernon had endured, the ewe felt as though she hadn't seen her in years.

Dawn buried her face into her mother's shoulder, crying softly as she hugged the older ewe tightly. Clover quickly returned the hug in kind, pulling the petite ewe deeper into the emotional embrace.

“Are you okay my dear?” Clover asked.

“I am, I a-am.” Dawn coughed, the ewe struggling to keep from sobbing through her sentences. “I-I'm just so glad to see you!”

The ewe sniffled harshly trying to stem her tears as she pulled away just far enough to inspect her mother more adequately.

“W-why are you here?” Dawn asked, her lip still quivering softly as she tried to calm herself down.

Clover smiled softly, bringing a paw to the smaller ewe's cheek and caressing it with a finger.

“I'm afraid I can't say too much on that my dear.” Clover replied. “But I'm sure you'll figure it out soon enough.”

“Considerin' where we're headin' right after this, it'll be kind of hard fer her not to figure it out won't it?” Audrey added, flashing the older ewe a playful smirk.

“I suppose.” Clover mused, “But we'll cross that bridge when we get there.” The older ewe gave her daughter's cheek a playful tap before breaking the hug. 

“For now we better get a move on and explain what we can on the way.” Clover said, clapping her hooves together excitedly. “We haven't a moment to waste.”

Audrey grinned widely at the older ewe before turning her attention to the group of mammals at large.

"Clover is right! Audrey announced. "We gotta get movin' if we're gonna make this thing go off without a hitch on such short notice!"

With that, Audrey pointed a sharp, commanding claw toward the porch exit where Dawn and Vernon had planned to escape through just moments before.

“I want all of ya'll to head outside.” Audrey barked, the she-wolf smiling gleefully as she did so. “Trent and you boys are takin' my pick-up.”

“Wait, yer seperatin' us!?” Vernon asked, letting out a soft whine as he pulled against Trenton's grip. It wasn't enough of an effort to pull free, but enough to put the white wolf back on his guard as he gripped Vernon's shoulder.

Audrey shook her head dismissively.

“Can't be helped.” Audrey replied. “But don't worry about it, we're all meetin' back here in the afternoon.” 

“B-But! But!” Vernon squirmed, and the two wolves at his sides proceeded to apply more force to hold him that much more still. Dawn could see the start of fresh tears in the wolf's eyes as he looked to her for help, his expression a visible mixture of worry and fear. It drew Dawn's thoughts immediately back to the nightmare the wolf had the night before. The way all those mammals had been pulling at him, trying to rip the pair apart by force as Vernon struggled to hold on to her. It was clear the current situation was tugging at that fresh, raw memory that had been imprinted on the wolf's mind. The parallel of being restrained and separated drawing on that terrible fear.

“I-It's okay Vernon.” Dawn said, slowly walking up to the wolf. Vernon's struggling ceased as the ewe approached, Dawn wrapping her arms around his legs tightly as she hugged him. 

“I'll admit I'm not one-hundred percent sure what is going on.” Dawn said softly as she glanced up at the worried looking wolf. “But I already told you I'm not going anywhere.” Dawn said, offering the wolf a meek smile.

“B-But Dawn-.” Vernon whimpered.

The ewe cut him off.

“Vernon, do you really think your brothers and sisters would try to separate us, really?” Dawn asked. “They support us, remember?”

“B-but!” The wolf spat.

“I told ya to trust me Vernon.” Audrey piped up. “And y'all can trust that I wouldn't let anyone try to force ya to split up permanently.” The she-wolf's statement was confident and sharp, and it only served to bolster the ewe's confidence that much more in response.

“Just try to relax.” Dawn murmured. “Audrey told us we'd all meet back here later, remember?”

Dawn continued to watch the wolf, waiting for an answer as Vernon's pupils darted from mammal to mammal. It was clear he was trying to better appraise the situation as he mulled over his reply.

“Besides.” Dawn added. “If anyone did try anything, you know I'd always find a way back to you.” The ewe said with a smirk. “I may be small, but I can be scrappy.”

Dawn watched as the wolf tried to fight smiling, but it was a war he couldn't win as a small smirk forced its way to the surface.

“A-Alright Honey Lamb.” Vernon said with a sigh. “Alright...we'll see where this goes.”

“Don't really have a choice in this situation Vern.” Zach said with a chuckle, giving the wolf's restraints a pat.

“Alright.” Audrey announced, taking control of the conversation back as the Hunter pack turned their attention her way. “So as I was sayin', boys are takin' the pick-up. That includes Malcolm this time around.” Audrey continued, placing her paws on her hips. 

“And gals will be ridin' in the pie van.” The she-wolf concluded.

“The pie van?” Dawn asked, breaking her grasp around Vernon's legs. “It seems like it would be harder for all the boys to fit in the pick-up when compared to us though.”

"Hold on, almost-!" Dawn heard another voice call out from beyond the kitchen. Turning her attention to the dining room entryway, the ewe watched as a red-haired mammal's head slowly popped out from the top of the door. It was bending down slightly, as if it had come from the ceiling of the dining hall and had to bend sharply in order to actually get into the kitchen door frame. Of course, that made a great degree of sense when Dawn realized just who it was who joined them.

“There!” Giselle let out a sharp sigh of relief as she tried to shake the hair out of her eyes. “S-Sorry it took me so long to catch up.” Giselle muttered awkwardly. “I couldn't really figure out just how to get through the dinin' hall.”

“O-oh.” Dawn murmured, turning her attention back to the she-wolf. “R-right, I forgot about Giselle.”

Audrey chuckled softly.

"There ain't no way my pick-up's suspension would survive that gal." The she-wolf replied.

“Goodness...” Clover muttered. “How did you even manage to get that girl inside your house?”

"I'm more concerned as to how we're gonna get her out again." Audrey replied.


	45. Always a Bridesmaid

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Forty-Five: Always a Bridesmaid

Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. It was a turn-of-phrase Dawn was all too familiar with, and for the later half of her life it had grown to be a fate the ewe had ultimately resigned herself to. Dawn had never been a social butterfly. She had always been a tiny little thing, naturally shy and timid because of her size and bookish interests. And the way her father treated her throughout her formative years only served to make her that much more fearful of interacting with others, especially those of the 'predator' persuasion. Even in the case of her darling 'Puppy', the real effort of forging a friendship had largely fallen to the naturally friendly little wolf. She could remember the way he had looked her, his eyes free of judgment, and his smile open and honest. There was no agenda behind his kindness, no air of putting up with Dawn for whatever personal gain it would garner him as she would experience with later so called 'friends'. It was as if he didn't see her as a social disaster, a waste of space. He simply saw her as someone who needed a friend. 

Of course the ewe sometimes wondered if she would be able to recall her only true friendship at all had it not been for the work of her therapist, along with the rekindling of that same relationship with the very wolf in question. The once faded, hazy imagery now vivid and bright in her mind now that it was free from being suppressed.

After Vernon, Dawn's social skills spiraled even further downward as the teasing and jeering escalated. The name calling and general distaste for the lamb growing more intricate and complex as she progressed through her grades, as well as her desire to simply blend in with the surroundings in order to remain unseen. It was a time in her life especially devoted to books, a combination of focusing on her studies in preparation for career path her father had ultimately chosen for her, as well a means of escape from her largely miserable life. 

It was toward the tail end of college that Dawn learned just how important 'networking' was in terms elevating you status politically. Meeting and discussing things with like-minded mammals of influence and power, trading favors to build a reciprocal relationship. The game of faking friendships to garner political favor was something the ewe had to work hard at to even give the most basic of outward appearances that she knew what she was doing in that department. 

It was the one thing Dawn could credit to learning from Lionheart when the young mammal had latched on to her during her first few months doing civil service work after leaving college and arriving in Zootopia proper. A little 'trade secret' is what he had called it, although it should have been a major red-flag for the ewe as to the lion's own facade when it came to how he had treated her at the onset.

“Nobody likes each other in politics Bellwether.” She could still recall him saying. “But the art of pretending to get along can take you far in this line of work. And even the politician with the cleanest nose in the game won't get far without learning how to lie for appearances sake.”

Of course, Dawn had never considered herself a very good liar. And looking back on it now, she still didn't see herself as very convincing. Although it pained her to admit it, the best act she had ever managed to put on was during the whole 'night howler' affair, and it was largely due to her burning hatred of Lionheart that kept her on track. Had a mammal like Judy ever suspected her early on, or actually asked pointed questions her way, Dawn was certain she would have cracked within minutes.

Even so, her time spent on the way to the campaign trail would slowly net her a number of vague acquaintances, mostly thanks to her association with the Lionheart, the 'rising star' in terms of political candidates at the time. The fact that most of the female mammals in the political scene saw him as a 'heartthrob' acted as an easy in for Dawn, even if it lead to some...'rather uncomfortable' lines of questioning. Still, over time, the ewe managed to carve out some vague presence among the mammals within Zootopia's political scene. But in order to sustain those relationships, Dawn often found herself having to go through the motions of upkeep work. Baby showers, birthdays, and of course, weddings.

Oh the weddings. It always hurt the ewe the worst to be forced to attend the wedding of some mammal she barely knew and pretend to be happy for them. To force a smile on her muzzle as she was handed off the most hideous bridesmaid dress she had ever seen, and be expected to wear it. Dresses that, somehow despite the odds, seemed to get worse with each affair she was required to attend. Forced to watch so many happy ewes with more wool than brains managing to snag rams that appeared to Dawn to be the pinnacle of Ramlyness. Well spoken, kind, handsome, everything she had wanted in mate for herself, the kind of mammal she had dreamed of since the moment she finished reading her first romance novel. The kind she would pretend to marry in mock ceremonies when she was a young teenager, in the late hours when she was sure her parents were asleep. Back when her head was still filled with the wild and endless possibilities that were presented to her by her dreams.

But Dawn knew better by then. As bitter of a pill as it was to swallow at the time, the ewe was more than aware that she had little to offer her dream mate in terms of looks and charisma. With her diminutive, runtish stature, dowdy sense of fashion, and timid tone of voice, there was no way she could compete with the ewes she had to watch get married again and again. So full of excitement and life, with figures built to match that apparent tenacity and confidence. 

It made every ceremony that much more painful to endure, each event slowly and agonizingly killing off yet another dream of hers, like every other one in her life. But at least, at the time she still felt she had a chance of making a difference with her career. The path that would open up all the previous closed doors, and maybe, just maybe lead to some semblance of joy at the end. The last bastion of a dream she clung to desperately to prevent her from completely slipping into the growing well of bitter jealousy and anger toward the more fortunate around her. The flame that would completely consume her when fed the last of the kindling from what remained of her hopes and dreams.

Prison was the last straw, at least in terms of Dawn having any foolish notions of finding a mate. As unlikely as her prospects had seemed before, her tainted name would surely make it impossible. And despite Dr.Gnu doing his best to instill the ewe with some degree of confidence in that regard, it was the one little sliver of hope that the ewe found herself unable to grasp back on to. So instead, she tried to remain focused on using her freedom to simply try to make Zootopia a better place than she had attempted to leave it, at least in some small way. The loneliness would simply act as an added layer of penance to keep the ewe's sights set on her promise to herself. On her promise to Don and Dr.Gnu. 

Yet despite how much she had attempted to blot the thought from her mind, her dreams remained a painful reminder of that lingering romantic spirit that had once dwelt within the ewe. Visions of those nights spent sneaking up to the attic when she was twelve and digging her mothers old wedding dress out of the hardwood trunk persisted between the nights when she wasn't being tormented by her crimes. The ewe could still recall how poorly her mother's considerably larger dress fit her adolescent form, but never the less Dawn put on the little show for herself, the ewe hiking up the pale white and lavender fringed dress as she carefully moved throughout the attic. Her younger self carefully miming through the vows as she imagined a tall, kind, handsome ram standing across from her. An imaginary mate that swore his love and honor to her in each performance without fail, and promised to whisk her away from all the pain and misery growing up as Aster's prodigy entailed. From all the bitter mammals at school and their hateful words, to those who had used her for her intellect before tossing her aside.

Although at that point the dreams had begun to mix in the modern take on those same promises. The same handsome ram in her dream now promising to free her from the judgmental eyes and words of her fellow Zootopians, to protect her from any mammal who would seek to do her harm because of her past 'mistakes'. 

But like always, the ewe would awake to find the same dingy apartment in Seaside Towers waiting for her. The peeling wallpaper and musty smell being the only stimuli to greet her on those cold, dark nights. Her large bed seeming that much larger without the comforting presence of another mammal to share it with her. 

In that way, it made such a dream that much more painful to endure than waking from on of her nightmares. At least, when finding herself drawn to that terrible place, trapped in the pit with her primal self, she could wake up to find that it hadn't been real. As vivid as it all had seemed, it was not reality, and that much was a relief. But the same sense of reality proved to be a double edged sword when the ewe found herself waking from that warm, comforting vision. That lovely image of her dream mammal, and the warmth of just being close to him, snapped away in a flash by a sobering does of the true reality. Dawn Bellwether the runt, the felon, the disgrace, that was a mammal it was impossible to love. And so, each time she was pulled from that warm, inviting dream and back into reality, the ewe was forced to swallow back her own tears as she tried to force herself to accept that such a thing would never be in the cards for her. That the time had come to accept that a wedding would never be in her future. After all, she deserved to be unloved after what she tried to do to Zootopia. What she had done to all those innocent mammals. It was another bitter pill of truth she forced herself to swallow. 

Of course Dr. Gnu tried to sway her from exploring such a negative mindset when it came to dealing with her dreams. That negativity, according to him was probably the greatest food source when it came to her nightmares. And allowing such negative thoughts to pervade her waking life would only make it that much harder to actually move forward with her life. While it was good that she had accepted what she had done, continuously berating herself over it and actively reaffirming that if anything bad happened to her it was deserved only served to form roadblocks in her progress. Being content, being happy, they were skills that took time to master. And the first step involved trying to open herself up to the possibility that she, like all mammals, deserved loved, and to love herself. To see those flowery dreams, while exaggerated, as the seed from which her crushed hopes could once again begin to take root. It was time for her to live again, and while feeling remorse for her actions was certainly warranted, There was no need to close herself off to positive things in life by already condemning herself as undeserving of the.

And as if to reinforce Dr. Gnu's assessment, Vernon found his way into her life again. A wolf, the most unlikely of mammals, seemed to find value in her. Cared for her as a friend, and if he could care for her, than why couldn't she care for herself and for him? And as her feelings for the wolf began to grow and develop, the ewe's haunting dream began to change. Now, where the imaginary ram once stood, Vernon had taken his place. The wolf reaching out to her with the same warm and friendly smile he had when they had first met. It was something the little adolescent ewe that had been playing pretend in her attic all those years ago could have scarcely conceived. Her perfect mate, the ram she was meant to be with, might never have been a ram in the first place. But with each recurring version of the dream it felt more and more natural, more right. As if that was what she had always wanted, even if she had never truly known it before. 

Each time Vernon would take her tiny, trembling hoof in his paw as he knelt to meet her face to face; the wolf taking great care in brushing the veil away from her face as his deep green eyes met her own. And as Dawn struggled to hold back her tears, Vernon would tell her that she deserved to be loved, and that he had always loved her, and always would. 

A dream that only became more powerful, vivid, and real as that forbidden love slipped free of the confines of her mind, and met the wolf's own love in kind. Despite the species difference, despite her past, the wolf had come to love her just as she had come to love him, and suddenly the dead embers of that abandoned dream began to smolder once again. A new hope springing from the kindling her 'Puppy Love' now carefully tended to, resurrecting it from the ashes.

But despite it all, Dawn still found it hard to truly imagine that day. The day when she and Vernon would truly make her dream a reality. With all their talk and discussions, the idea still seemed so far away. An intangible concept with no weight to it. Wisps of smoke that had only been further smothered by Dorian's actions in regards to their tithing. 

It was that thought alone that forced tears to the ewe's eyes every time she looked down at the dress that now clung to her body. The ill-fitted dress she could recall from her nights spent in the attic from so long ago. The same pale white silken strapless gown that still didn't fit quite right, forcing Dawn to hold it up around her bust as she watched her mother continue to take in the waistline. Dawn ran her fingers over the lilac colored fringes of one of her sleeves, the ornately stitched pattern of wild flowers making up the fringes on the flowing arm holes. She was wearing her mother's dress. And her dream was coming to pass. She was going to marry Vernon.

Dawn let out a choking sob as her efforts to hold back the tears faltered under the emotional weight of the reality of the situation. It was happening. After everything she and Vernon had withstood to make it to this point, they were finally here. Audrey, her sisters, everyone in Vernon's family save Dorian had gone out of their way to make this happen for them. To make sure that at the very least, Dawn would have her dream wedding with everyone who cared deeply for her and Vernon present. It was still so hard to accept, for her mind to truly grasp that for once she wasn't dreaming. In just a few short hours her wedding would be a dream no more.

“Oh Dawn my dear, please don't s-start crying again.” Clover said, the older ewe stopping her stitch work to glance up at her daughter. Clover swabbed at an eye, shifting her purple cats-eye lenses out of the way briefly as she tried to force back a sniffle.

“If you start crying again, then' I'm g-g-going to start crying again...” Clover continued, gesturing a rolling motion with her hoof.

“And then I won't be able to see through all the tears, and we'll never get this dress done in time!” Clover said, letting out a trembling chuckle.

Dawn let out a shuddering laugh of her own, swabbing at her eyes in an effort to stem the rising tide of tears.

“I-I'm sorry Mom...” Dawn whimpered. “I'm just so...I'm so...” The ewe could barely finish her sentence as she pressed a hoof more tightly to her eye behind her lenses. She could feel a renewed surge of tears bubbling up as she struggled to speak.

“Geeze, enough wit da waterwoiks Plush.” Ada said with a laugh. The hyeness was seated across from the two ewe's in one of several arm chairs that had been strewn about the center room of the relatively empty bridal boutique. The large mammal was already dressed in her own mostly fitted lavender bridesmaid gown. It was a relatively simple affair. A sleeveless, strapless gown with fringes similar to Dawn's own wedding dress, albeit much less ornate in comparison. Around the waist Ada wore a silk sash that was supposed to act as a sort of belt, but the flowing garment had yet to be tied firm to the hyena' middle.

Despite the humor in the tone of Ada's voice, she looked fairly uncomfortable as she squirmed slightly in her seat. The fact that the hyeness kept tugging at her bust line was more than enough to indicate that she felt rather constricted in her dress.

“You ain't gonna have any tears left ta cry out at da actual weddin' at dis rate!” The hyena made a motion as if she were going to slap at her own knee but stopping just shy of doing so. She glanced at her dress uneasily for a moment before returning to a more comfortable position and picking up where she left off. “And dat ain't gonna look so good if ol' Puppy's bawlin' his eyes out and your eyes are drier dan Sahara Square.”

Dawn giggled, lifting her lenses to better swab away the tears before letting them slip back down.

“I know, I know...” Dawn murmured with a slight smile. 

“Youse gotta loin to keep yours composure.” Ada snickered. “Like me and Kit-Kat over he-”

The hyeness stopped cold as she turned her attention to the towering tigress standing by her side. While looking equally stiff in her gown that matched the hyena's in nearly every aspect but the size, the tigress' eyes were red and swollen as she held a paw over her muzzle to stifle her own crying.

Ada simply rolled her eyes.

“Oh yea, I forgot.” Ada shook her head. “Youse are a woise blubberer than ol' Plush here ever could be.”

Vanna furrowed her brow, staring daggers at the hyena sitting next to her.

“Oh stow it Ada.”

Ada flashed Dawn a grin.

“Seriously, at her tithin', it was like Nieghagra Falls.” The hyena carefully lifted her arms, bringing her paws close to her face as she wiggled her fingers in a mock expression of crying. “Dat was da end of me eva seein' her as anyting but a big kitten.”

“Do you think this dress is better?” Qali piped up, holding a similar lavender dress in the air to the one Ada was wearing. She was still dressed in he day clothes at the moment, a simple purple hoodie and a pair of cut off jeans. “Or this one with more of the strappy thing going on in the back?” Qali spun the second hanger in her paw around a few times, showing off another similar dress with multiple straps in the place of the strapless floral fringe the other had. Making up for the lack of flower printing was the larger fabric corsage on the breast.

“Who cares?” Ada huffed. “As long as it's da right color and it fits you!” The hyena scratched her chest uncomfortably. “Lucky for youse, dis place actually has dresses for foxes. Ain't gonna need any real woik done to fit you unlike me and da udda's here.” Ada muttered. “Speakin' of...”

Ada glanced up toward the large giraffe next to her. The massive mammal was cowing significantly, most of her neck bent at a forty-five degree angle to adjust to the low ceiling while she remained tightly crouched at leg level. Giselle was trembling slightly as she hunched to fit within the comparatively small boutique, while on either side of her two well dressed antelopes using step ladders worked at a feverish pace to build a composite gown for the massive mammal. 

“When is it gonna be my toin' to get dis ting fitted right?” Ada muttered as she pulled at the bust line of her gown again. “I feel like I got a fennec tryin' to grapple my chest ova here.”

The taller of the two antelopes glanced down at Ada over his shoulder with an irritated expression. 

“Patience is a virtue miss.” The older looking mammal chided as he swabbed his brow with a hoof. “It isn't ever day we have to fit a giraffe!” Despite the distinction in his tone of voice, his mode of dress was loud and obnoxious, mostly stemming from the orange Pawaiian shirt he wore. It reminded Dawn much of Nick's own taste in clothing, albeit the older antelope's choice was much more vivid and blaring on the eyes.

“Albert dear.” The second antelope leaned his head around the huddled mammal to meet his mate's gaze. Unlike his partner, his mode of dress was more of what one would expect of a tailor of his craft. He wore neat and well fitted dress clothing, topped off with a brown vest over a pale pink dress shirt. He also wore a pair a of spectacles that matched Xavier's nearly to a tee.“It also isn't every day Clover calls in a favor.”

“On our day off no less...” Albert muttered quietly.

“It takes a great degree of skill to merge multiple dresses on the fly in order to fit a mammal of this size.” the other mammal continued. “Though the South Meadowlands has a greater diversity of species than up north, you still aren't going to find a place that has giraffe size dresses around here.”

“Or hyena and tiger sizes.” Ada muttered.

“At least they can just modify a wolf gown for you.” Vanna muttered. Her voice seemed that much more quiet than usual, as if she was trying to hold her breath as she spoke. “If I take too deep a breath in this thing it's going to split down every seam.”

“Don't youse have a bridesmaid's outfits anyway?” Ada muttered. “I mean, Clover and Auddy live around here too, and they hads old ones to use so wes could save some time.”

Vanna shook her head.

“I only have my wedding dress, which I can't wear for obvious reasons.” Vanna replied. “I-I've never really been another mammal's bridesmaid before.”

“Are you uncomfortable Darling?' The other Antelope turned his attention back to Giselle with a look of concern.

“A-A little.” The red headed giraffe mumbled. “I really like the dress so far though, but-”

“I knew we should have fitted her outside.” The antelope tutted.

“Armand!” Albert interjected. “Do you want to make the girl a spectacle for passers by?” 

Armand shook his head. “I was simply saying it would be better for the sake of fitting the dress if we did this outside of the mini-mall. It wasn't built to house a mammal bigger than a rhinoceros.” The mammal adjusted his spectacles and sighed. “The gods know Desmond can barely get into his shop without his horn adding another long gouged out trail across the mall ceiling.” The older antelope chuckled to himself. “It's starting to look like a dried out river delta up there.”

“Just work.” Albert snapped back. “We don't have time to hash out this argument again. We have till sundown to get this all done.”

Armand simply shook his head, letting out a sigh.

“I must thank the both of you for this again.” Clover piped up, the ewe taking her eyes away from her hoof-work for just a moment to appraise the two antelopes. “I know it was really quite the hefty favor to ask of you on such short notice.”

“Yes, well...” Armand smiled softly. “We are all part of the same mini-mall community are we not?” The graying antelope chuckled. “ And how could we deny such a stunning bride of our talents when we have the chance to help make her special day possible?”

Dawn's muzzle flushed crimson as she glanced away from the two mammals.

“Besides, I've been eyeing that antique four poster canopy bed since Clover set up shop in here, and I am not going to pass up the opportunity to get it for free.” Albert muttered.

“Albert!” Armand chided. “You are awful!”

“Call me what you will now.” Albert chuckled. “But you'll be thanking me we are surrounded by the warmth and luxury of turn of the century Schottramish craftsmamship.”

Clover simply chuckled at the two mammals as she pulled the needle free of lower part of Dawn's dress, tightly tying off the final stitch before severing the connection with her teeth. Clover cleared her throat softly as she rose to her feet.

“Alright, all done down there.” Clover offered the ewe a soft smile. “Now let's make sure this dress stays up.” The chilver flashed Dawn a suggestive, half-lidded stare. “We wouldn't want your 'girls' making a surprise appearance before the honeymoon night now would we?”

“Mom!” Dawn blushed, trying to stifle the urge to laugh uncomfortably as her mother brushed one of her hooves away from the hem of her top.

“I'm shoi Vern wouldn't mind dat too much.” Ada snickered. “Seems like ol' 'Puppy' can't keep it in his pants around old Plush dere for more den a day if dat little ting dat happened in da cornfield is anything to go by.”

Dawn flashed Ada an irritated and horrified glare.

“Oh, and whats this now?” Clover asked with a knowing smirk.

“It's nothing!” Dawn fired back, sharpening her glare at the hyena. “Ada's just kidding, 'aren't you' Ada?” The ewe's grimace tightened as she raised her eyebrows to get the point across.

“Tch...” The hyeness wore a smug grin, but at the very least she remained silent.

“Oh please Dear...” Clover tutted. “You're both adults, and adults have needs.”

“Mom, please.” Dawn protested, biting her lip in discomfort. The ewe didn't really like the way this conversation was heading. Despite how otherwise stiff Giselle had remained as the two tailors worked at her dress, the ewe could see the topic at hoof had peaked her interest as she ogled the ewe curiously, and while the tailors hadn't turned away from their work, Dawn had noticed that their ears had suspiciously shifted her way.

Clover waived a dismissive hoof before carefully guiding a fresh thread through the eye of her needle. Her emerald green eyes remaining fixed on the work at hoof rather than acknowledging the growing blush forming on Dawn's muzzle.

“There is nothing wrong with having a healthy and active sex life.” Clover idly mused. “Especially when it is with a mammal you deeply love.”

Clover tried to stifle a giggle with a hoof as she bunched some of the material beneath Dawn's arm with the other.

“Why I remember back when your father was a softer, warmer mammal, we couldn't keep our hooves off each other.” The chilver recalled, letting out a wistful sigh.  
“And it appears the apple doesn't fall far from the tree regardless of the species.”

“Oh it was the same way with me and Dori.” That had come from Audrey as the she-wolf made her way out of one of the dressing booths. Unlike most of the assembled mammals that were waiting to endure the fitting process, the older she-wolf was already well suited in a decidedly older pinkish gown with a simple set of straps holding it over her shoulders. It was an odd enough sight to temporarily distract Dawn from the humiliating discussion that was taking place between her mother and her budding sister-in-laws. To see Audrey dressed so formally, rather than in the usual dowdy farm clothes Dawn had already grown to associate with the she-wolf was quite a start. And yet it somehow seemed to suit her just as well. It was as if the ewe was seeing another side of the she-wolf she had yet to discover. One that carried the natural grace such a formal dress seemed to require.

“Oh my.” Dawn murmured softly. “That dress looks lovely on you Audrey.”

“Lookin' good misses H!” Ada added, flashing the wolfess a smile.

Audrey flicked a paw lazily in the hyenas direction.

“Aw shoot, this ol' thing?” Audrey smirked. “It's a little out of date, and it's got a lot of mileage on it, but at least that's one dress that don't have to be fitted.” The she-wolf shimmied slightly as she adjusted the hem of her top. “Well fer the most part.”

Audrey dusted off her skirt with her paws, carefully patting the garment before placing a paw to her muzzle thoughtfully. “Now, what was I talkin' about?” The she-wolf muttered, tapping her claw repeatedly against her chin.

“Oh yeah.” Audrey cooed, a warm smile forming on her muzzle. “Me and Mister Hunter.” The wolfess chuckled softly.

“We couldn't sit still around each other fer more than five minutes without getting' our paws 'dirty'.” Audrey grinned as she strutted back into the main room. “Probably got us into more trouble than all these gals combined now that I think about it, and we still have a habit of slippin' into situations like that even now.” The she-wolf chuckled to herself. “If the sex-drive is supposed to peter out as y'all get older, then me and Dori didn't get the memo.”

Clover let out a laugh.

“Had Aster not changed, I imagined we'd be much the same way as you and your mate.” The ewe giggled.

“Oh gods, Mom!” Dawn whined.

“Oh hush!” Clover tutted, giving the ewe's snout a playful 'boop' with her finger. “I'm not talking about you anymore am I?”

The ewe's nose twitched uncomfortably as she drew back from her mother's contact. Dawn let out another groan, but Clover seemed to ignore her discomfort as she returned to her stitching. 

“I swear, you are so mature in almost every capacity, but the moment I breath a word of the more 'tawdry' details about either of our lives.” The older ewe briefly flashed her daughter a judgmental glare. “Which I might add that based on your taste in literature, provided it hasn't changed since you were a teen, I know you absolutely love.” Clover returned her attention to her stitching without missing a beat. “You turn right back into my little six-year-old Dawnie.” Clover shook her head.

Dawn let out an exasperated sigh.

“Aw, Vernon's the same way too.” Audrey chuckled as she approached the two ewes. The she-wolf took a moment to appraise the pair, her eyes keenly scanning Dawn's dress as she thumbed at her chin thoughtfully. “Take's after his father in that department.” Audrey placed a paw over her muzzle, furrowing her brow. “Doesn't take all that much to get ol' Dori flustered. “

The she-wolf took a step back, her eyes still trained on Dawn as she appeared to be trying to take in the full picture of what the ewe looked like in the dress. Dawn could only imagine that she was trying to visualize the finished product in her head.

“If he knew what we were talkin' about behind his back right now he'd be as red as a beet.” The she-wolf chuckled.

“Behind his back...” Dawn murmured. The off-hoofed statement had been enough to perk up the ewe's inquisitive mind. After all, very little had really been explained to her on the ride out to the little boutique in the South-Meadowlands mini-mall. She had learned along the trip that the rest of the Hunters, with Audrey heading the charge, had decided to hold a wedding ceremony for the couple behind Dorian's back. It was both a means to show both Dawn and Vernon just how loved and supported they were by the family in spite of Dorian's behavior, as well as a way to ensure they would all actually get to be present for the wedding instead of trying to organize something at a later date.

The notion alone had been enough to overwhelm the ewe with a sea of emotions. The meaningful gesture put forth by her sisters, by Audrey, it was almost too much for Dawn to bear. Her heart had felt as though it would simply burst through her chest as it swelled with the joy and love for the mammals around her, and had obliterated any lingering questions in favor of oscillating between bouts of tears and thanking everyone for their efforts at the time. And donning her mother's old wedding dress had only further served to distract her from learning the details of exactly how such a ceremony would be possible under the same roof that the couple were now effectively banned from. Did Audrey even know what happened? Had she heard Dorian throw Vernon out like Dawn had? And most importantly, where was the old law wolf in all this.

“A-Audrey?” Dawn murmured softly.

Turning her attention back to the diminutive ewe, the she-wolf offered her a soft smile. “Call me Mom, Darlin'.” The she-wolf's smile widened as she spoke.

“Excuse you!” Clover said with a playful huff. Audrey simply laughed, and the older ewe was quick to share it as she continued her work.

Dawn glanced down at her hooves, wringing them nervously as she prepared to broach the subject.

“About Dorian...” Dawn muttered.

Audrey walked back up to Dawn, placing a comforting paw on her shoulder as she waived her other paw dismissively.

“Oh don't you worry yerself about that miserable old mutt.” Audrey tutted. “He ain't gonna be spoilin' this, so don't you worry none.” The she-wolf flashed Dawn a confident grin.

In response, the ewe offered up a meek smile. But Audrey's dismissive response did little to put the ewe at ease. If anything, it just made her that much more curious.

“B-but...” Dawn murmured. “I mean all this...?” The ewe gestured around the room with her free hoof. “He...I mean...”

Audrey frowned softly, her ears splaying against her head as she crouched down to Dawn's height. The she-wolf cocked her head in concern.

“What is it Darlin'?” Audrey cooed. “Is this about what he said to Vern?”

Dawn practically jumped out of her wool.

“OW!” The sudden jolt had placed the ewe on the receiving end of her mother's needle, bumping into it as the older ewe was stitching. Dawn glanced back at her mother for a moment in momentary shock.

“Sorry dear.” Clover cooed before returning to her work. “ You have to be careful with moving so suddenly, you might get pricked.”

The ewe bit her lip, offering her mother a terse nod before snapping her attention back to the she-wolf.

“Y-You know?” Dawn asked.

“I was listenin' in on what was said.” Audrey said sadly, her attention slipping to the floor as she broke eye contact with Dawn. 

“I wanted to step in so much sooner...” Audrey lamented. “To say somethin' that would fix it all before things went too far....but...” The she-wolf shook her head. “I knew it wouldn't do any good.”

“Dorian has always been a stubborn mammal.” Clover tutted, despite not looking away from her stitching. “A good mammal, but generally stubborn.”

“Vernon takes after his pa in that department...” Audrey replied. “Which is why it ended the way it did.”

Dawn could feel tears starting to well behind her lenses once again as she began to comprehend what Audrey was saying.

“Y-you mean....you saw...?” Dawn trailed off. “You heard...?”

“Everything.” Audrey replied, a clear expression of guilt overtaking her features as she made eye-contact with the ewe. It was a horrifying realization knowing that she had not been the only one to witness the fight between the two wolves. And Dawn couldn't even began to imagine what kind of pain Audrey had suffered in comparison to her own. After all, Dawn only had one wolf in the fight, but for Audrey, the wife and mother, she had two. For all that Dorian had to say about Dawn, it must of hurt that much more for Audrey to hear everything her mate had to say about Vernon. The pup that they had conceived and raised together, under the same roof her husband was now forbidding him from ever returning to.

“I'm sorry fer what Dori said about you Dawn.” Audrey said somberly.

“No, no!” Dawn replied, thumbing away a stray tear from behind her lenses. “I'm so sorry you had to experience that. I can't imagine how you felt.”

Audrey sighed, placing a gentle paw against the ewe's cheek.

“I'm sorry you you had to hear it too Darlin'.” Audrey chuckled weakly.

Dawn managed to resist the second shock that traveled through her frame as a new revelation quickly superseded the previous one.

“Y-You mean you knew I was...?” Dawn trailed off.

Audrey nodded softly. “I could see y'all behind the little crack in the door” The she wolf chuckled softly. “Seems like we got just as much in common as our mates do.”

Dawn blushed slightly, breaking eye contact with the she-wolf. A slight pang of guilt overtaking her in that moment as she rubbed her shoulder uneasily.

“I d-don't normally eavesdrop!” Dawn stuttered in protest. “I-I just...”

“Y'all were worried.” Audrey said as she placed a paw to the ewe's chin and gingerly dragged Dawn's gaze back the she-wolf's way. “Ain't nobody gonna fault you for it Darlin'.” Audrey chuckled. “I know I won't.”

With that, Audrey slowly rose to her feet, turning her attention away from Dawn as she eyed the other girls seated across from her.

“After the dust cleared, and I was able to get a grip on myself.” Audrey spoke, her tone stoic and firm as she continued her story. “I went in and had a fight of my own with ol' Dori.” The she-wolf sighed. “And well...” The she-wolf hesitated slightly, as if she were struggling with her choice of words.

“He was just as stubborn and bullheaded as ever.” Dawn watched as Audrey ran a paw through her brown head fur before dusting it off on her hip. 

“So I took back control of my house.” Audrey muttered. “I did what I had to do.”

Dawn frowned sharply as she began to comprehend exactly just what the she-wolf was saying. It sounded as if it was exactly what Dawn had been fearing had already started to come to pass. That the growing disagreement between Dorian and Audrey that she had created with her presence at the ranch had reached a breaking point.

“Y-you don't mean?” Dawn asked.

“Mister Hunter will be spendin' the next few days at Mister Ruddy's house until he can sort himself out.” Audrey crossed her arms defiantly as she turned to meet Dawn's gaze. “It's easier fer him anyway, since he was gonna have to be trailin' Damon around all day fer the last of the Harvest Festival events.”

“O-oh Audrey...” Dawn could feel the tears rising again as she struggled to stifle them. In one instant all the energy and excitement Dawn had been feeling was extinguished by the overwhelming guilt that had taken hold of her. How could she possibly be happy with her own wedding knowing that it had directly resulted in breaking up a formerly happy couple in the process. However, Audrey seemed to pick up on the ewe's inner feelings almost as soon as the had emerged.

“Now don't go blamin' yerself Dawn.” Audrey tutted. Her previously cold and stoic demeanor returned to the she-wolf's usually warmer self as she leaned back to Dawn's level. Like Clover had, the wolfess dabbed the ewe's nose playfully with a finger. “Mister Hunter made his own bed. And now he's forced to lie in it.”

Dawn lifted her lenses, swabbing lamely at her eyes with an arm as she struggled to get a hold of herself. While the she-wolf's assurance did help to some degree, there was no way it would truly shake the ewe of the guilt that had rooted deep down inside her. Whatever happened between Audrey and Dorian from this moment forward would always stay with the ewe as being at least, to some degree, her fault. She had broken up a family over her own desires.

“O'course, without him we can't do a tithe.” Audrey said sadly. “I wouldn't be recognized as head of the pack unless things got so bad we split up.” The she-wolf sighed. “But fer the time bein' we can throw y'all the biggest caprid weddin' possible without havin' to worry about Dori muckin' it up.”

“Au-Audrey...” Dawn murmured, sniffling sharply as she struggled to get a hold of herself. “I-I don't know if I can...I me-.”

“Of course ya can!” Audrey said with a laugh, giving the ewe a playful nudge in the shoulder. “You know how many favors we called in fer you two!? We can't go back now!”

Audrey's demeanor and tone had risen to boisterous levels, so much so that the she-wolf was practically bouncing in her step as she spoke. Her gleeful expression was more animated than the ewe had ever seen before. It was a clear effort to bring Dawn's mood up after such a dour discussion, and as much as the ewe was trying to resist, the wolfess' rather infectious charm was easily taking hold of her. Dawn struggled to keep from breaking into a giggle fit despite her tears.

“Y'know how hard it was to find yer mother's number in all of Dori's old paperwork!?” Audrey gave the ewe another playful nudge.”I spent a good hour alone lookin' fer that!” Audrey's grin widened to an exaggerated degree. “So cheer up Darlin'! Fer goodness sakes, yer getting married!”

Dawn couldn't hold it in any longer as a giggle slipped out of her muzzle, a broad smile forming from ear to ear despite the still steady stream of tears pouring from Dawn's eyes. Almost as soon as she did, the she-wolf slipped on a genuine smile of her own.

“O-okay.” Dawn struggled to speak through her laughter, the ewe swabbing at her tears with her free arm in an effort to drive them back. “I-I'll try to-.”

“Try!?” The she-wolf cut her off, her deep amber eyes widening in surprise as she appraised the ewe. “TRY!?” The she-wolf let out a loud laugh, shaking her head is disbelief.

Audrey flashed the ewe a half-lidded, inquisitive glare as she placed a paw on the ewe's shoulder. “Darlin', you do wanna marry my boy don'tcha?” Audrey asked.

“Of course!” It was Dawn's turn to exchange her own surprised expression with the she-wolf, her eyes widening into large, lime green saucers as she protested the very notion of Audrey's preposterous question. “More than anything!”

“Y'all sure about that?” Audrey's grin widened, her expression taking on a somewhat playfully mischievous look.

“I LOVE HIM!” The ewe shouted, only to clasp her hoof over her mouth as soon as she had said it. It wasn't that she hadn't meant what she said, but her declaration had come out quite a bit louder than she had intended it to. The ewe quickly snapped her attention to the floor as she felt the warmth of a blush begin to spread across her muzzle. Dawn let out a soft sigh as she scratched at her ankle idly with her other foot.

“I-I've dreamed about this day since I was a little lamb...” Dawn murmured softly, rubbing her shoulder as she shifted her eyes to her mother. The older ewe had stopped her stitching, meeting Dawn's gaze with a warm smile. Her deep green eyes shone with a mixture of pride and joy as the hint of her own tears began to form behind her lenses. “I n-never thought...” Dawn shook her head, sniffling softly. “I never thought it would happen to me.”

Audrey flashed the ewe a warm smile of her own as she placed a paw to her cheek, bringing Dawn's attention back on the she-wolf.

“Well it is happenin' Darlin'.” Audrey cooed. “Today is yer day.” The wolfess gave Dawn's cheek a gentle, reassuring pat. 

Dawn sniffled sharply as a warm smile crawled across her muzzle. The ewe lifted her glasses to swab away the fresh tears as she once again tried to compose herself. It was harder now however, as the somber tears had quickly been replaced by tears of joy. Audrey's efforts had only served to steer the ewe's emotions in the other direction, and she was struggling to find a balance.

“So promise me yer gonna enjoy it!” The she-wolf leveled her eyes on Dawn's own. It was a clear effort to scan the ewe for any trace of lingering doubt. “That you ain't gonna put all yer mother's hard work on makin' that dress look as purty as you do to waste!”

Dawn felt the warmth of a blush return to her muzzle as she broke eye contact with the she-wolf. The unexpected compliment had caught her off guard. Still it was a tall order for Audrey to ask of her. Dawn was certain there was no way she could fully shake the thought of Dorian and the state of the Hunter family from her mind completely. The fact that her wedding was indirectly tied to it didn't help. But she knew Audrey wouldn't let up until she could muster some form of a brave face for her sake. Something convincing enough so that the she-wolf wouldn't be forced to spend the rest of the day trying to force Dawn not to think about it.

“You think I-I look pretty in it?” Dawn asked meekly.

“You sure do!.” Audrey said with a grin. “Vernon's jaw is gonna drop, and he's gonna be stumblin' all over himself when he comes down that aisle.”

The ewe let out a soft giggle, trying her best to hide her deepening blush behind her hoof. However it was a pointless gesture, every mammal in the room could surely see how flushed she was. Audrey simply chuckled.

“So are you gonna make me that promise?” The she-wolf asked.

“W-well I-I mea-” Dawn sputtered, only for the she-wolf to give her another shake.

“Promise me!” Audrey insisted through her own laughter.

“Okay!” Dawn snapped back, covering her mouth with a hoof to try stifle her rising giggling. “I promise. I promise!” The ewe repeated.

Seemingly satisfied with Dawn's response, Audrey released her grip on the ewe's shoulder and rose to her feet. Turning her attention to the other girls, Audrey raised her arms in the air, gesturing them in a rising motion. 

“And I want y'all to do the same.” Audrey continued. “This is Dawn's big day, and we gotta make it special!” Audrey let her arms fall to her sides, glancing over her shoulder at Dawn with a smirk. “ 'Specially since we didn't have time to throw a nice bachelorette party the night before.”

“Ooh now youse are talkin'!” Ada chirped, slapping the armrest with a paw excitedly. “Do we still got time to drag some dancin' wolves in here? Wearin' some of dem little sling undapants and nuttin' else? I could use a little show whiles I gotta wait.”

Dawn's muzzle flushed crimson as her eyes darted back to the floor.

“I-I-er..I mean I d-er..” The ewe stammered. 

“Mhh, I'd second that.” Albert turned to look at the rest of the Hunter girls, flashing them a smirk. “Some eye candy would do good for my work ethic.”

“Albert!” Armand leaned out from behind Giselle, glaring at his mate.

Albert rolled his eyes before returning to his work. “Oh don't be like that, I was only joking!” Albert tutted. “Besides, you know that I don't think there's a mammal alive that looks as good in a speedo as you do.”

Armand let out a huff, but his irritation was undermined by the appearance of a satisfied smirk across his muzzle as he returned to his work.

“I don't think I'd be comfortable with th-that.” Dawn murmured.

“O'course you wouldn't!” Ada rolled her eyes, shaking her head dismissively. “Youse are a stick in da mud just like Kit-Kat.”

Vanna huffed in annoyance.

“I was never a fan of strippers.” The tigress snorted. “I don't like the idea of strange, half-naked mammals rubbing up against me.” She continued in an uncomfortable mumble. “And all the strange pheromones...”

“I feel the same way.” Dawn added, letting out a sigh of relief. “I've been to a number of already awkward bachelorette parties, and the male dancers just made it that much more awkward.” 

“But what if dey was hot dough!” Ada protested. The hyena seemed to be struggling to hold back from making more dramatic gestures as she stewed in her seat. The prevalent fear of tearing her dress clearly stunting her range of expression. “I ain't talkin' shrimpy, limp little rams! Wese talkin' about built, muscular, handsome wolves wit abs you wanna just lap food up offa'!” 

“You'd be surprised at just how muscular and handsome a ram can be.” Clover tutted, her attention remaining fixed on her sewing as she idly spoke.

“Mom!” Dawn cringed, but Clover seemed to ignore her.

Vanna simply let out a disinterested snort.

“Alright, fine dere miss 'I'm too sophisticated for such a lowly form of entertainmint!'” Ada retorted mockingly. “What if it was a tiger? A really buff handsome tiger?”

“It makes no difference what ki-”

“Oh Bull!” Ada let out one of her hyena-like cackles. “You can't stand dere and tell me youse would toin' away one of Gazelle's dancers if he wanted to give youse a private lap dance!” Ada licked her muzzle. “I may not be a tiger, but dem boys is delectable!”

Vanna simply crossed her arms, shaking her head in disapproval.

“It just isn't for me.” Vanna replied. “I need some element of emotional attraction to a mammal in order for me to enjoy something like that, some level of intimacy, you know?” Vanna glanced over at Dawn, her yellow eyes seemingly searching the ewe for some sort of acknowledgment or understanding as to what she was saying. The ewe was quick to agree, briskly nodding in reply as the tigress let out a relieved sigh.

“It's why it wouldn't work with a stranger, but it always works when Zach do-” Vanna froze mid-statement,her paw quickly clasping over her muzzle as the hint of a blush began to form under her fur. 

A mischievous grin crawled across Ada's muzzle as she watched the increasingly reddening tigress squirm, her eyelids drooping to half mast as she let out a dull, throaty chuckle.

“Oh, ho, ho...” Ada snickered. “So Zach dances for youse huh?”

Vanna's head slunk into her shoulders, her eyes darting to the floor in an effort to better hide her embarrassment, but at this point the flesh under her fur had flushed so deeply Dawn probably could have seen it without her glasses.

“I-I mean, I-Uh-” Vanna stuttered. 

Ada's lips parted as her grin widened, revealing her fanged smile as she shifted her attention back to Dawn.

“So is dat it?” Ada smirked. “You'd prefer if it was Vern dancin' for yas?”

Dawn felt an equally red-hot flush overtake her features, and her gaze joined Vanna's own floor bound stare. The ewe bit at her hoof nervously.

“D-Do we really have to talk about this stuff now?” The ewe muttered. “I-I mean...” Dawn barely managed to get raise her head far enough up to effectively gesture it toward her mother. However, the movement didn't seem to register with the hyena.

“So question for both of youse.” Ada's smile was beaming as she glanced between Vanna and Dawn. “ Do Zach and Vern start out fully dressed and strip down?” The hyeness chuckled. “Or do dey start in dere undawears?”

“ADA!” Vanna protested, her crimson muzzle still hidden behind a grasping paw.

“And follow up question, do eader of dem own one of dose little undawear slings-?”

“Speedos.” Albert corrected.

“Right, speedos.” Ada continued. “Do any of dem wear 'em when dey dance for youse!?”

“ADA!” Vanna hissed. 

This time, the hyena actually acknowledged the large feline's protest. With a sigh, Ada carefully leaned her chin on a paw as she edged over the arm of her seat, her gaze upturned toward the towering tigress. Ada offered the towering feline an innocent smile.

“What?” Ada chirped. “It's just goil talk.”

“N-not in front of Misses Hunter...” Dawn could barely hear the feline whimper. “Please...” 

Ada rolled her eyes again, letting out an irritated sigh. “Geeze, I was just lookin' for support here.” The hyena said, leaning back in her chair as she turned her attention back in Dawn's direction. “I'm getting' bored just sittin' here.” Ada shrugged.

“Side's, ol' Auddey don't mind. Do ya Auddey?” The hyena asked.

Audrey let out a soft chuckle, offering the hyena a somewhat weak smile.

“Well, just try to limit the details for my sake.” Audrey tutted, her smile faulting. “They are still my babies after all.”

“Alright, alright...” Ada sighed. “I'll backtrack a bit.” The hyena chuckled to herself. “Better to save it for anuddah sleepova.”

Ada quickly turned her attention to the towering patchwork mammal seated on her other side, the hyena leaning closer to the side of her chair as she spoke upward.

“Yo Stilts!” Ada chattered up at the giraffe cow. “How does you feel about strippas?”

“Stilts?” Dawn asked curiously.

Ada flashed the ewe a playful grin. “Aw, youse wasn't dere for dat.” Ada chuckled, leaning her head on a paw. “We came up wit dat nickname for old Gizzy last night.”

“S-sorry you got left out.” Vanna chimed in, drawing the ewe's attention. “ B-but you weren't there...and it was a majority rules thing anyway.” Vanna tapped her claws together nervously. “Everyone but me voted for it...even Giselle.”

Dawn chuckled softly. “Oh no, its fine. I understand.” The ewe replied before turning her attention back to Ada. “But why Stilts?”

Ada chuckled.” Because if youse seen de way she walks around on dem spindly legs of hers you'd tink she was a bunch of udda mammals walking around on stilts in a giraffe costume!” Ada let out another hyena laugh, slapping the armrest with a firm paw as she cackled at her own joke. However, the sudden sound of ripping fabric caused Ada's laugh to die in her throat. 

Ada glanced at her right arm, craning her head and raising it in an effort to better spot where the dress had torn. Just below her armpit, the seam of her dress had shredded open by several inches.

“Ah rut me!” Ada hissed. “Youse gotta be kidding!”

Armand leaned out from behind Giselle, his eyes scanning the hyena briefly. The antelope let out a sigh, his nose crinkling as he adjusted his lenses.

“It's fine...” Armand tutted. “I can fix it, just try to keep movements to a minimum or we'll be at yours just as long as this one.” The older antelope added, gesturing to Giselle.

“Fine, fine...” Ada muttered, making the motion to cross her arms only to stop short and let out a defeated sigh. Slumping back into her seat, the hyena gazed back up at Giselle.

“So Stilts, like I said, you like strippers at a bacherlorette party?” Ada asked.

“Oh, are we havin' one?” The large, red-headed giraffe asked curiously.

Ada quirked an eyebrow in Dawn's direction.

“How bout it Plush?” Ada chuckled. “Put it to a vote?”

Dawn shook her head dismissively. “Certainly not with strippers we're not.”

Ada rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to Giselle.

“Naw, I means in general.” Ada asked. “Ain't like we got time for a bachelorette party anyway, unless we do a make up one.”

Giselle raised a paw to her chin, nearly knocking Albert off his ladder in the process. The antelope struggled to steady himself for a moment, barely regaining his footing before managing to stabilize himself by gripping Giselle's side.

“Miss please!” Albert hissed as he released his grip and straightened his Pawaiian shirt. “Warn us when you want to move!”

“Oh sorry!” Giselle smiled awkwardly. “I forgot.”

Albert let out an irritated sigh, shaking his head dismissively as he returned to his stitching.

“A-Anyway, I've never been to a bacherlorette party before.” Giselle replied meekly. “Or been to see male strippers atoll really.” A mild blush formed on the giraffe's muzzle as she glanced away from the group. “I-I'm kind of shy about stuff like that, roight?”

Ada let out a long, exaggerated sigh, shaking her head in disappointment.

“I'm surrounded by prudes here!” The hyena lamented, gesturing a paw around the room. “I bet Mal would back me up if he was here.”

“I suppose it would be a bit irregular to have Malcolm accompany us to a fitting for bridesmaids outfits.” Dawn added, lifting her other arm as her mother quietly gestured to her that she was switching sides. “I mean, I can't exactly picture him in a bridesmaids dress.”

“I can.” Ada chuckled. “I'm just not shoi if he'd love it or hate it.”

“Well, fer as long as I've known yer brother in-law...” Audrey chimed in, the she-wolf easing into a seat of her own as she eyed the rest of the girls. “He's always enjoyed a bit of a flair when it comes to his clothin'.” The wolfess smirked. “But I think a dress would be a little too much flair even fer him.”

Ada cackled. “Well, lets see what he picks when it's his toin' to get married.”

The sudden clatter of metal and fabric caused Dawn to jump, pulling her dress free from Clover's hoof as the ewe drew back in fright. It only took a second for the right side of her top to start to slip away, and Dawn quickly clasped it up into her hooves as she turned her attention to the sound. Fortunately, everyone else seemed to have been just as distracted or else the ewe certainly would have found herself once again jabbed with her mother's sewing needle. All eyes were now on the mound of dresses a short distance away from the modeling area where the Hunter girls were gathered. A mound that Dawn was certain had just moments ago been an actual clothing rack.

“This one is perfect!” Qali chirped as the top half of the fox erupted from the mound of clothing. Her muzzle was turned up in a wide smile as she held up a dress triumphant despite her eyes being covered by the sleeve of another dress. Quickly swishing the cloth out of her eyes with a paw, the fox clambered out of the clothes pile and rushed back to the group of mammals with her prize in paw.

“And there's a rack ruined...” Albert sighed.

“Oh I'll help you set it back up.” Clover tutted, gesturing a lazy hoof in the old antelopes direction. The mammal let out a tired sigh before returning to Giselle's enormous dress.

Qali was bouncing on her feet, her tail swishing excitedly as she held up a glitzy lavender dress. The gown was covered in a heavy thicket of sequins, the fringe tapered with an extravagant faux-fur collar that matched the vixen's own in color.

“What do you girls think!?” Qali smiled happily as she presented the dress. “It's gorgeous isn't it!?”

Ada rolled her eyes at the little vixen's enthusiastic display.

“Dat dress Is practically blindin' Snowball!” Ada shook her head dismissively.

Qali tilted her head in confusion at the hyena's remark. “So? I like it.” Qali hugged the dress tightly to her chest, nuzzling her face against the faux-fur collar. “It's all twinkly like fresh snow in the morning sun.”

“Don't youse know how to be a bridesmaid?” Ada chuckled. “You ain't suppose to wear somethin' dat outshines da bride! It's Plush's day not yours!”

Qali's wide smile dropped, the diminutive vixen scanning the dress briefly before glancing at Dawn. The fox's ears sagged slightly as she cradled the dress in her arms.

“I-Is it really too much?” Qali asked the ewe.

The little vixen's expression was heartbreaking, so much so that Dawn really wasn't comfortable denying her innocent enthusiasm. But Ada did have a point. Traditionally, most bridesmaids didn't even get to pick their own dresses. Whatever dress they were to wear was a choice that was made by the bride, and based on her own experiences not one of the dresses she had been forced to wear had even come close to holding a candle to what the bride ended up wearing. But there hadn't been time to plan ahead that far considering the ceremony was being held so soon. Both Audrey and her mother had elected to wear old bridesmaid outfits they had on hoof to save time, and even if Dawn had enough time to plan a more unified look for her bridesmaids, she didn't want to put them through the exact same humiliation that she had to endure during every other wedding she had been to.

And, as selfish as it may have sounded, Dawn wanted her day to be about her and Vernon. A dress as ornate and sparkling as the one Qali was cradling as if it were a newborn lamb would certainly draw the eye away from her. Still, the little vixen's wide, sad but hopeful eyes were weakening the ewe's resolve. It wasn't as bad as Vernon's 'Puppy Eyes', but it was dangerously close enough to effectively tug at the ewe's heartstrings.

“W-well...” 

“Look at me and Vanna.” Ada cut the ewe off, pointing a paw at her larger sister-in-law. “Ol' Kit-Kat picked sometin' nice and borin' like she usually does, and I just copied dat.”

“Hey!” Vanna snorted, furrowing her brow at the hyena seated next to her. The tigress glanced down at her own dress, spinning carefully as she craned her head in order to check the back. 

“I-It's not that boring...?” Vanna added, her voice faltering slightly as the hint of a nervous tone broke through. “Is it?”

“Of course not Vanna.” Dawn was quick to redirect her sympathy to the somber tigress in an effort to avoid Qali's soulful stare. The situation seemed to be getting more and more out of hoof by the minute. “I think you look lovely.”

The tigress managed a meek smile as she twiddled her claws together.

“T-thanks.” Vanna replied.

“So see, dat's da benchmark.” Ada continued without missing a beat as she pointed at Vanna. “Dat's Plush approved, so you don't want to go bigger den dat.”

“W-well I never sai-”

Qali's features softened, the vixen letting out a disinterested shrug as she turned her attention back to the mound of clothes in the distance. It was surprising how quickly the vixen was able to simply drop the subject. It was as if a light switch had been flipped. Her clear, overwhelming desire to wear the dress dissipating to a neutral disinterest in an instant. It was enough to stun Dawn into momentary silence.

“What about the maid of honor?” Qali asked as she ambled back to the mound of dresses. The tiny vixen began to dig through the clothes, tossing aside outfits of various colors as she searched for what Dawn could only assume was another candidate. “Is there a rule about the maid of honor dressing up too much, or is that okay?”

Across from Dawn, she watched the previously bored looking hyeness suddenly perk up, her ears standing on end as her eyes widened. But Ada's wasn't the only mammal in the room who's attention had been grabbed by Qali's errant comment. Vanna's ears had also risen at the mention of the 'maid of honor', a fierce glimmer forming behind the tigress' eyes, a look of intense determination that made the ewe uneasy.

“U-Uh...g-g..”

“I mean, I don't think Dawn has even decided that yet, right?” The little vixen continued, cutting off Dawn's nervous protest as she continued her search for the perfect dress. “Oh, that's going to be so exciting! I wonder who she's gonna pick? I mean, there are so ma...” 

The vixen's one sided conversation seemed to trail off as Dawn became hyper focused on the mammals right in front of her. Both of them were staring her down intensely now. There was a sudden, intimidating pressure in the air, an oppressive force that exuded from the two mammals that caused the ewe to shrink into her shoulders uncomfortably. A growing intensity in the air that only seemed to ease once the two mammals noticed one another, and the ewe found herself temporarily freed from the two mammal's hungry glares.

Both mammal's titled their heads at one another curiously, as if they were surprised to see the other had any clear interest in the position.

“Well, I tink we all know I should be da Maid of Honor.” Ada was the first to speak, stabbing a thumb at her chest as she eased back into her seat confidently. “I mean, after Vern said dat stuff to me, it's only fair right?” Ada chuckled.

“Well, I-” 

“I thought you had already forgiven him.” Vanna replied, cutting Dawn off.

“Hey.” Ada pointed a claw at the tigress. “Just because a criminal regrets what he did, doesn't mean dere still ain't a cost to pay.” Ada smirked. “ What's dat ting Xavey always talks about when he tells us about his cases? Somtin' about restitution and damages for trauma? I desoive extra compensation.”

Vanna snorted. The large tigress attempted to cross her arms, but stopped short in fear of damaging her dress, instead electing to place her arms back at her sides as she turned to face the hyena.

“Yuri is the entire reason that even happened, you know?” Vanna grumbled. “If it wasn't for your mate's need to provoke other mammals and show off his unique brand of 'bravado', I'm certain Vernon would have never said something like that.” Vanna continued. “Even so, I'd say your mates little brawl with Vernon is more than enough 'compensation' on top of his apology.”

Ada was silent for a moment, the hyeness placing a finger to her chin and squinting at the tigress as she seemed to be searching for a rebuttal. The silence gave Dawn the perfect opportunity to try to break up the rising squabble.

“Now girls, I-”

“Well, look dat whole fight was supposed to be between him and Vern, even before da fists started flyin'.” Ada leaned in a bit closer to Vanna. “He didn't have to drag me into it, but he did!” The hyena spat. “I mean, he soiled my honor for no reason! So really Yuri was foiced to stand up for me!” Ada sneered. “I'm his mate after all!”

Now it was Vanna's turn to lean in, the tigress carefully bending down to meet the hyena's glare with one of her own. Vanna's lip curled slightly, revealing her fangs as she spoke.

“You two aren't even 'tithed'!” Vanna growled. “Or whatever it is hyena's do!” The tigress continued, the edge on her voice growing more and more as she continued to rant. “He wasn't forced to fight Vernon! And that still isn't-!”

“Aha! Dat's right!” Ada snapped back, stabbing a claw in Vanna's face. “We aren't tithed! Which means I can be da Maid of Honor!” The hyeness grinned smugly. “Or did youse forget dat da Maid of Honor only extends to friends of da bride who aren't tithed or married?”

“W-Well I...” Vanna struggled with a comeback. “I mean- I...”

“Actually that is allowed.” Clover chimed in.

Dawn turned her glare on the ewe now standing off to her side, the old chilver hadn't even looked up from her sewing as she spoke. Dawn simply stared at her in disbelief.

“They just call it a 'Matron of Honor.” Clover continued. “I should know, the Maid of Honor at my wedding was also married.”

“Mom...” Dawn whispered in a strained tone. Her mother was actively making the situation worse by adding fuel to the fire. But Clover hadn't even seemed to notice as she simply slipped back into her stitching and out of the conversation without missing a beat.

“See, there is no reason I can't be the Matron of Honor!” Vanna's comment drew Dawn's attention back to the bickering mammals across from her.

“Yeah, but Maid of Honor sounds so much bedda.” Ada said with a chuckle. “And I'm da only one she can call dat...so...”

“You aren't even that close to Dawn!” Vanna hissed.

“So you've known her one day more den me, big whoop!” Ada leaned up out of her seat, her face closing the distance between her and the tigress a little bit more.

“We sang karaoke together!” Vanna snapped back, her face inching closer to Ada's“ We formed a bond based on our shared love of Suri Nicks which you could never understand!”

“Oh yeah, cause likin' da same singer is equal to going to bat for your sista when some smart-mouthed she-wolf is draggin' her name through the mud!” Ada fired back with.“I almost went to jail for sockin' dat goil! I'd say that carries a bit more weight den singin' togedda!”

“WHY DO YOU EVEN WANT THIS SO BADLY!?” Vanna was in the Hyena's face now.

“WHY DO YOUSE!?” Ada replied, pressing her snout to Vanna's nose.

All the arguing was starting to give Dawn a headache. And she was certain that even if she screamed to get the mammals attention, it wouldn't be loud enough to overpower their own, much larger voices.

“Hey Dawn, what do you think about this one?” Qali's voice broke the ewe's train of thought, bringing her attention to the tiny fox that had strolled in front of her. The diminutive vixen now held up a significantly simpler dress than the one before it. It was similar to Ada and Vanna's, but still retained a bit of that flair that had caught the vixen's eye with the previous dress, featuring sequins delicately sewn around the flowing fringes of the neck and sleeves.

“Is this too much for a bridesmaid dress? Or is it more of a Maid of Honor thing?” Qali asked innocently, her tail wagging softy as she awaited Dawn's approval.

The ewe let out a weary sigh.

“I suppose you want to be the Maid of Honor as well?” Dawn asked.

Qali tilted her head curiously, appraising her dress for a moment before turning her attention back to the ewe.

“I...never really thought about it.” Qali muttered thoughtfully, scratching at her chin with a paw. “I mean, I guess if I can wear the other dress then I-”

A pair of dark shadows fell over the pair, and Dawn could feel the swift return of that sudden, intimidating pressure. The air seemed to grow thick and stifling, and all at once the sounds around the ewe seemed to die away. The argument had ceased, and the idle chit chat of the other mammals in the room had fallen away, leaving only the sound of distant horns and the soft rumbling of engines from the cars passing by outside the mall. In her mind, Dawn was filled with the sudden desire to flee. She could feel the eyes that were fixed on her, the powerful, penetrating glare that had stirred her dormant prey instincts and signaled that she was being stalked by a predator. But she knew there was simply nowhere to run now.

And she wasn't the only one to notice the sudden change in the atmosphere The ewe could see the fear in Qali's eyes as she slowly lowered the dress. Her ears splayed against her head, her tail fraying up as her hackles rose. Slowly, warily, Qali turned to face the towering shadows that loomed over the pair. Qali's head rose to meet the mammals standing over her, but Dawn couldn't muster the courage to follow. All she could manage was to watch as the arctic vixen offered the other mammals an uneasy smile. Dawn could hear the vixen let out an audible gulp.

“O-On second thought...” Qali spun on her heels, flashing Dawn the same uneasy smile she had given the towering mammals behind her. “I don't really think being a Maid of Honor is my thing.” The vixen let out an uneasy laugh.

Dawn let out a soft gulp of her own as she looked down at the little vixen.

“A-are you-S-s?”

Qali didn't even let the ewe finish the sentence.

“Hey, I should go try this on!” The fox chirped in a nervous tone before scrambling away from the ewe. If she hadn't been cradling the dress in both arms, Dawn was certain the tiny vixen would have burst into a feral sprint. “I can't wait to see how I look! Good luck with the Maid of Honor thing, bye!” Before Dawn could even try to open her mouth again, she was met by the sound of a dressing room stall door rattling as it abruptly slammed into frame.

Dawn was more or less alone now, left to face the looming shadows without the petite vixen to act as a shield. She was going to have to make a choice here, one that she had barely had any time to consider, but had also somehow become an extremely serious and weighty decision. One that would apparently hurt the feelings of at least one of her sister-in-laws regardless of what she ultimately decided.

Reluctantly, the ewe raised her head to find Vanna and Ada, the two mammals now standing only a few feet away from her. Their heads were pivoted in the same direction, both mammals staring off toward where Qali had fled toward and wearing matching scowls with a glare so intense the ewe was surprised they hadn't managed to start boring holes into the door Qali had shut behind her. 

But she only saw their intense stares for a moment before the two mammals snapped their attention back on the ewe standing before them, both mammals suddenly bearing grins of practically chesherin proportions.

Dawn tried to swallow, but the lump in her throat simply wouldn't move as both mammals continued to stare her down.

“So Plush...” Ada spoke through her large, cheesy grin. “Who are youse gonna go wit?” Despite how friendly her smile appeared, the hyena's green eyes were sharp and greedy, her glare instilling a deeper sense of unease in the ewe than was already present. It was an expression that seemed to hint that should she choose not to go with Ada, there would be unforeseen negative consequences before the day was over. Whether that would ultimately result in the hyena simply feeling scorned or betrayed, or something more sinister, the ewe couldn't tell.

As for Vanna, it appeared the large tigress had elected to remain silent and allow her pleading expression to do the talking. Her yellow eyes shimmered with a mixture of hope and worry, the corners gleaming with the start of tears as her bottom lip quivered. It was a face Dawn had never thought the rather stoic and largely silent tiger was capable of making, and it was what made it all the more emotionally crushing to the ewe. It was clear the role was so important to Vanna that she was willing to let her facade slip to get her point across, and Dawn couldn't imagine just how hurt the tigress would be if she had decided to go with Ada.

As agonizing as a decision as it was going to be, Dawn knew that there was really only one mammal she could choose. It was largely an unfair battle to begin with, having all these favors and shared moments suddenly thrown in the ewe's face as some form of evidence as to which of her sisters cared more about her. She knew, after everything that she had endured at the Hunter ranch, that every single one of them truly cared. From Giselle, all the way down to Qali, they had welcomed Dawn with open paws, and had defended her in the face of opposition that came her way. Whether that had been the judgmental mammals at the fair, or Dorian himself, they had all stood up for her, and for Vernon. Although, to be fair, Dawn couldn't really count Giselle as a part of that group due to her late arrival. At least that was one mammal who would understand why the ewe would pass her over as a bridesmaid. But the ewe made a mental note to get to know the large giraffe a bit better after everything was said and done.

And thus, Dawn found staring back at the same two candidates that were awaiting her final decision with baited breath, and wishing that one of them had been just as uninterested as Qali 'seemed' to be in order to make it easier on herself. Dawn knew that she had let one of them down. She had broken a promise, one she had intended to uphold to show how willing she was to trust her sister-in-law. The first to welcome her, the first to really make an effort to bridge the gap between the nervous newcomer and the established pack. One she had promised to let know if she had any trouble with Dorian. To let her know if the old law wolf had hurt her in anyway so that she could step in. And the ewe had lied to her face.

“I-I'm sorry Ada...” Dawn murmured, her lip quivering slighty. “I'm afraid I'm going to have to choose Vanna.”

“Aw nuts!” Ada hissed, crossing her arms dejectedly as the sound of another sudden tear emanated from her dress. The hyeness didn't acknowledge it however, choosing to turn her back to Vanna and Dawn, and snap her eyes shut tightly. It seemed she was set on giving the mammals the cold shoulder from this point forward.

“YeeSSS!” Vanna leapt into the air. Unfortunately the already limited distance between her head and the ceiling made sure that the massive tigress would bang her head against it on the upswing. With a sharp thud, Vanna made contact with the top of the room. The feline immediately recoiled as she stuck her landing, clasping one of her paws against her head and rubbing aggressively in an effort to chase away the sting she was surely feeling.

The tigress hissed, but it was hard to hear over the sides of her dress bursting as she curled up into herself. It was enough to distract Vanna long enough to catch the front of her dress flopping forward, revealing the dull brown bra strapped over her chest to the rest of the Hunters. Vanna quickly cobbled up the front of the dress into her paws, holding it tightly over her chest as she tried to regain some semblance of composure. However, the chance of that happening anytime soon was considerably low considering how bright the blush that had formed on her muzzle was.

Albert let out a sigh.

“Look, why don't you two just pick out new dresses at this point.” The antelope muttered, throwing the mammals a disinterested glare. “It will take far less work to start from scratch then to fix those now.”

“S-Sorry.” Vanna replied. Ada simply let out a huff.

“I c-can't believe it Dawn!” Vanna flashed the ewe a beaming, genuine smile as she clasped the dress to her chest. “I can't tell you how much this means to me!” The tigress whimpered slightly. Vanna carefully raised a paw, making sure she had her dress held in place with the other before scratching the back of her head uncomfortably. “I m-mean I know we barely know each other bu-bu.”

“Dat's right.” Ada muttered. “Youse do, we alls do.” What had started out as a clearly offended remark had began to taper and break down into a whimper.

“A-Ada...” Vanna's smile dropped, and she placed a paw on the hyena's shoulder. The hyena pawed lamely at her eyes, it was clear she was trying to stifle tears.

“Noes, I get it.” Ada whimpered. “I'm a little too r-rough around da edges for dis s-s-sorta ting.” The hyena sniffled.

“Ada, that's not why I picked Vanna!” Dawn protested, but the hyena remained unmoved, her deep green tear-filled eyes cracking open to glance at her sisters. Ada cupped her paws over her snout in a half-hearted attempt to hide her deepening frown.

“N-Nah, it's fine. I-”

“You can be my Maid of Honor Ada.” Qali murmured quietly. Dawn looked down to find the little vixen clad in her now dress, her arms wrapped tightly around Ada's in what was probably the biggest hug the little mammal could muster.

That seemed to be enough to get Ada to crack a smile, the hyena reaching a paw down to pat the tiny vixen on the head. Ada gave her hair a playful ruffling, causing the fox to draw back from her hug, swatting at the larger mammal playfully.

“Do fox wedding even have Maids of Honah?” Ada asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Qali titled her head. “W-well I don't think so.” Qali scratched her chin thoughtfully. “But there's no rule that says they can't, right?”

Ada chuckled. “Sounds good to me.” The hyena grinned widely. “And dat Maid of Honah ting goes doubles for youse when I drag Yuri into a 'tide'.”

Qali covered her muzzle with her paws as she let out a giggling snort.

“Dawn?” Vanna asked, drawing the ewe's attention back to the lumbering tigress infront of her. “Why did you choose me?”

Dawn frowned slightly, her gaze drifting back to the floor in shame.

“I...” Dawn murmured. Her throat suddenly felt very dry, and it made it that much more of a struggle to get the words out. “I lied to you.”

“What?” Vanna asked, quirking a curious eyebrow. By now Ada and Qali's attention had shifted back to the ewe on the center stage. Both mammal's seemingly just as curious to see where the ewe was going with her sudden admission.

“You asked me to be honest with you.” Dawn muttered, rubbing her shoulder with a hoof. “You wanted me to tell you if I had talked to Papa Hunter, and to come to you if he hurt me.”

Vanna remained silent, her brows furrowing slightly as she seemed to process what Dawn was saying.

“But I had already talked to him.” Dawn whimpered. She could feel the tears starting to return as she forced herself to meet Vanna's gaze. “I m-mean you probably already know that by now...” The ewe sniffled. “Everybody does.” Dawn gestured a hoof to the other mammals in the room.

Dawn swabbed her eyes lamely with a hoof as struggled to continue.

“And I lied to your face.” Dawn shook her head dismissively. “I ju...” Dawn paused, balling her hooves tightly into a fist. “I just didn't want to make things worse. And I thought...I just thought...”

Dawn glanced down at her feet again, breaking eye contact with the concerned looking tigress as she fought to hold back more tears. The ewe let out a long, drawn out sigh in an effort to regain control over her emotions, her tiny frame shuddering slightly as she exhaled. It wasn't working, and the tears just continued to steadily flow as her eyes met Vanna's again.

“I'm sorry.” Dawn whined. “I'm so sorry.”

Vanna carefully leaned down to Dawn's level, placing one of her massive paws against the ewe's cheek as she offered her a meek smile.

“I understand.” Vanna replied, gently thumbing the tears away from the ewe's cheek. “I mean, I had a feeling.”

Dawn let out a whimper, she could feel the desire to start bawling swelling in her chest. It was rapidly rising to the surface, and she was having a hard time forcing it back down again.

“I-I s-sort of thought y-you might have.” Dawn whimpered, lifting her lenses to swab at her eyes once more.

Vanna let out a soft chuckle.

“I figured, if we had more time alone, I probably would have gotten it out of you eventually.” Vanna shook her head. “ But Ada and Qali didn't exactly give us the time to fully hash it out.” 

“Oh, so dis is my fault huh?” Ada rolled her eyes. “Well, sourrie!”

Vanna lamely flicked a dismissive paw at the hyena's act.

“But I'm not upset with you Dawn, and I'm not going to hold it against you.” Vanna said. “If anything, I'm the one who is sorry.” The tigress sighed. “ I'm sorry that I didn't go with my gut feeling and step in sooner.”

Dawn swabbed at her eyes again, looking back up at Vanna with tearful eyes.

“Y-you mean it?” The ewe whimpered.

“Of course I do!” Vanna said, patting the ewe on the shoulder playfully.

“So you fo-forgive me?” The tears were spilling over now as the dam of built up emotions was set to burst once more.

Vanna opened an arm, keeping the other clasping her ruined dress to her chest as she gestured the ewe into a hug.

“I forgive you Dawn.” The tigress grinned broadly.

Dawn could barely contain herself as she tried to rush into the massive mammals arms, but the ewe stopped short when she felt the familiar jab of her mother's sewing needle.

“OW!” Dawn drew back fro the attempted hug, throwing her mother a slight glare as she pawed at her tearful eyes.

“Oh don't you give me that look!” Clover retorted, rolling her eyes as she leaned her elbow in a hoof. “I warned you didn't I? No quick movements!” The ewe drew back her needle and gestured to Dawn that she was free to move. “You can take that as a bit of punishment for lying to the poor dear.”

Dawn let out a chuckling sigh, sniffling softly as the sudden poke had done well to help her dial back the emotional groundswell that had been forming within her. The ewe lifted her lenses again, and swabbed at the lingering tears with an arm.

“S-Sorry Mom.” Dawn stuttered.

Clover let out a soft chuckle as she began to re-thread her needle.

Letting out a sigh, Dawn turned back to Vanna. But she only made it about half of the way before the tigress simply wrapped her arm around from where she was standing, and leaning into the hug. Dawn was momentarily surprised, but was quick to lean into Vanna's arm and nuzzle it affectionately.

“Thank you Vanna.” Dawn sighed, closing her eyes tightly as she put all of her energy into the hug. But just as soon as she had closed them, she felt more arms closing in around her. And as her eyes flew open once again, she could see that Ada and Qali had turned Vanna's gesture into a group hug.

“I may not be da Maid of Honor, but I'm getting' in on dis!” Ada said with a laugh.

“Me too!” Qali chirped. The vixen was practically dangling from Ada's arm as she grappled her other paw around down. 

“G-girls...” Dawn mumured. “I-”

The ewe suddenly felt a strange pressure against her head. As if something had been gently lowered from the ceiling by a rope and draped atop her wooly poof. Glancing upward, the ewe caught sight of Giselle's head, her neck having bent down from across the room in order to join the huddle of mammals.

“I'm kinda stuck over here.” Giselle gestured to the tailors that were still working on her dress with her purple irises. “But I wanted to be a part of this too.” The giraffe frowned slightly. “I-Is that all right?'

“It's fine.” Dawn said with a smirk, as she squeezed the other mammals as tightly as she could. “Thanks Giselle.”

“Well now, I was gonna say we needed a little somethin' to lighten' the mood.”

Audrey's sudden interruption had broken the girls from their huddle, drawing their attention to the wolfess approaching from the far side. In her paws she clasped a massive, beat-up, pink colored satchel. It was far too large and worn to be part of Audrey's intended ensemble.

“But it looks like y'all have beat me to it!” The she-wolf said with a laugh.

“Still, I think it's appropriate that although we can't do a proper bacherlorette party...” The she-wolf opened the flap of the satchel, and began rifling through it with a paw. “We can at least make a little time to work this tradition in.”

Audrey pulled out an old, brown binder that made the satchel look as though it had seen significantly better days by comparison. Dawn quirked her head in confusion, as did Qali and Giselle. But what made the scene that much more baffling was the way Ada and Vanna's eyes lit up as they appraised the mysterious binder.

“Oh Mam', is dat...?!” The hyena flashed her teeth in a wide grin.

Vanna let out a sound so high pitched Dawn thought it had come from Qali, the tiger raised her paws up to her face, balling them into tight fist as she shuddered in clear excitement. It was disturbing to say the least, at least to Dawn. It was yet another range of emotion she was unsure the tigress had been capable of, which made it that much more terrifying to see.

“What is...?”

Before Dawn could finish her question, she she-wolf sat on the ground in front of the girls, popping the book open from the center. Inside the ewe could immediately see various clipped and cropped photographs of some very familiar looking little pups.

“Wait, is that...?” 

“PUPPY PICTURES!” Qali bounced up and down in excitement, clapping her paws together excitedly.

“Oh mam', I haven't seen dese since Kit-Kat's tithe!” Ada said with glee.

Audrey smiled up at the girls who were now looming over her, all trying to get a better view of the small booklet in the she-wolf's paws.

“Alright, alright girls, settle now.” Audrey chuckled. “Yer' lible to crush me if ya'll topple down. Just scooch up along side.”

Taking the advice of the older she-wolf, the other mammals aside from Dawn and Giselle carefully maneuvered themselves to the floor, each of them squeezing as tightly around Audrey as they could to get a better look at the treasures contained in her photo album. Dawn however, was forced to simply lean over Audrey's head, so her mother could continue her work unimpeded. It was a little awkward, but the ewe could at least make out the few photos on the page.

There were multiple colorful photos, although there were only a few that Dawn could fully recognize the wolves within. Audrey was easy to spot, in the few she was present for, as well as Dorian. But some of the pups on the page had similar fur patterns, and it made it hard to discern exactly which was which.

“Why don't we start with my favorite one of the Mam' of the hour.” The she-wolf said proudly, flipping through the book with such precision that it made the ewe certain she had the order memorized. The plastic pages slapped together loudly, coming to an abrupt halt as the she-wolf slammed her paw down on an open page to obscure the pictures. While she had obscured most of the visible pictures with her paw, Dawn could read the title atop the page, written in crude sharpaw.

“Embarrassin' Bath Photos?” Dawn asked.

“OH HELL YEAH!” Ada cried loudly, slapping her paws together and rubbing them mischievously. “Startin' with da good stuff right off da bat!”

Dawn flashed the hyena a bemused expression.

“That excited about bathtub photos?” Dawn asked.

“Plush, you don't undastand.” Ada chuckled. “Dis is valuable blackmail material, especially when it comes to Yuri.”

“Of course, you'll be getting' a bunch of copies of these Dawn.” Audrey said with a smirk. “At least the ones with Vernon.”

“This is a tradition?” Dawn chuckled.

“She did the same thing before my tithe.” Vanna replied with a smug smile. “Those photos of my little goofball are priceless.”

Dawn turned her attention back to the book as Audrey slipped her paw away from the page. 

“Now let me see...”

The ewe only made it a second before bursting into a giggle fit as the various little wet fluffballs were revealed. Right away she could see three of the boys in one tub. On one side, she could see a dusky grey pup standing proudly as he held up what looked like a toy boat that might have been either Wade or Ulric. On the other side, a white colored pup was trying desperately to claw his way out of the tub. From what Dawn could see, it looked like Audrey's paws were in the shot, trying to keep what she could only assume was little Trenton in the tub. 

As for the pup in the center, she couldn't tell who it was. While the fur pattern was similar to Vernon's, it could have easily been Zach or Xavier, as their coats were very similar. To make matters worse, albeit funnier, the wolf had a green bucket over his head as he absentmindedly sat there in the center of the scene.

But Dawn wasn't alone in her giggling fit. Ada, Qali and Giselle had already completely lost any form of resolve they may have had just as soon as Dawn started. Vanna seemed to be the only mammal holding up well, and even she was slipping. The ewe could see the smile trembling on the feline's muzzle out of the corner of her eye as she tried to cover it with a paw. Did the same picture set them all off, or was it merely just the infectious nature of giggling.

“That's Vern in the bucket.” Audrey chuckled.

“Oh, it is?” Dawn asked.

Audrey nodded briskly. “Yeah, only Dori would get a lousy shot like that one where y'all can't see the face.” The she-wolf smirked. “But I know I got a clear one in here...”

Audrey flipped to the next page idly, revealing what appeared to show two different pups fighting each other in the water. While the ewe couldn't tell if the other wolf was Xavier or Zach, she easily recognized the jet black wolf pushing the other down.

“Dere's de old bruiser...” Ada rolled her eyes.

Audrey let out a sigh as she ran a paw down the photo.

“Yep, that would be Yuri.” Audrey shook her head. 

Flipping another page, the she-wolf came upon a tiny pup standing by himself in the tub. He was smiling widely at the camera, with no hint of embarrassment as he reached out toward whoever was taking the photo. Unlike before, Dawn instantly recognized that gap toothed grin, the same one she had seen on the playground that day. Dawn let out a giggling snort as she tried to cover her muzzle. It was painfully adorable.

“Aw...there's my little Puppy.” Auddey cooed. “He was so tiny back then!”

“And coitenly ain't shy!” Ada said with a cackle.

“Well, how were any of them supposed to know they would regret this later?” Vanna chuckled.

“Poor little fellas...” Auddey snickered. “They had no idea.”

Flipping the page, Dawn caught sight of what might have been Xavier, getting towel dried by Audrey. And another of Zach filling the tub with what looked like live frogs. his bare bottom aimed at the camera as his little tail created a blur in the air.

“A-are those frogs?” Qali had stolen the question right out of Dawn's muzzle.

Audrey let out a chuckle. “Yeah, ol' Zach decided to take a bath by himself. But he also wanted to bath some frogs he caught down by the stream with him.” The wolfess shook her head dismissively, trying her best to stifle an apparent giggle fit of her own. “That's how I found 'em, and I just had to take a photo 'afore I reigned him in.”

“Zach has always liked animals.” Vanna snickered. “There's the proof it started young.”

Audrey flipped another page, revealing a bright red colored wolf. The pup was still damp, and was visibly crying as what looked like Audrey's lower half was trying to console him.

“Who is that?” Dawn asked.

Audrey let out a tired sigh, rubbing her eyes with her thumb and fore finger before glancing back up toward the group.

“That's Trent. Unfortunately.” Audrey muttered.

“That's Trenny!?” Qali asked, the vixen tilting her head in confusions as her ears flopped lamely against her head. “What happened?”

“Yuri found some of the industrial dyes we used around the farm, and put it in the shampoo a few days before some of 'em were do fer a bath.” Audrey muttered.

“No...” Dawn uttered in shock. “Really?”

“Far as Dorian figured, he was aimin' to get Trenny, Vern, Ulric, and Wade, cause I used to wash the boys in litters.” Audrey grumbled. “O'course Trenny got dragged through a mud puddle while playin' and I had to wash him early.”

“That's horrid.” Giselle murmured.

Dawn could see Ada's smile shrink slighty out of the corner of her eye, the hyena drawing back from the group slightly at the Giraffe's remark.

“I don't know if it woulda' worked on the others as well, but with Trenny bein' bright white the stain took before we could really figure out what was happinin'.” Audrey continued.

“We ended up havin' to shave the poor boy and wait fer his fur to grow back in.”

The group let out a sympathetic coo, which only made Ada slink further into her shoulders.

“Eh...why don't we move on from the bathtub ladies...” Audrey's tone quickly shifted back into the more peppy, enthusiastic tone she had started with as she flipped through the book to another section. “How bout some playtime!?”

With a decisive slap of her paw, Audrey had stopped the book at another seemingly random section. Yet when she drew it back it revealed what appeared to be the intended page. It was labeled 'Boy's playin' 2 threw 8'.

“Threw?” That had come from Clover, the old Chilver had now stopped her work and was gazing down alongside her daughter.

Audrey blushed slightly, cowing into her shoulders.

“I ain't never been the best at spellin'.” The she-wolf uttered. “Back then I was worse, but I ain't updated this thing in years!”

The girls shared a laugh as Audrey pointed out another photo, which seemed to show Ulric and a smaller wolf playing with figurines by the local stream. By now Dawn had become familiar enough with her 'Puppy' in the pages to know it was Vernon. Of course, it wasn't that hard as he was wearing the overalls she had remembered meeting him in when he had salvaged her glasses from the hooves of that Oryx that was bullying her. Underneath it, he was wearing a green and black striped sweater. Ulric was dressed more or less the same, but shirtless.

“There's Vern playin' with Ully.” Audrey cooed, receiving a drawn out 'aww' from the rest of the girls.

Audrey flipped to the next page, revealing another picture of Xavier surrounded by several stacks of books in what appeared to be Dorian's study. And another showing what appeared to be Dorian trying to get one of the pups down from a tree. The distant dark furred pup seemed to be buck bare save for the fur on his hide.

Audrey chuckled softly. “Poor Dori. Ully's always been such a handful.”

“That's Ulric?” Qali asked, grasping Audrey's arm as she leaned over it to get a better look at the photos.

“Yeah, he's always been a bit of a streaker.” Audrey shook her head, trying her best to stifle a giggle. “Even up into his teens.”

“Whoeva get saddled wit him is in for a real treat.” Ada chuckled.

“She most certainly is!” Audrey replied, without the slightest bit of irony. It was as if she had actively ignored the sarcasm in Ada's tone. “Ully may be a little high spirited, but all my boys are good boys.”

“Forgive me Audrey...” Dawn asked, adjusting her glasses slightly. “But that looks like your yard.”

“It is.” Audrey replied.

“Well...I don't remember seeing any trees even close to your house.” Dawn continued. “Where exactly was this?”

“Oh it was right out front.” Audrey replied. “Dorian got sick of tryin' to rustle Ully everytime he went streakin' and hid in a tree to keep from bein' forced to put clothes on.” The she-wolf bit her finger as a few giggles started to slip out. “So one day Dori got fed up and cut 'em all down.”

The girls bust into another fit of giggling. In Dawn's case she was laughing so hard she was practically wheezing, the ewe doing her damnedest to catch her breath between bouts of giggling. The other weren't fairing much better, with Qali collapsing backward as she laughed. It took several minutes for the group to collect themselves enough to continue with the she-wolf's trip down memory lane.

Audrey gingerly flipped the next page over, but as soon as she did the last of the giggling left her muzzle, replaced with a disappointing sigh. From what Dawn could see, it was another two photo spread, the top another of Vernon. But this one was very similar to the picture Dawn had seen of Trenton, in that Vernon was crying while Audrey seemed to be trying to console him. All over the lighter parts of his fur, it looked as though he had been drawn on. Crude words the ewe couldn't make out from where she was standing, in a decidedly sloppy and child-like font.

Below it, another picture showed a jet black wolf pup sitting in a high chair, placed next to Dorian. The other highchairs were cut off by the end of the frame. In it, the little wolf pup looked visibly shocked, his face coated in what looked like red goop, while Dorian sat next to him, looking up from his newspaper and laughing hysterically.

“I-is that Vernon?” Dawn asked.

“Yes'm.” Audrey muttered.

“What's all over him?” Qali asked.

“Sharpaw marker.” Audrey sighed. “Yuri decided it would be fittin' to 'label' Vernon.”

“L-label him?” Dawn asked in concern.

Audrey shook her head sadly. “Runt, Shrimp, Vermin...” Audrey paused, glancing up at the ewe sadly. “Omega.”

Dawn could see Ada shrink just a bit more, a visible unease growing on the hyena's face.

“How old was he?” Dawn asked.

“Yuri five, Vern four.” Audrey sighed. 

“And that one?” Dawn asked, pointing to the image below.

“Oh that one?” Audrey tutted. “That's from a little over a year after the first litter, I was just about to give birth to Vern and the others at that time, so y'all can only see the first three of 'em...well, really Yuri.”

“What's happening in it?” Clover asked inquisitively.

“I served up the boys some fish and greens. And...” Audrey shook her head. “I can still remember it clear as day. Yuri gripped his paw around this cherry tomato.”

Audrey raised her paw, balling it into a fist as she pantomimed the wolf's actions.

“And he points it toward old Dori, and gets this big grin on his muzzle.”

The she-wolf raised the album slightly, drawing it down as she continued to act out her little tale.

“And Dori notices, and he looks over at him.” The she-wolf shook her head. “And I remember it so clearly, Dori said 'don't you think about tryin' it youngin'.” 

“I remember this story.” Vanna said grimly.

“Wait, so he was going to squeeze a tomato on him? Deliberately?” Dawn asked in surprise.

“I can only assume that was the plan.” Audrey glanced up at the mammals sadly. 

“I mean, as soon as Dori said that, Yyuri started laughin', and then he squeezed that little tomata' as tightly as his little paw could.”

Audrey flashed the girls a grin. “And the dang thing exploded in his own face.”

The rest of the girls broke into small fits of giggling, but Dawn was somewhat perturbed. When Vernon had mentioned just how bad Yuri had been as a child, it really had only been limited to a few specific instances, and it was all left to the ewes imagination. But when faced with the plethora of documented evidence, the ewe got an even deeper picture of just how ill behaved the wolf had been, even as far back as before he could conceivably walk. It was something the ewe had a hard time understanding. After all, in her case she hadn't started out a bad apple. She had been corrupted by her father, by a series of abusive mammals both outside the home and in. And yet here was Yuri, a mammal most likely surrounded by love if his parents were anything to go by, yet determined to make everyone around him miserable. 

“Misses Hunter.” Dawn asked. “Forgive me for asking this but...Yuri...?”

Audrey cut the ewe off, holding up a paw to silence her.

“I know what yer fixin' to ask, and if yer lookin' fer an answer I don't know.” The she-wolf sighed.

“We did everything we could with Yuri, tried all sorts of punishments and reprimandin', but it never curbed his bad habits. That pup was born with piss and vinegar in his veins.” Audrey ran a paw through her hair, turning her attention back to the album in her paws. The she-wolf ran a thumb over the dinner table photo.

“All he did was try to be more secretive when it came to torturin' his brothers.” Audrey sighed. “'Specially Vern.”

“That's terrible.” Clover interjected.

“I don't exactly know why he zeroed in on Vernon more than the rest of 'em.” Audrey admitted. “I assume it's cause Vernon was always kinda small. O' course even when Vern got bigger he never seemed to let up.” 

“What a jerk!” Qali added, only to immediately shrink into her shoulders as she glanced upward at Ada. “S-sorry Ada.”

The hyena was barely visible, the mammal having taken to obscuring her face behind Vanna's arm.

“I'm just glad he straightened up fer the most part.” Audrey let out a relieved sigh. “That little cross-country trip he took before college seemed to do him a lot o' good.” The wolfess laughed. “Hell, Dori didn't even think he was gonna show up at the police academy when it came time fer him to start school, but he really surprised us.”

Audrey rolled her eyes. “Dori was actually worried he was gonna end up livin' on the wrong side of the law. But I knew better.” The she-wolf smiled.

“I ain't capable of makin' a bad apple. And he showed Dori.” The wolf puffed her chest proudly for a moment before exhaling, her previous smile slipping into another soft frown.

“I just wish he and Vern could get along now.” Audrey whimpered. “All want is fer my boys to get along, to love each other like I love 'em.”

Ada reached out a paw to the she-wolf, patting her on the shoulder gently as she slid around the large tiger's arm. 

“I'm shoi dey will one day.” Ada murmured, wrapping her paw around Audrey and giving the she-wolf a hug. “Yuri's just...complicated', y'know?”

“Don't I know it.” Audrey shook her head. “Or don't.” The she-wolf chuckled. “He ain't never opened up to me about anythin', he was always a tough ol' boy.”

“”Trust me Auddey...” Ada murmured, offering the wolfess a warm smile. “You did a good job on Yuri, even if he don't always show it off.”

Audrey smiled at the hyeness, leaning into the hug.

“Thank ya dear.” Audrey replied.

“He's just got a lotta insecurities, and he doesn't want anyone to see 'um.” Ada continued. “So he puts up a front.”

“It's pretty convincing if you ask me.” That came from Vanna, the tigress quirking a dubious brow. Ada flashed a quick sneer at the towering mammal.

“I've seen da Yuri underneath all da armor okay!” Ada retorted “I know what I'm talkin' about!”

Audrey sniffled softly. “W-well at least he lets someone see it.” The wolfess offered Ada a small smile. “Maybe one day he'll be willin' to shed just a little bit of that armor for the rest of us.” The she-wolf mused. “Starting with Vernon.”

“I tink you might get yer wish.” Ada said with a knowing smile. A comforting gesture for sure, at least to the mournful she-wolf. But something about Ada's assurance was off putting to the ewe. Dawn couldn't help but feel like there was more to that statement than Ada was letting on.


	46. Sweet Little Lies

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Forty-Six: Sweet Little Lies

“This won't do.” Xavier muttered. The white and grey wolf pulled uneasily at the trappings of his rather sharp looking dark grey tuxedo. “This fabric is so abrasive.” Xavier huffed. “And I look terrible.”

“Oh Pshaw.” Malcolm tutted, swatting the wolf's paws away from fiddling at his own pale purple tie. “Y'all look more than fine.”

Xavier shook his head. “ I tried to pick something that looked the most like my proper tuxedo.” The wolf pulled at the lapel of his jacket to reveal the matching pale purple vest underneath, gesturing with it with a paw. “But the materials are so...ugh” Xavier adjusted his glasses. “They honestly just don't make them anywhere like San Francisgoat.”

Malcolm gave the wolf a playful pat on the chest as he rolled his eyes. “You are such a spoilt' pup.” The russet wolf said with a laugh.

Xavier crossed his arms defensively, turning from his mate as it the comment had left the wolf feeling slightly offended. “Just because I demand quality when it comes to what I'm willing to be seen wearing?”

"Y'all look fine!" Malcolm laughed. " It's only fer one night, and side's this whole affair ain't exactly for you now is it?" Malcolm averted his eyes slightly, his gaze momentarily falling on the other wolf seated in the room before quickly darting back to his mate. The russet wolf pulled at his own, considerably simpler tux and gestured toward it. The suit was largely similar to Xavier's, aside from the wolf opting for a baby blue tie, and forgoing the vest in favor of sticking with the simple dress shirt. The russet wolf pulled at one of his suspender straps that had been hidden underneath the jacket with a paw, releasing it with a dull 'thwip' as he eyed his mate. “My suit ain't perfect, but it's good enough to get the job done.”

Xavier sighed. “ I know...I just...” The wolf ran a paw through his hair nervously. “I just wish I had my proper suit.” Xavier looked toward the ceiling. “ I want to be looking my best for something as important as this, ans-”

Malcolm held up a paw, averting his eyes to the wolf that had been watching the pair before glancing back to his mate. “Stop yerself before y'all accidentally...er...say the wrong thing.” Malcolm chided. “And asides', unless y'all can are fixin' to sprout wings and can fly as fast as a jet y'all would never make it in time.”

“Hey fellas?” Wade popped his head in from between a nearby curtain, drawing the two wolves attention.

“Is he ready for him?” Xavier asked, lowering his glasses as he eyed the dusky grey wolf.

“Just about.” Wade muttered, pushing the curtains aside and dusting off his tux as he entered. The wolf's tux was comparably simplier to the other two mammals. Nothing more than a black suit, punctuated with a pale blue tie. For a moment, his gaze met the same quiet wolf that Malcolm's eyes had, only to just as quickly divert back to the couple. “He's just finishin' up Ully's tux.” Wade shook his head. “Ya'll know how hard it is for Ully to keep still.”

“Maybe y'all should have used the zip ties on ol' Ully instead.” Malcolm chuckled.

“Speaking of...” Xavier's gaze traveled to the seated wolf briefly. “Do you think it is safe to untie him?”

“I dunno if we should risk it.” Wade muttered quietly. “M-maybe the tailor can work around the ties?” 

“Don't be silly!” Malcolm laughed. “He ain't gonna run out now!”

“I don't know...” Wade muttered, exchanging a glance with the wolf across the way. “He still has a bit of a squirrely look in his eyes, maybe we sh-”

“Hey boys.” Vernon finally spoke, drawing the groups attention back to him all at once. The wolf looked exceedingly tired, the bruise under his eye only adding to the pre-existing bags that had come from a short and tumultuous nights sleep. “Could y'all do me a solid and-” The wolf furrowed his brow, flashing his fangs at the mammals as he began to thrash in his seat.

"STOP TALKING ABOUT ME LIKE I AIN'T HERE!?" Vernon snarled.

“Easy Vernon, easy.” Xavier held his paws out, gesturing for the wolf to settle. But Vernon was beyond settling. He had been seated in one of the back rooms of the local tailor's place for what, from his perspective, had to have been at least two hours. His paws restrained not only with the initial zip ties they had used to restrain him at the ranch, but another two sets connecting the first one around his wrists to the spokes of the wooden chair he now sat in. The whole time, his brothers had continually tip-toed around divulging just what was going on. Whether it was Trenton electing to make small talk about anything but the current predicament Vernon found himself in, Zach remaining silent while it was his turn to keep watch, refusing to even acknowledge the wolf's presence, or worst of all, the current situation with his brothers simply talking around him, the lack of transparency had grown completely maddening. 

The more the topic at paw was avoided, the more it left Vernon to stew in his own thoughts. To review the situation and everything that lead up to it in his head over and over again in order to find his own clues as to just what was going on. And from what Vernon had managed to piece together during his time strapped to the wooden chair, the vibe around it certainly didn't tell him anything good.

At first, Vernon hadn't been sure what to make of the silent treatment. Back at the ranch, he hadn't really noticed it. After all, the wolf was to busy attempting to dole out a silent treatment of his own when it came to the other wolves. They had tackled and trussed him up after all, in front of his mate no-less. Treating him with the same care and finesse that an officer would employ when taking down some violent criminal. The kind you'd see on late night television with his face blurred out, screaming obscenities at the mammals restraining him. Of course, the tearful goodbye he had given his mate probably didn't help the situation in that regard, if anything it probably made the scene that much more uncomfortable for the rest of the Hunter pack to witness. To any outsider, the scene must of looked like something out of a domestic dispute case. Between Vernon's own injuries, the tears he and Dawn shared, and the zip tie cuffs, all that was really missing was the wolf being loaded into a squad car and hauled off to the North Meadowland's County Jail. And Vernon was certain that image hadn't just resonated with him alone judging by the uncomfortable expressions worn by most of his siblings during the wolf's final goodbyes to his mate. 

It was only when the Hunter girls left ahead of them, did Vernon pick up on just how awkwardly silent kitchen had grown. His brothers had grown deathly quiet, save for a stray cough here and there. Glancing around, Vernon could see various eyes darting at one another, as if each member of the pack was looking to the other to say something. To break the stifling and uncomfortable atmosphere that had formed with the absence of Audrey and the girls. In that moment, Vernon thought that maybe his brothers were just as bewildered and baffled by the sudden turn of events as he was. As if all they had been told was to restrain the wolf and wait there for further instructions. And with nothing left to do or say, they seemed to be at a collective loss as to how to move forward. 

The familiar puttering of Audrey's pie van came and went, signifying that the girls had left the ranch, presumably with Dawn in tow. The staccato sound of backfiring exhaust slowly fading away as the sound of the early morning birds once again filled the quiet kitchen. It was only then, when the van appeared to be long gone, did one of his brothers mustered to courage to speak.

“S-So...” Wade muttered. “How we doing this?”

“We already know what we're doin' here, dummy.” Yuri rolled his eyes.

“Good.” Vernon muttered. “Because I'd like to know.” The wolf growled softly. He tried to meet Trenton's gaze, but the wolf looked away. His muzzle twisted-up in an uneasy grimace.

"I know that!" Wade protested, failing to acknowledge the wolf's comment. "I-I mean how we dollin' out who's ridin' front and whos ridin' bed?" The wolf met Vernon's gaze briefly before looking away. "I mean who's ridin' with...y'know...?"

The silence returned momentarily, the wolves once again exchanging uncertain glances.

“Let's just walk him outside, and we'll figure it out as we go.” Trenton mumbled. “Sound fair?”

There was a mixture of nods and murmurs of agreement as the room slipped back into that same uneasy silence. A silence that only grew that much more uncomfortable as Vernon was guided outside without so much of a peep from his brothers. Trenton and Zach's grip on his shoulders remained firm as they led the wolf out to the driveway, their claws digging into his shirt as they pushed him onward while the other Hunters dutifully followed behind. The whole time, the unnatural, pervading silence grew more and more unnerving to Vernon. The wolf had seen his brothers act in many different ways, but generally, when they were together there was always an air of joviality and playfulness about them. Even when the mood was somber, you could always count on one of them to try to lighten it. At least, aside from Yuri. After all, the wolf had quite the knack for dancing on the grave of good spirit whenever the opportunity arose. Yet now, the palpable discomfort and unease that exuded from around Vernon made him feel as though the walk to the old, beat up, pick-up truck had the weight of being led out to a firing squad.

Coming to a stop along the side of the car, the wolves once again traded uncertain glances, each looking to the other to once again bring up the topic of presumably, who was riding next to Vernon in the front seat.

“Well, I ain't gonna do it.” Malcolm was the first to cut the thick, stifling atmosphere with his objection. “I mean yer his brothers here. So obviously it should be one of y'all sitting next to Vern.”

“Nice way to pass the buck.” Zach mumbled.

“Passin' the buck?” Malcolm laughed awkwardly. “Yer supposed to be trained in handlin' this stuff! I'm just a chef! I'm the least qualified mammal here!”

“He's right.” Xavier interjected. “He'd most likely crack if Vernon started asking too many questions.”

Malcolm laughed uneasily. “Any other time I'd take that as an insult, but it's true.” Malcolm replied. “I ain't never been a good liar.”

“Liar?” Vernon spoke again. The wolf couldn't be sure what they were lying about, but it suddenly made him a bit more dubious about the seemingly earnest act his mother had put on for him in the kitchen. The fact that language like that was being thrown around at all made the wolf that much more wary of the lot of them.

“Damnit Malcolm!” Zach snapped, throwing the wolf a glare. “He's already lookin' cagey enough! I don't want him makin' a break for it cause yer mouth spoke before yer brain!”

Vernon furrowed his brow. “I ain't gonna-”

“Hey, It was just an accident!” Xavier replied, cutting Vernon off.“No need to jump down Malcolm's throat.” 

The general unease and anxiety seemed to be rising rapidly as the wolves continued to bicker, especially whenever Vernon tried to interject, in which case he was quickly talked over by another brother. It was annoying, sure, but everyone around him seemed so jumpy it was to be expected. Vernon was certain a part of that revolved around the fear that they still expected him to try to get away, and that hearing him out would only result in him attempting to talk his way out of the cuffs and making run for it. Then again, once the wolf was in the passenger seat, it wasn't like he was in a great position to try and flee anyway, and that was more or less what Vernon had been trying to tell them only to be cut off each time by another round of arguing between the Hunter males. But there was clearly more to the spats of aggressive and defensive posturing between them as the arguing went on. And it only furthered the wolves suspicions that whatever his brothers were sitting on, was controversial. At least where Vernon was concerned.

The argument probably went on for a good five minutes before something happened that took Vernon completely by surprise. Yuri, who had largely kept silent while the other brothers argued over who should drive let out a loud, irritated huff as he began to tromp toward the group of mammals. Vernon barely had time to register what was going on before Yuri had pulled him free of the other wolves, taking it upon himself to restrain Vernon and lead him over to the passenger side of the truck. For the first time since the wolf had been restrained by his brothers, the wolf felt a renewed surge of panic run through him. Although previously, the sudden wash of fear and urge to flee had been extinguished as soon as Vernon realized it was simply his brothers restraining him. Was he angry and confused? Most definitely. But he trusted the bulk of his brothers to not take advantage of the situation, both as officers of the law, and having little to no axe to actually grind with Vernon. But Yuri on the other paw, well, if he had been looking to get his revenge for the night before, he had certainly positioned himself in the perfect place to get it. And with Vernon unable to defend himself, who knew how long it would take to pry the jet black wolf off of him should he decided to give Vernon another beating.

Vernon desperately tried to squirm free, but it did little to break the painfully tight grip of the dark-furred wolf as he roughly pushed him along the passenger side of the vehicle.

“HEY!” Vernon heard Zach yelp.

“YURI, WHAT ARE YO-!?” 

“JUST SHUT UP!” Yuri spat, as he yanked the passenger side door open. With a hard shove, Vernon spilled into the passenger seat face first. Now free of Yuri's grip, the wolf desperately tried to right himself, squirming against the fabric in a desperate attempt to get his paws over his head and around his front to block whatever flurry of blows was coming. But the wolf's struggle came to an abrupt stop as he heard the unmistakable sound of the car door slam behind him. Shifting his body around, Vernon managed to pop his head up just in time to catch Yuri tromping around the hood of his truck, his eyes locked on the Hunters across from him. Out of the drivers side window, Vernon could see his other brothers watching Yuri, a mixture of confusion and anger on their faces as they called out to him. But whatever they were saying to the wolf, Vernon couldn't quite make out. Between the rabble of Hunters arguing over one another and the sealed cab of the truck, their voices were partially muffled and hard to distinguish aside from a few choice words. Mostly ones that sounded suspiciously like 'no' and 'stop'. Vernon winced as he tried to swallow the lump that was rapidly forming in his throat.

It was only as Yuri tore the passenger side door wide open, did the cab fill up with the clamoring voices of his brothers.

“I”M GONNA DRIVE ALRIGHT!?” Yuri snarled, flashing his fangs at the other hunters before his angry expression softened into more of a resentful glare. The wolf let out a derisive snort as he turned back toward the open cab, and leaned a knee up onto the drives seat. "Bunch a damn sissies."

“Oh cause that's a great idea.” Zach said with a laugh. “ Y'all want to take a good look in one of Ma's side mirrors and tell me with a straight face why puttin' you both alone together isn't gonna just lead to trouble?”

Vernon watched his brother glance at the mirror for a moment, the wolf letting out a soft scoff before turning back to the other Hunters as placing his paws on his hips.

“He does have a point.” Xavier muttered, pressing his glasses up slightly.

The black-furred wolf crossed his arms defensively “I gotta drive don't I?” Yuri hissed. “Asides, Vern's restrained.” The wolf cocked a brow. “ Wouldn't exactly be fair to beat on a mammal who can't defend himself.”

It was a strange sentiment coming from Yuri, at least to Vernon. The mammal had never seemed to be on to really give a damn when it came to playing fair.

"Oh, now suddenly y'all care about that kinda stuff?" The errant comment earned a particularly nasty glare from the black-furred wolf. It was, at the very least, a brief moment of recognition that Vernon was more than a an object being moved around at his brother's leisure. But it was short-lived, and soon the wolf's focus was back on the apparent task at paw.

“We're gonna be LATE if we keep up this DAMN SQUABBLIN'!” Yuri spat. “So either pick someone else or let me do the drivin', cause we're runnin' out of TIME!”

The other brothers shared an uncertain glance, the wolves looking to one another to say something before grouping into a rather sloppy looking huddle. With their backs turned away, and deliberately speaking in low tones Vernon could barely make out anything that was being said during the brief huddle. He desperately tried to crane his head, tilting his ears in the direction of the mob in his best effort to decipher the quiet mumbling and musings, but the only thing he managed to make out was when he heard Ulric bark out what sounded like 'why me'? But just as soon as the Hunters began their silent deliberation, it just as quickly came to an end. And once it broke up, it was Xavier who took the lead, the well-dressed wolf taking a step forward before speaking.

“We'll let you drive Yuri.” Xavier muttered. “Provided Ulric is seated between the both of you.”

Yuri rolled his eyes. “Seriously!?”

Zach crossed his arms, glowering at the dark-furred wolf.

“It's either that, or were lettin' Ully drive and you'll be in back with us.” Zach grumbled. “Take yer pick.”

Vernon watched as the rest of the Hunters slowly joined in Zach's defensive and defiant posture, the wolves all crossing their arms and glowering at the wolf standing between Vernon and the others.

Yuri let out a snarl, placing a paw on the driver's side door and slamming it shut so hard Vernon could hear the glass rattling in the frame. Again, the wolf found himself cut off from the conversation as Yuri began to argue loudly with the others. But at the very least the wolf had picked up another clue. Like his mother, Yuri had also emphasized that whatever was going to happen had some degree of time constraints regarding it. There was clearly some sort of deadline at stake, and the longer they drew out getting fitted for tux's, the higher the chance of missing or screwing up whatever plan had been put together.

Yuri was gesturing wildly, but the rest of the Hunter pack remained unmoved by his efforts. Their unflinching glares remaining fixed on the wolf regardless of how loudly he seemed to protest. It was clear whatever argument the wolf was making for himself was doing little to sway the consensus. Eventually, Vernon saw Yuri throw his arms up in the air in a defeated gesture, turning to lean against the door as Ulric began to walk toward the car. The wolf couldn't hear Yuri sigh, but the sudden flush of fog on the window was enough to tell him as much. 

Once Ulric had reached the wolf's side, Yuri listlessly opened it once again, stepping aside as he gestured the dusky grey inside.

“Just keep yer damn mouth shut Ully.” Yuri muttered, gesturing Ulric inside with a paw. “And if you twitch too much I'm gonna swat you.”

Ulric let out an indignant huff as he keeled into the seat.

“I might be an expert at uncovering secrets.” Ulric grumbled, sliding over onto the middle of the seat and uncomfortably close to Vernon. “But I'm pretty good at keeping them too!”

Yuri let out an irritated sigh as he leaned into the driver's seat, gesturing a paw to the other Hunters as they began to round the truck bed. Once again, the dark wolf slammed the door shut so hard it made the whole car rattle.

“What's wrong with you anyway?” Ulric asked Yuri. “Ain't it a little early fer yer hackles to be raised this high?”

The black wolf flashed him a hateful sneer, causing the wolf to cow slightly before turning back to jam the keys into the ignition.

“Geeze...” Ulric muttered. “Sorry I asked.”

From there, the silent treatment began in earnest. Well, at least for the most part. Ulric did surprisingly well when it came to keeping his word in regards to whatever secret they were keeping. But Yuri's behavior was growing increasingly hard to read, which was somewhat uncharted territory for Vernon. The Yuri Vernon knew generally came in two flavors, irritable, and cruel. Yet during a majority of the drive Vernon found that Yuri kept glancing over at him. The wolf's generally annoyed expression faltering each time, giving way to something looking a bit more troubled. It was a look of discomfort that hadn't quite matched the one the rest of his brothers seemed to consistently wear throughout this whole little kit-napping stint. There was clearly something on the wolf's mind, but he seemed unable to bring himself to say it. 

Of the few times he attempted to open his mouth, he said nothing. His muzzle simply hung open for a moment before he snapped it shut again, turning away from Vernon and Ulric and letting out another irritated huff as he slammed a paw against the ridge of the steering wheel. Vernon couldn't be sure what to make of it, but considering who it was coming from, he assumed whatever he had to say probably wasn't worth listening to anyway. Thankfully Vernon had Ulric to act as a shield should Yuri decide to try anything, even if listening to the rather banal banter about 'the underwater Kingdom of Cetacea' from the dusky grey wolf was hard to endure without dozing off.

Arriving at the local tailor's, Yuri was quick to bail out of the vehicle. The dark wolf letting off another annoyed huff as he left Vernon to be dealt with by the other Hunters. It was the last the wolf would see of that particular brother for the rest of the morning as he was taken back into custody by Trenton and Zach. The same quiet procession from the farm replaying itself as they led the wolf into the local tailor's shop. Coming to a stop at the front desk, an older looking female armadillo adjusted her half-moon glasses as she appraised the group of mammals with a curious eye. For a moment Vernon expected her to panic when she fully registered what she was seeing. To pick up her phone and dial for the local police. Provided Dorian wasn't somehow behind whatever was going on, there was a good chance Vernon could have seen his freedom right then and there. But instead, the old mammal let out a soft chuckle.

“Ah...Dorian's boys.” The older mammal tutted. “I'd expect nothing less.”

“Great...” The wolf thought to himself. He should have known that the size of the population in the North Meadowlands would ensure that everyone knew the Hunters and by extension the Hunter sons. With this sort of behavior being largely considered a norm for the family of wolves, Vernon knew at that moment he probably wasn't going to find any help in this place.

“Ma wanted us to thank y'all again fer bein' able to help us pull this together on such short notice Misses Dasy”. Zach said with an uncomfortable grin.

"I don't suppose y'all would be willin' to tell me what this is all about ma'am?" Vernon asked. The wolf winced as he felt Zach's elbow dig into his rib, which caused the wolf to let out a whine before flashing his brother a sharp glare. However, Zach continued to ignore him.

“Now, now boys, no rough housin' in my establishment.” The old armadillo giggled, hopping off her stool and dusting off her tan colored skirt with a paw. “Same rules apply, just like the ol' days.” Glancing up at Vernon, the little mammal cracked the wolf a wry grin.

“And as fer you young man, I'm under strict orders not to whisper so much as a peep to you.” The armadillo waggled a finger at the wolf

'Old days?' Vernon thought to himself. It was a strange little reply, and it began to tug at the rusted old gears in the back of the wolfs mind. Faint images from something long ago, another forgotten memory that he couldn't quite recall. All it left him with was the impression that the rodent was oddly more familiar than she had appeared at first glance.

“We got a place to keep him fer the time bein'?” Trenton asked the little mammal.

The armadillo giggled softly before turning and walking into the boutique, gesturing the larger mammals to follow her. 

“Probably one of the dressing rooms would be the best fit.” Misses Dasy chuckled.

“Well, we kinda need a place with somethin' to tie him to.” Zach said. “We ain't too sure if he's fixin' to run still or not.”

Vernon glared at his brother again, but Zach's only response was to give him a light shove as they began to dutifully follow the little armadillo through the store.

Misses Dasy shook her head as she walked, letting out another quiet chuckle.

“I swear, you boys haven't changed at all since you were pups have you?” The armadillo replied. “I still don't know how ol' Auddey kept up with you, because I know I barely could.”

It was then recognition hit the wolf like a sack of bricks, so much so that Vernon stumbled slightly as he registered just who the mammal was.

“Wait, Mrs Dasy?” Vernon murmured. “Auntie Abby?”

That got the mammal to turn her head and regard the wolf, flashing him a smirk as   
came to a stop.

“And here I thought y'all had forgotten about yer ol' honorary auntie.” The armadillo said, cocking a brow.

In truth, Vernon had, almost entirely. Abigail Dasy, the mammal that used to pupsit the Hunter brood was quite the distant memory at this point in his life. Buried behind the portion of his past he had tried so desperately to forget, woven up among all the baggage tied to everything that had led up to his more difficult years in life. However, the recognition only served to further clue the wolf in on just how much of a conspiracy was at paw. If there was little chance she would help him as a mammal he thought was outside of whatever was going on, there was no hope of convincing her knowing she was somewhat tight-knit with his parents. 

“I-I-I-...” Vernon stammered.

The mammal smirked.

“Oh, Vernon.” The mammal's expression turned to worry as she leaned up on her toes in an effort to better inspect him. Abigal adjusted her glasses, squinting her eyes softly in a clear effort to focus her sight. “ Don't tell me your brothers went so far as to rough you up to get you here?”

“Huh?” Vernon quirked an eyebrow, only to swiftly realize that the tiny mammal was referencing his wounded face.

“Those bruises...” Misses Dasy tutted. “You poor thing. Who did that?”

“Take a guess.” Zach replied.

Vernon heard a scoff come from somewhere behind him.

“Ain't like I did it to get him here!” The wolf hissed. “It was yesterday!”

The small mammal shook her head dismissively.

“Some things never change I suppose...” The armadillo said with a sigh. “I hope y'all got a plan to cover that up?” 

“Ma 'ill handle it.” Zach shrugged. “She's good at coverin' that kinda stuff up.”

Abby chuckled. “Well she has been doin' that fer long enough, hasn't she.” The tiny mammal let out a warm sigh.

"Anywho, the reminiscin' can wait. Let's get movin' shall we?" The armadillo once again gestured to the mammals to follow her as she began to walk deeper into the store.

“The materials room has an old wooden chair with spokes that's about his size.” The armadillo mused. “O' course, he could probably just run out with the chair strapped to 'im iffin' he's really desperate.

“Don't worry Misses D.” Wade replied. “We'll er....we'll take turns watchin' him till he's ready to go.”

“Please boys.” Abigail tutted. “I know it's been a long time, but y'all can still call me Auntie Abby.”

From there Vernon was led into the room he now found himself in, strapped to the dingy old chair with the faded floral padding with a few additional zip-ties. They had simply sat him down and left him, the brothers entering and exiting quietly as they 'switched shifts', and leaving Vernon mostly to his own thoughts. Unlike before, the silence and small talk seemed to be something more calculated, with a definitive goal or aim. The uneasiness was still there, certainly. But it was more subdued as the Hunters shuffled in and out of the quiet little chamber. The occasional small talk from Trenton giving the wolf little to no actual stimulation to distract him from the figurative stink in the air. And the more Vernon ruminated on that particular scent, his conclusions about whatever secret event began to narrow into something more focused and easy to read.

In his head, the wolf replayed the scene from the kitchen over again and again, trying to recall his mother's expression when she assured him that his father wasn't involved with whatever hare-brained scheme they were enacting involving himself and Dawn. At the time, she had been able to convince him that she was speaking to him in earnest. But the more he continued to reflect on the memory, the more refined and detailed the scene became. And as it sharpened in his thoughts, the wolf slowly became aware of the more minute nuances in the way his mother had spoken. The way her muscles twitched, and the brief, albeit slight change in expression he had failed to notice earlier during the frenzy of the morning ambush.

It was only there for a moment, when the wolf reluctantly agreed to trust her, but he could see it now. It was something that was tickling at the old Hunter intuition, gingerly plying at the red flags in his head as he reviewed it again and again. Vernon was growing increasingly certain that while his mother might be lying to him completely, there was at the very least, a half-truth in play. There was something important she was keeping from him, and that seemed to be something to do with just how much his father may actually be involved with whatever all this was.

This line of thought made the wolf all the more aware of every little thing his brothers were doing, albeit it a limited capacity. It was as if he was being treated like a suspect that the wolves were trying to get to talk. To confess or agree to anything in order to get out of the zip ties that currently kept him trapped there. Trenton's small talks and Zach's damnable silence had to be some strange form of the old 'good cop, bad cop' routine. The two taking turns plying at the wolves patience in order to get him to do something. Although Zach choosing to remain silent probably had more to do with the fact that the wolf would have most likely had a hard time being aggressive toward Vernon. As for the others, well, they were more than likely aware that one of Vernon's biggest pet peeves was when those around him talked about him without addressing him. To Vernon, it was even more insulting than talking behind his back. 

On top of that, regardless of which brother was in charge of watching him at the time, or what tactic was in play, they continually passed around a pair of pruning shears as they waited presumably for Vernon's fitting. Leaving the wolf to watch the key to his freedom being continually dangled just out of reach. It was all calculated, it had to be. But to what end? What exactly were they hiding from the wolf, and what did they want out of him?

Either way, whatever this game was, he was done playing along, he had been far too patient all in an effort to see where everything was going. But now he wanted answers, and he was leaving if he didn't get them, even if that meant sprinting off with the entire chair strapped to him as Auntie Abby had joked about, and waiting for his mate to return back at the ranch.

“I don't know...” Xavier mused. “He still seems ready to bolt to me.” The wolf glanced at his mate nervously. “Maybe we should just tell him.”

“We made a promise Xavier!” Malcolm tapped his mate on the snout.

“I don't know what game yer all playin' at but I want some damn answers!” Vernon hissed.

“And you'll get 'em Vern, you'll get 'em soo-”

“Now!” Vernon snapped. “I want answers now dammit!” The wolf stomped a foot.

With that, Trenton poked his head between the curtains, eyeing the other wolves curiously.

“Is everything all right back here?” The white wolf asked.

“No!” Vernon snarled. “Everthin' ain't alright!”

“Well, I can see that.” Trenton replied, easing through the curtains. The wolf was already fitted in a tux of his own. The black material and matching black tie creating a sharp contrast to his own bristling white fur. “What's wrong Vernon?”

Vernon stared at the wolf for a moment, dumbfounded. The grey wolf blinking his eyes a few times as he stared at his brother in disbelief.

“What's wrong?” Vernon muttered, letting out a soft laugh. “WHAT'S WRONG!?” The wolf spat.

“Easy Ver-.”

“You fella's tackled me!” The wolf trashed in his seat. “Tied me up like some criminal! Split me and Dawn up, and dragged me off without tellin' me WHY!”

The wolves collectively winced as Vernon emphasized the word 'why' with a gnash of his teeth. 

"Y'all keep tellin' me everythin's fine!" Vernon gasped. "That you'll tell me soon! Just hold on!" The wolf shook in his chair again. "But meanwhile I'm sittin' here trussed to a chair like I'm bein' held ransom!"

“Vern-!”

"And don't think I can't tell when y'all are tryin' to play me like I'm bein' interrogated!" The wolf spat.

The wolves winced again, glancing at one another uncomfortably at the accusation. There was a clear sense of shame exuding from the mammals, letting Vernon know he had clearly hit the mark.

“In-Interrogation?” Trenton queried.

"Teeth to tails, whether I got you talkin' to me about the weather or Zach shuttin' me out it ain't exactly hard to tell you guys are treatin' me like I'm a suspect!" The wolf snarled. "So what is it!? HUH!? WHAT ARE YOU TRYIN' TO DO HERE EXACTLY!? WHAT ARE YOU TRYIN' TO GET OUT OF ME!?"

The unsettling silence returned to the room as the wolves glanced at one another with uncertainty. By now Zach had entered the room, joining the other wolves in the uncomfortable silence as he had clearly heard most of the shouting from outside. The russet wolf adjusted his pale orange tie, pulling at the neck of his dress shirt uneasily. Zach opened his muzzle for a moment before snapping it shut again and looking toward the floor.

“Look...” Vernon finally spoke again. “I've put up with this game long enough.” The wolf continued. “I think I deserve some answers.” The wolf shook his head. “At the very least I'd like to go back to bein' treated like one of yer brothers.”

That had the rest of the pack glancing at the floor, the sense of shame among them that much stronger as they failed to make eye contact with Vernon. Despite Vernon's pleading they all remained silent, occasionally catching the glance of one another as the wolf's patience continued to wear thin.

“Well...?” Vernon asked.

“Well, I mean that's not exactly how an interoogation works bu-.”

Vernon cut the white wolf off as he started to growl.

“L-look Vern.” Zach finally spoke, raising his head slightly as he rubbed at the back of his head. “We, I mean. We a-ain't.”

“Look, it ain't like we're doin' this to get some sorta rise outta ya.” Trenton seemingly picked up where Zach had left off. “I-I mean it ain't purposeful...it's just.”

Xavier stepped forward, adjusting his glasses as he let out an uncomfortable cough. “It's just this whole situation is...rather unique...” The wolf glanced at his paw, idly tapping his forefingers together in a nervous manner. 

“We all love you!” Zach interjected, only to seemingly awkwardly balk at his own declaration. “I mean were brothers, y'know?” The wolf scratched the back of his neck uneasily. “S-So its hard fer us to..fer us to...”

“To hold back on telling you certain things, because it feels like lying.” Xavier continued in Wade's absence. “It's an uncomfortable situation.”

“Yer tellin' me...” Vernon muttered, glancing back at his retrained paws.

“It's hard on all of us Vern.” Zach spoke up, wringing his paws together.

“So...in order to cope we've sort of...er...” Wade murmured, his eyes downcast as he studied the rug at his feet in an effort to avoid Vernon's gaze. “Been tryin' to distance' ourselves... in order to keep from sayin' somethin' dumb.”

Zach shrugged. "I guess that made most of us slip into cop mode without fully realisin' it..." The wolf murmured. "Looks like we leaned into the skid a little too hard though."

Vernon was utterly confused. On the one paw it explained the weird, pseudo-interrogation like situation he found himself in. But the amount of effort undertaken to keep whatever this secret was hidden seemed excessively extreme.

“A-Alright...I get that.” Vernon replied, shifting slightly against his seat. “I mean it's purty over-the-top if y'all ask me, but I get it.” The wolf sighed. 

“But can't y'all tell me at least somethin'?” Vernon continued, the wolf looking to the others with pleading eyes as he spoke. “Anythin' to put me more at ease about this whole thing?” The wolf whimpered. “At the very least try to convince me o' somethin' that makes some sorta sense!”

The wolves looked at one another with nervous expressions, eyes darting from each mammals as they seemed to scan each other for a response.

“W-well....er....” Xavier muttered, rubbing his neck in clear discomfort. “I mean...we are going to er...attend something.”

Vernon nodded. “Okay.” The wolf replied. “A little bit more maybe?”

“A...” Wade glanced at Trenton with a quirked eyebrow. “Ceremony?” Wade waited, studying the white wolf in an apparent search for approval. Slowly, Trenton offered an nod.

“And what kind o' ceremony?” Vernon replied.

“We...er...” Trenton murmured. “Cant' say.”

Vernon let out an irritated sigh. His eyes felt dry and scratchy, but with his paws still tied behind his back, there was little he could do to fix the discomfort.

“Alright....fine...” Vernon muttered. “But why is it important fer me and Dawn to be there?”

“W-well, ya see...” Malcolm murmured, wringing his paws nervously. “Uh...it's...family related?”

Malcolm glanced to his mate with an uneasy expression, but like Trenton, Xavier gave a reassuring nod that seemed to put him at least a little more at ease.

Vernon squinted at the mammals, studying their features carefully. So far, they seemed to be telling the truth, at least as far as his gut told him. But the evidence that was gathering only grew increasingly stranger as he tried to piece together what he was being dragged into. A celebration, involving family, with tuxes for the males and dresses for the females. All of that seemed to add up to only one thing, but it just didn't make any sense. After everything that had happened at the ranch involving Dorian there was no way it could be...

Vernon let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head in disbelief at his own conclusion. 

“You ain't tellin' me it's some kinda tithe is it?” The wolf's remark was offhanded, nothing more than a joke that had inadvertently slipped from his muzzle. But as deathly silence filled the room, the wolf's ears pricked up. Glancing at his brothers, there was a mixture of horror and shock on their faces, Xavier and Malcolm going so far as to cover their muzzles with their paws to presumably muffle their collective gasps.

It only lasted for a moment before they had all diverted their eyes from Vernon, but the look of terror hadn't left their faces as they looked to one another in a quiet sort of panic.

“No.” Vernon chuckled uneasily. “Yer, yer kiddin' right?” 

The increasingly pallid wolves were visibly sweating now. Vernon could see it glimmering on their fur as their eyes continued to dart to one another. It was a tithe. But for who? Dorian had already made his feelings on Vernon and Dawn very clear, and there was no way in hell that changed. Not after what the wolf had made oh so very clear in the dimly lit study the night before. 

“Wait....so...?”

“Hey, we should probably get back to the ranch huh Fluffybuns?” Malcolm squeaked, stabbing a thumb toward the curtain. His motions were somewhat jerky, almost as if the pudgy wolf was shaking slightly as he gave the signal to his mate.

“O-Oh yes!” Xavier spoke up, the wolf flashing his mate an nervous smile. “The ceremony does need it's catering director, doesn't it?”

“Yep, yep!” Malcolm chirped, his delivery stiff and awkward as he sidled up next to his mate, wrapping an arm around his. “Now that my suits fitted and done fer, I need to get back and start barkin' orders and testin' food.” Malcolm batted his eyes at Xavier. “You'll drive me back o'course?”

“Gladly my little Gingersnap.” The wolf smiled back at his mate.

Turning to Vernon, Xavier adjusted his glasses nervously before offering the wolf a slight bow. 

“I'll see you when I get back Vern.” Xavier laughed uneasily. “Hopefully this...er...” The wolf bit his lip nervously “ ' Situation' will all be settled by then.”

With that, the two wolfs dashed out of the room so fast the breeze they created had the curtain separating the back room flapping like a flag in their wake. Zach had turned to follow them, reaching out a weak paw as the two disappeared before warily retracting it.

“Cowards...” Vernon could hear Zach mutter.

Vernon stared blankly at the curtain for a moment, watching the fluttering fabric slow to a stop. Again, the wolf found himself blinking dumbly in shock as he struggled to take everything in. There was a part of him still waiting to hear the punch-line, the end of the 'hilarious' facade his brothers were putting up for him. But after Xavier and Malcolm's speedy exit, the remaining Hunter's expressions looked just as troubled and uncomfortable as they had before, if not more so. There wasn't even the hint of a creeping smile trying to force it's way to the surface of their muzzles, or a twinkle behind the eye to tell Vernon it was all just a very elaborate joke. 

That was, of course, when the wolf could hold their guilty gaze for more than a minute before the turned away shamefully. Slowly but surely, Vernon was growing to realize that there was no punch-line. There was no joke at play. Someone in the family was getting tithed today, and he was going to be forced to witness it. And that, was when the anger began to set in. The wolf could feel the heat growing inside as he began to understand just what was going on.

“Who...?' Vernon muttered.

“What?” Zach asked nervously.

“Who's bein' tithed?” Vernon hissed, he could feel the fire in his belly starting to rise into his chest as he took a shuddering breath. 

Everything was starting to make so much more sense now. The restraints, the fitting, all of it. If the wolf knew he was going to have to witness someone in his family get tithed, he would have at the very least been reluctant to actually stick around for it. After what he and Dawn had been through, after how decisively his father had denied their right to a tithe. To be forced to witness someone else in his family would be like having the knife Dorian had already firmly jabbed into his chest be given an additional twist by his brothers inadvertently. And that was just in regard to himself. The wolf could barely begin to fathom how much more it would hurt his mate. But for the sake of whatever brother it was, he was sure he could endure. After all, as far as the rest of the Hunter Pack was concerned, as much as it would pain him to stand by and watch, Vernon owed it to his brothers to be there for them. After all, if the circumstances were reversed, he was certain most of them would do the same for him.

“Vern-.” Zach pleaded, his ears splaying against his head as he winced.

“I-It's all right...” Vernon said, letting out another shuddering breath as he tried to temper the building anger that was squeezing on his chest like a vice. The wolf took a shallow breath, letting it out slowly as he focused his gaze on the rust colored wolf. “I-I ain't mad....j-just tell me who's gettin' hitched.”

The wolves exchanged uncertain glances, clearly searching for one another as to exactly how to say whatever was on their mind, at least as far as Vernon could tell. But with his patience already worn thin, and the fire that was lapping at his insides only seemed to swell that much more as the evasive treatment continued.

“TELL ME ALREADY!” Vernon snapped.

“MA AND PA!” Wade blurted out, a clear look of panic in his eyes. “THEY'RE RENEWIN' THEIR TITHE!”

As soon as the word slipped from his muzzle, the wolf quickly clasped his paws over it as if just how loud he had blurted out the reply had startled him. Zach and Trenton slowly turned their heads, glancing at the wolf with wide eyes. Their muzzles twisted up in an expression of pure horror. A look that, even without the actual words, seemed to say 'how could you say that?' reflected in the other wolves gazes.

“I me- I mean no-not...” Wade's voice was small. The timid, weak sentence dying in his throat as the other Hunters glares took on more of an irritated look to them. Wade slunk into his shoulders, his eyes darting between the two nervously.

Vernon however, had barely noticed much of his how his brothers were reacting to what Wade said, as the wolf was still fixed on the words themselves. Again the wolf found himself trying to make sense of just what he had heard. The initial delivery had snuffed out the fire inside of him instantaneously, like a frigid wind blustering through his frame as the shocking blow of the statement resonated through him. 

The news was so impossible to wrap his head around, that it had temporarily shut down the wolf's ability to feel. The words were hollow as his mind studied each of them individually, his brain struggling to come to grips to just what Wade had admitted to. But slowly, the fire that had been so suddenly doused by the shock and disbelief began to smolder again. From just dull, weakened embers, to a steady crackling flame, growing and growing until the wolf felt himself reach the breaking point.

Watching one of his brothers tithe was one thing. It would have been painful sure, but aside from Yuri, the wolf felt his brothers deserved to have a tithe with all of the Hunter brood present. But being forced to sit there quietly and watch his smug father renew his vows just a day after he had denied Vernon and Dawn the same right. To cast them from his house, and willingly denounce him as part of the family, it was insult to injury. The wolf didn't care if it was more for his mother than anything. Hell, Vernon couldn't even begin to fathom how his mother could even consider renewing their vows after how Dorian had acted toward himself and Dawn. It added another layer of hurt to the whole twisted web of lies that had been employed to trap the couple there long enough to see it happen. For his mother to stand in that kitchen and lie to his face about just what this all was, looking at him with a nearly straight face as she protested his father's involvement, it was a trick so cruel it should have been reserved for Yuri's playbook. The wolf could feel his heart sinking fast as the feeling of betrayal weighed heavily atop it. His muscles squeezing tightly around it as the fires of his rage rose around the void his wounded heart had left behind. Vernon had been betrayed, not just by his father, but by all of them.

“Y-you dragged me here...” Vernon growled, drawing the attention of the other wolves back on him. The wolf's head had sank slightly as he had lost himself within his own thoughts. But like the inferno inside, it slowly rose to meet the other wolves nervous gazes. “Trussed me up and took Dawn...”

“V-Vern listen-” Trenton muttered softly.

“All this effort...” Vernon spat, his brow furrowing as he eyed the wolves hatefully. “Just to force me and Dawn to watch that smug...” The wolf could feel one of his eyes twitching a bile rose in his throat. “Stubborn...” The wolf's growl grew louder, his lips curling to reveal his fangs. “Hypocritical...” His teeth were on full display as he watched his brother collectively cow into their shoulders. “OLD LAW WOLF GET A TITHE!?”

“Vernon, it ain't like th-”

“AFTER WHAT HE SAID TO ME!?” Vernon was chomping at the air as he began to thrash in his seat once more. “TO DAWN!?”

Zach pulled at his collar uneasily. “Vern, please, don't-!”

“Y'ALL EXPECT US TO JUST SIT THERE AND SMILE AS HE MOCKS US IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE PACK!?” The wolf spat. 

Vernon grunted softly as he rose to his feet, the chair still strapped to his back as he stood. It was heavy, the old wooden bottom thoroughly weighted with old world craftmammalship. But Vernon's nearly blinding rage made the heft of the old object feel inconsequential in the face of that blatant hypocrisy and injustice that was fueling his ire.

Zach placed his paws up defensively, gingerly gesturing to the wolf to sit back down.

“Vern, Listen-!”

“TO HAVE HIM STAND THERE AND SHOW OFF TO ME AND MY MATE WHAT HE DENIED US! TO JAM SALT IN OUR WOUNDS!?” The wolf's sharp stare darted from brother to brother as he scanned each of them. He needed to get out of there. Out of the shop and back to the ranch to wait for Dawn. Even if he had to run it all out on foot. But that required finding the weakest point of entry in the barrier his brothers had formed, as well as hopefully snagging the shears from whoever was holding them.

“AND FER MA TO LIE TO ME!”

“SHE DIDN'T LIE!” Trenton protested.

“OH BULL!” The wolf spat, shaking the chair strapped to him wildly, hoping to maybe snap the zip ties free. “HOW IS IT THE OLD MAM' AIN'T INVOLVED IN RENEWIN' THEIR TITHE!”

“DAMNIT WADE!” Zach sneered at the dusky grey wolf.

Wade held up his paws defensively. In the left one, Vernon spotted the pruning shears as he waved them in the direction of Zach.

“WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO SAY!?” Wade spat.

“ANYTHING ELSE!” Trenton barked back, but his eyes remained fixed on Vernon. The white wolf spreading his arms out in an effort to extend the blockade.

“Look Vern, Wade didn't me-”

“THEN WHAT DID HE MEAN!?” HUH!?” Vernon hissed.

“CAN WE PLEASE JUST TELL HIM!?” Wade pleaded, the dusky wolfs eyes darting between Vernon and the others. “THIS IS GETTING REALLY BA-”

“ALL OF Y'ALL SHUT YER DAMN TRAPS!”

The sudden booming voice had collectively silenced the the bickering Hunters, even Vernon falling silent as his attention turned to entrance of the room. Now standing in the doorway stood Yuri, the jet black wolf in an equally dark tux with a blood red tie fastened neatly at his collar. The wolf's irritated yellow eyes scanned the other Hunters, squinting softly as he seemed to be assessing the scene taking place.

“Goodness, what is going on back here?” Standing near the wolf's knee was Miss Dasy, the petite armadillo peeking around him as she eyed the other wolves warily.

“I've never heard bickering so bad in all my years!” The mammal tutted.

“That's cause this fluffhead said Ma and Pa were gettin' tithed again!” Zach sneered, stabbing a claw at Wade accusingly.

The dusky grey wolf drew back, crossing his arms defensively.

“Oh, so what should I have told him?” Wade scoffed. “That me and Giselle were getting tithed?” The grey wolf shook his head dismissively. “He would have taken that just as bad!”

Vernon had opened his mouth to fire off another string of heavy accusations leveled at his brothers, but Wade's confusing admission had caused the words to die in the wolfs throat. His muzzle slowly closed as he quirked a brow in confusion.

“WOULD YOU SHUT UP, YER MAKIN' IT WORSE!” Zach snapped, swatting Wade's snout with a paw. The dusky grey wolf let out a sharp whine as he withdrew from Zach's reach, clasping his paws on his muzzle protectively.

“Ain't no need to get pawsy Zach!” Trent growled at his brother.

“Boys, please...” Dasy tutted, placing her own claws up and gesturing for the wolves to calm themselves.

“Oh I barely even touched 'im!” Zach snapped back. “Besides, the big mouth deserves it after-”

“Because you would have done so much better right?” Wade retorted. 

“Staying silent was an option Wade.” Trenton lamented.

Vernon slowly eased back down, allowing the weight of the chair to pull him back into a seated position as he watched the baffling argument continue.

“Boys...” Abigail fretted. “Ulric's is twitching enough without yer arguing echoing through the whole store, pleas-”

“Vernon was ready to bolt!” Wade replied, pointing the cutters toward Trenton. “Someone had to say something!”

“So say it was Trent and Qails, or hell, Ada and Yuri!” Zach spat.

“Yeah, cause Vern wants to be at Yuri and Ada's ti-”

“ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT!” Yuri barked, silencing the wolves once more. His muzzle tensed to reveal his teeth as he glared back at the other Hunters. “Wade, why don't you shut that muzzle of yers before you say somethin' else yer gonna regret.”

The grey wolf frowned, crossing his arms again as he let out a scoff.

Yuri simply rolled his eyes as he strolled further into the room, coming up along side the other wolves. Keeping his back turned to Vernon, the black-furred wolf seemed to sweep his glare across the remaining wolves. Vernon didn't need to see those peircing yellow eyes of his to know what was going on as he saw each of the Hunters shrink slightly as the dark wolf's line of sight passed over each one.

“Look at y'all...” Yuri shook his head dismissively. “Y'all are suppose ta be police officers. And yet here y'are crackin' up like a bunch of perps lookin' fer a plea deal.”

The wolf glanced back at Vernon over his shoulder, frowning softly as he eyed the confused wolf.

“Quite a feat considerin' Vern's the one trussed up here.” Yuri spat.

“This is different Yuri.” Zach protested. “I mean it's hard to-.”

“Should I have wrapped Vern's muzzle up with duct-tape?” The wolf snickered. “Would that have made it easier on y'all to keep yer heads cool?”

Vernon rolled his eyes. He could feel the the return of that seething feeling in his gut at Yuri's suggestion.

“No.” Trenton scoffed. 

“Then what's yer damn problem!?” Yuri spat, flashing the wolf an accusatory glare.

“Unlike you, we got hearts in our chest.” Wade snapped back. “So tryin' to keep a secret, even if its fer a good reason, is hard fer us brothers who actually care about each other.”

Yuri lunged forward, causing Wade to recoil as Yuri's muzzle pointed down at his own, the dark wolf's fangs on full display as he let out a loud growl.

“You better bite yer tongue mutt!” Yuri hissed. “I'm already burnin' a short fuse today, and the last thing we both need is to have to pay out fer two extra suits!”

“Oh good, more threats...” Trenton sighed. “Because that never gets old.”

Reaching a paw out, Yuri snatched the pruning shears from Wades trembling paw before turning his attention to Trenton. With a glare, the wolf pointed the shears at the white wolf for emphasis.

“I mean, y'all can't separate yer feelin's from doin' yer job!” Yuri spat. “And y'all need to treat this like a job, for Vermin's sake.

Vernon let out a tired sigh. On top of everything else the wolf had to endure, Yuri had to chime in with his usual childish nicknames. 

“What would y'all do if you had to interrogate someone you loved because they actually did somethin' serious!? Would y'all balk then?” Yuri snorted, pointing the shears repeatedly at Trenton's snout. “Would y'all panic and dig yerselves deeper in the rut? Scare them? Scare yerselves? Real professional.” 

The dark-furred wolf turned his attention back to Vernon, the same look of discomfort crossing his muzzle as he flipped the shears in his paw.

“Usually officers aren't allowed to work on cases that involve family members for that reason Yuri.” Zach snapped. “But it ain't like we got options here!”

Yuri flashed the other wolves a smirk before walking toward Vernon. The dark-furred wolf looming over him for a few seconds before scanning around him. Vernon winced momentarily, expecting the wolf to pull a fast one. The same way he had felt when the wolf had suddenly gripped him and dragged him over to the pick-up. But once again, Yuri surprised him. The well dressed wolf instead sidling off to Vernon's side before easing himself down on a large pile of fabric spools. The wolf eased into the material as if it were a crude bean bag chair, grunting softly as he shimmied himself into a more comfortable position. Seemingly satisfied, the wolf let out a sigh before returning to flicking the shears in his paw. Yuri flashed the other Hunters a confident grin as he flipped the clippers end over end. 

“Then let me handle it.” Yuri grinned. “After all, I ain't got no heart, right Wade?”

“What?” Vernon spat in disbelief.

Wade frowned softly, the wolf slinking into his shoulders and averting his gaze from the black-furred wolf. However Trenton and Zach were simply not having Yuri's proposal.

“Oh that's not happening!” Zach fired back with.

“We're just supposed to let you watch over Vernon!?” Trenton added. “After yesterday!?”

Yuri spread his arms out, gesturing to his body with his paws. “I'm here ain't I?” The wolf scoffed. “If I wasn't over it, me and Ada would have been on the first flight back to Redmound this morning.”

“Yuri-!”

The jet-black wolf leaned up in his seat, throwing the wolves a fierce glare as he bared his fangs again.

“Teeth to tails, would you give me a gods be damned chance fer once!?” The wolf sneered, running a paw through his mo-hawk like coif roughly. “Yer all so quick to think the worst of me. To call me heartless or whatever things y'all think about me before even given' me a chance to actually insult y'all!”

Zach rolled his eyes. “Can you blame us!?”

“It's not like you've done much to prove the contrary during this reunion Yuri.” Trenton muttered. “Yesterday's little stint alone doesn't exactly bolster my confidence in y'all behaving like a civilized mammal.” The white wolf briefly glanced to the wolf strapped to the wooden chair. “Especially around Vernon.”

Yuri scoffed, lolling his head back as he leaned deeper into the mound of spools. “Like y'all ain't just waitin' to spring on me the moment I say somethin' you think is off-color.” The wolf sneered. “Y'all are always ready to punish me even before I even think of sayin' somethin'.” The wolf shook his head. “Like I'm some sort of thought criminal.”

“Again...” Zach scoffed. “Can you blame us?” The wolf retorted.

“You've been a jerk to all of us since we were pups!” Wade interjected. “Why shouldn't we expect you to be a jerk now?”

“Well an attitude like that certainly don't give me any incentive to act any other way.” Yuri scoffed. “After all, if yer gonna treat me like a criminal, I might as well give ya a reason to justify it.”

“Oh, don't act like your behavior is on us, be-”

“Look...”Yuri leaned forward, cutting Trenton off mid-sentence. “I got enough shit to deal with back home without bein' forced to come out to this backwater hole and deal with even more of it.” Yuri idly passed the shears from paw to paw as he spoke. “I don't expect any of y'all to understand, and frankly, I don't give a shit.”

Vernon watched his brothers brows collectively furrow at Yuri's statement.

“But fer just once, could y'all give me just a lick of trust.” The wolf continued. While his expression remained tense, the was an undercurrent of something Vernon couldn't place. Then again, Vernon had never been good at reading Yuri. The wolf defied the use of Hunter intuition when it came to those trying to use it against him.

“I swear on Ma's good name that my intentions ain't bad.” The wolf stopped fiddling with the shears for a moment, his ears sagging slightly as he looked to the other Hunters. “Asides, y'all had yer shots at keepin' the peace and y'all wasted 'em.”

“I wouldn't sa-”

“Y'all already talked yerselves into enough of a corner.” Yuri cut him off, pointing the shears at Vernon. The wolf drew back slightly at the sight of the blades, wincing in discomfort. The last mammal he trusted to handle those things safely was Yuri. “Knowin' Vern, the only thing he's gonna accept from y'all is truth goin' forward. And knowin' y'all, you'll just crumble and spoil all Ma's hard work.” 

The dark-wolf's confident smile returned. “But I ain't emotionally compromised like the rest of y'all.” Yuri chuckled. “I can keep a cool head while I keep him company.”

“Cool hea-!?” That protest had come from Vernon, but almost as soon as he spoke Yuri held up his paw to cut him off. Glancing over to his brother, he met his familiar piercing yellow gaze. Vernon had expected hate, or ire in those eyes, the emotions he was more than familiar with when it came to Yuri. But again, he was met with that same uneasy look. It was as if he was attempting to look pleading, but the expression looked unnatural on him. 

“I need some time to talk to you anyway.” Yuri sighed. “Brother to brother, y'all get me?”

Vernon quirked an eyebrow at just how preposterous Yuri's request sounded. The very fact that the wolf had asked it almost felt as though it was some sort of hallucination that Vernon was suffering from. The stress and tension of the whole trip finally pushing him to his mental limits and utterly breaking his grasp on reality.

“I promise y'all I'll tell you what you need to know.” Yuri continued, pointing the shears at Vernon once before cocking his head at the remaining Hunters. “And I promise, it ain't a trick....just...hear me out alright...?”

Vernon stared at his brother for what felt like ages, his eyes frantically searching for any form of a tell that gave away Yuri's true intention. But the wolf's face remained solemn and still, frozen in that hideous attempt at a pleading look. It was an expression that just didn't fit him. A face he found to be almost entirely unrecognizable as belonging to Yuri.

Vernon wanted whatever the truth was, or at least as much of it that could be told to make for a satisfying explanation as to the level of effort required to keep him here. And if Yuri was to be believed, the other Hunters had done a terrible job of explaining it to him. But Yuri was a master deceiver, at least in Vernon's own experience growing up along side him. And while pretending to come bearing an olive branch was not in his usual wheelhouse, it wasn't out of the question that Yuri would use such a tactic. But then there was the logical question of the wolf's motives. If it was indeed a trick, then what was Yuri ultimately aiming to do? To upset Vernon further? To beat him senseless for revenge before the rest of their brothers could stop him? Or maybe just to force him and Dawn to sit through a ceremony that only stood to mock their own trials and tribulations. All of the answers seemed like a lot of effort to go through for very petty aims, but Yuri had a tendency to be petty when it came to Vernon.

“Y'all know Ma would skin me alive at best if I even touched a hair on Vern before tonight.” The wolf added, waving the clippers idly at the rest of the Hunters. “C'mon. Give me a shot.”

The other three Hunters exchanged uneasy glances, looking to one another in brief silence as Vernon could only assume they were quietly deliberating Yuri's plea. Wade looked particularly uncomfortable, offering a very weak dismissive nod to the other two wolves. The motion behind the gesture being just great enough to be perceived as a quiet 'no', but not so terse as to perhaps draw Yuri's attention to him specifically. Still, despite Wade's clear disapproval, he seemed unwilling to say it out loud, which left the room open for Trenton to take the lead.

“O...k...” Trenton mumbled, drawing the two wolves attention back on him. The uncomfortable looking white wolf scratched the back of his head awkwardly, his eyes shifting away from the seated wolves.

“I...We'll give you a shot at fixin' this...” Trenton continued.

“What!?” Wade spat. “You can't be serious!”

Vernon's jaw dropped, But Yuri's smile grew large enough to show off his fangs. The wolf wanted to speak, wanted to protest. But Yuri's confusing words coupled with the sudden shock had left him grasping for any semblance of a rebuttal.

Trenton quickly held up a paw, gesturing to the dusky grey wolf to settle down.

“I hate to say it, but fer once I feel like he's actually bein' reasonable...” Trenton sighed. “Considerin' the rest of us are far too busy trippin' over our tongues over here to make any real progress on calmin' Vern down.”

Zach gave the white wolf a gentle shove, drawing his attention.

“Trenny, you sure about this?” Zach muttered. “We're just gonna leave 'em alone together? After yesterday?”

Trenton held his paw up to Zach.

“But.” Trenton continued. “We will be right outside, with our ears on the room to make sure nothing funny goes on in here.”

Vernon watched Yuri's grin falter almost immediately. But Trenton's declaration was enough to relieve Vernon to some degree, at least enough to shut his muzzle again.

“AW COME ON NOW!” Yuri protested.

Trenton shook his head, crossing his arms defiantly.

“That's all were gonna offer, take it or leave it.” The wolf replied. 

Yuri leaned up in his ad-hoc chair, glaring back at Trenton with disdain, but the white wolf didn't flinch. His icy blue eyes remaining fixed on Yuri's sharp yellow irises as they entered into a stare down. The room fell silent as the two wolves faced one another, the air growing thicker and thicker as the wolves tried to intimidate one another. To Vern, it was almost like a scene out of an old western movie. The classic shoot-out, with both wolves waiting on the clock to strike noon to see who was fastest on the draw. But there were no guns here, no waiting for the chime. It was just a battle of will, the victor the one with the sharpest glare. And someone would inevitably cave.

And this time, Yuri was the one to balk in the face of Trenton's glare. The wolf letting out an annoyed huff as he slung himself backwards into the mound of spools.

“UGGGHHH!” Yuri groaned. “Alright, alright...FINE!”

Shaking his head, the wolf leaned back up into a sitting position, running a paw though his mo-hawk in order to neaten it up. The wolf titled his head slightly to regard the other Hunters.

“Just don't listen in more than y'all need to...” Yuri muttered. “I was aimin' fer the conversation to be mostly between the two of us...”

The other Hunters exchanged confused looks, the wolves raising a brow at one another as they seemed to mull over the concept of 'Yuri' and a 'private conversation'. Of course Vernon was just as baffled. After all, Yuri only had two conversational tones, whispered threats and loud insults. Thus any attempt at being discreet and civil was usually something the wolf seemed to be incapable of. 

“A-Alright...We-...” Zach scratched his head awkwardly. “We'll try?” The russet wolf glanced to Trenton, seeming looking to the wolf for acknowledgment. Trenton gave a meek nod before turning his attention back to Yuri.

“We'll try to keep our ears up fer just the sound of fightin'.” Trenton muttered, turning toward the curtain. The wolf began to walk toward it as the other two Hunters watched warily. For a moment it seemed like they weren't sure whether they should follow along. It was clear they were reluctantly to leave Vernon behind. But slowly they too began to trudge toward the exit. The white wolf parted the curtain, passing half-way through before glancing back over his shoulder at the two wolves.

“Just tell ol' Ully to spy on us.” Yuri called out, letting out a soft chuckle. “He don't want us fightin' either, and anything he hears and repeats can be considered dubious at best.”

The white wolf let out a snort. “Don't make us regret this.” Trenton muttered, before finally slipping out of the back room. Zach followed shortly after, giving Vernon a final uneasy glance before slipping away behind the thick, pale green curtains. 

Wade was the last to leave, stopping for a moment to appraise the two seated wolves. Wade offered them a meek smile.

“I-I'm sorry Vern.” Wade shook his head. “I really hackled things up.”

Yuri chuckled. “Just like always, huh Wade?”

Wade flashed the wolf a glare, lunging forward and baring his teeth. But the wolf barely managed to take a step back into the room before a white paw clasped onto his shoulder, stopping him from going any further. Wade glanced out through the curtains, wincing slightly as his ears flattened against his head.

“Let it go Wade.” Vernon could hear Trenton say. “Hold it back unless y'all need to put it to use.” 

With a snort, Wade flashed the black-furred wolf a hateful glare before reluctantly slipping out of the room, the curtains slowing winding down to a close behind him.

Vernon and Yuri were alone now. And the realization was enough to make the wolf immediately tense up. He was at Yuri's mercy now. After all, he was bound tightly to the chair, and with no Ulric to act as a meat shield there would be no one to block whatever flurry of blows Yuri could get in before the others could scramble back in to save him. Glancing back at the yellow wolf seated next to him, Vernon could see that same uncertain look in his eye. That strange, thoughtful look about him that told the wolf that the gears in Yuri's head were probably spinning off wildly. Most likely with hundred of different thoughts on how best to make Vernon pay for the stitches on the bridge of his snout. 

“Relax Vermi-.” The wolf stopped himself, shaking his head briskly before choosing to correct himself. “Vernon. I asked y'all to hear me out. I ain't gonna try anything...” It was strange to have Yuri go out of his way to correct himself without their mother looming over him.

Vernon tried to swallow, but the lump that had formed in his throat refused to budge as he began to weigh his emergency options. His eyes darted to the curtain again. If he put all of his force and energy into it, he was sure he could make a break for it before Yuri had time to react. He'd still be strapped to the chair, but at the very least he'd have a chance at getting away from the more imminent threat.

“W-why...?” Vernon stammered as his eyes returned to Yuri. The wolf had gone back to idly playing with the pruning shears. Passing them from one paw to the other. “W-why should I t-trust you?”

Yuri let out a tired sigh. With a soft groan, the wolf rose to his feet, taking a moment to dust of his tux with a paw before turning to face the wolf. Brandishing the clippers in his paw and opening the safety lock, the wolf began to clip at the air in-front of him. Vernon felt a surge of adrenaline rush though him at the horrifying sight. The time had come to flee, it was now or never. But as Vernon attempted to pull his chair off the ground, he felt it suddenly forced back down by the weight of Yuri's foot. The jet-black wolf had braced the base with one paw in an effort to keep him from running, effectively trapping him there.

Vernon forced his eyes shut, leaning as far back in his chair as he could in order to try to get away from him. He was boxed in now. Short of pulling out of his restraints to defend himself, there was little he could do to stave off the wolf's advance.

'This is it.' The wolf thought. 'He's gonna gouge up my face to get back at me!'

Vernon writhed and strained, pulling at the ties in an desperate final attempt at escape. But to no avail. The zip ties remained tightly fixed. All the continued pulling did was gnaw at his flesh and burn his fur. There was no escape

“TRE-!”

The wolf fell silent amidst his sudden cry for help as he felt the pressure around his wrists suddenly release. The restrictive plastic ties had suddenly given way, the hard material slipping limply down against the cushion of the chair as Vernon brought his arms around to inspect them. 

The zip cuffs had left a slight depression in the fur, and if Vernon looked close enough he could see the outline of the plastic teeth in his flesh just beyond it. Although the wolf couldn't be sure if Yuri had initially tied them too tightly, or if the damage had been done mostly by his own straining. Still it was a confusing sight, and as Vernon rubbed at his wrist to chase away the lingering brace, his eyes darted around to find Yuri. The wolf had already made his way around the front of the wolf, and was in the middle of easing back into the pile of fabric spools as he lamely tossed the shears off into another pile of material.

“Y-Yuri?” Vernon muttered.

“There.” The wolf muttered. “Ain't nothin' keepin' you here now.” The wolf glanced back at Vernon with a furrowed brow. “So if you want out, there's the door.” The jet-black wolf lamely gestured to the curtain before listlessly dropping his arm to his side. “Hell, I won't even try to stop you.” 

“B-But...Wha...?” Vernon stammered as he struggled to make sense of Yuri's seemingly altruistic gesture. He was sure he had to be hallucinating now.

“You can thank me later...” Yuri shrugged. “Or preferably now.” The wolf chuckled. “I mean, I could have forced you to listen to me.” The wolf grinned his more familiar mischievous smile. “It was real temptin'.”

Vernon scoffed at the wolf's comment.

“Yeah, a real fair fight...” The wolf scoffed.

Yuri rolled his eyes. “Oh fer cryin' out loud, I ain't lookin' fer a fight.”

“Then what are you lookin' fer?” Vernon snapped back. “What is this all about?”

“I told y'all...” Yuri grumbled. “I just wanted y'all to listen to me. I'm just lookin' to talk.”

Placing his paws on his knees, Vernon let out a long drawn out sigh. It was already hard enough to read Yuri's poker face without him talking in circles. Whatever the motivation was behind this little 'talk', for once it seemed more complicated than his usual aims. The fact that he had gone as far as to free the wolf without explaining anything, running the risk of letting him flee in order to get him to hear him out, was a grand gesture for a mammal like Yuri. The wolf wasn't the type to take big risks, and always exploited situations where he had the upper paw. But now, he had chosen to place the ball entirely in Vernon's court, under the premise that he wanted to talk. That Yuri, of all mammals, had more than two word to say to Vernon. It seemed completely insane, but up to this point so had everything else that had happened in the past few hours.

“You wanna talk...” Vernon muttered, gesturing a paw to nothing in particular. “Fine, then talk.”


	47. An Inconvenient Truce

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Forty-Seven: An Inconvenient Truce

Yuri stared at Vernon blankly for a few moments, his eyes blinking rapidly as he seemed to be struggling to take in just how willing Vernon was to open the floor to the wolf. It gave Vernon the distinct impression that perhaps Yuri hadn't exactly planned ahead this far along when it came to this 'talk' of his. At the very least, he had probably expected more of an argument when it came to Vernon's willingness to hear him out, and the fact that Vernon had given in so quickly had forced the wolf to throw out half of his prepared demands or pleas for the wolf to stay. The dark-furred wolf pulled uneasily at the knot of his tie, letting out an awkward cough.

“Well?” Vernon asked, quirking a puzzled brow at the wolf.

Yuri leaned back into the mesh of fabric spools, letting out an uncomfortable groan as he tried to shimmy deeper into the pile and averting his gaze from Vernon's own. The jet-black wolf ran a terse paw through his mo-hawk before letting it flop to his side and letting out a sigh.

“Mam', old lady Dasy needs more chairs back here...” The wolf murmured. “This mess o' spools is uncomfortable as sin.”

“Yuri...” Vernon muttered, wiping the corners of his eyes with his thumb and forefinger and running them down his snout.

“I mean, I know it's a storeroom, but teeth to tails you'd think she'd have a few more-”

"Yuri!" Vernon cut the wolf off. Despite the wolf's seemingly well-intentioned actions, Vernon was already on edge from the previous experiences he had to endure throughout the morning. 

“Y' ain't got no patience Vernon.” Yuri snapped, turning to face the wolf. His yellow eyes squinting tightly as he threw Vernon a glare. “Sweet sawgrass.”

“Can you blame me at this point Yuri?” Vernon replied, only for the dark-colored wolf to roll his eyes.

“What? The rough and tumble treatment is only fun fer you in the bedroom?” Yuri sneered. “Or the cornfield?” 

YURI!” Vernon yelled. “What are you trying-!?”

The jet-black wolf held up his paws defensively, gesturing to the wolf to calm down. 

"Hold on, hold on..." Yuri shook his head briskly as if he were trying to shake off a thought. "I-I'm just...I'm trying to get my bearings here." 

Vernon let out a snort as he slunk back into the wooden chair. The slatted wooden poles that made up the back of the seat weren't exactly comfortable, but at the moment Vernon could barely register the discomfort over the already uncomfortable atmosphere that had built up in the room. 

“Look this ain't really easy, I'm just tryin' to smooth the conversation over with some comedy here...” Yuri muttered.

“Because your brand of comedy tends to go over well with everyone else in this family.” Vernon muttered, crossing his arms.

“Ada likes it...” Yuri replied in a quiet voice.

Vernon let out a tired sigh.

“Yuri...” The wolf muttered. “ I can't imagine what you want to talk about...” Vernon ran a paw through his scalp, swabbing the hint of sweat that had formed on his brow away as he turned his attention back to the wolf seated in the pile of spools. “But I think it would be less painful fer the both of us if y'all just got it over with as quickly as possible.”

Yuri squirmed deeper into the messy pile of spools, letting out another uncomfortable groan as he struggled to get comfortable, but it was clear to Vernon by now that the discomfort was something more internal rather than just how pliable the mound of material was. Whatever the wolf was sitting on, metaphorically that is, seemed to be the real root of the wolf's unease.

Yuri let out a soft sigh. “I hate to admit when yer right...” The wolf muttered. 

Slapping his paws on his knees, Yuri leaned up slightly in his seat, taking a more casual stance as he turned his attention back to Vernon. He only managed to focus his eyes on him for a moment before averting his gaze back to the floor, the wolf scratching the back of his neck anxiously as he grit his teeth.

“...Do this...' Vernon couldn't make out the entirety of what Yuri was saying as he mumbled his quiet statement at the floor. The jet-black wolf's hateful sneer returned as he furrowed his brow, a mixture of stress and anger painting his features as he began to growl softly. 

"Fer Ada...do it fer Ada..." Was all Vernon could make out before the wolf let out a loud snarl. Yuri's head suddenly jerked back up, his attention snapping on Vernon so fast that it caused the wolf to reflexively flinch as he prepared for what he assumed was an incoming punch. But the wolf kept his balled fists at his sides as he spoke. 

“I ain't gonna apologize fer what I did Vernon!” Yuri spat defiantly.

Vernon furrowed his brow in confusion.

"As far as I'm concerned y'all deserved them damned bruises on that mug of yers fer wha-! Urrgh!" The wolf let out a groan mid-sentence, tilting his head back as he slapped his palm harshly against his temple a few times before simply holding it there. It was a baffling sight for Vernon to try to make any sense of. To him, the wolf appeared to be beating himself up in lieu of taking a swing at him for whatever reason. It was a rather confusing prospect, the idea that the wolf was holding back from taking something out on Vernon, as a good chunk of his life had been spent looking for any excuse to do it. Yuri held like that for a few moments before letting out a long sigh. 

"So...that's what you wanted to tell me?" Vernon said dully. He should have expected as much, not that he was expecting an apology from Yuri anyway. Granted Vernon already knew that while he hadn't acted as badly as Yuri had, he was still guilty to some degree for stooping to his brothers level. And even if the wolf were the kind of mammal to apologize for his part in it, Vernon would have protested that apology with an admission of his own guilt. The purpose would have been one of simple courtesy to one another. But this was still Yuri Vernon was dealing with. So expecting something like that, unprompted or otherwise was unrealistic. Still, it left the wolf even more clueless as to just what the point of this whole conversation was anyway. 

“This is the 'brother to brother' talk?” Vernon shook his head dismissively. “Because I already know I was in the wrong with what I said, which is why I went and apologized to Ada.”

Yuri's uncomfortable expression returned as he glanced down at his own paws, the wolf idly fiddling with his thumbs.

“I-I know that...” Yuri growled. “I mean, I heard.”

“Are you looking for an apology?” Vernon asked.

Yuri let out a snort, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms. “Apology?” The wolf chuckled. “Fer how soundly I beat the tar out of you? Now that's a laugh riot!” The wolf slapped a paw against his knee.

“It ended with my jaws around yer throat!” Vernon spat back. “How ca-!” The wolf shook his head briskly, attempting to shake off the rising ire in regards to the pointless way the conversation was heading. It was a paw that Vernon wasn't going to play himself into more than once. 

Vernon let out a tired sigh, rolling his eyes at the rather bemused looking wolf before rising to his feet. Taking a moment to dust off his shirt, and stretch out an arm above his head, the wolf began a slow shuffle toward the exit. 

"Well Yuri, this has been a blast..." Vernon said in a dry tone. "We should do this again sometime..." 

“Wait! Wait!”

Vernon stopped just shy of the curtain, glancing back over his shoulder to find the dark-furred wolf leaned up in his seat, his paws outstretched toward him for a brief moment before the wolf quickly tried to hide the surprisingly pleading gesture. Yuri slapped a paw against his neck, rubbing it awkwardly as he averted his gaze from the wolf.

“Look...” Yuri muttered. “This sorta shit ain't exactly my forte.” Yuri muttered, slumping back into his seat. The wolf crossed his arms defensively. “I need to get somethin' off my chest here.” The wolf let out a long, tired sigh as he lolled his head back against the mound of fabric.

"Ada's right, Were both adults. Things can't keep goin' on this way. I know it's puttin' a strain on everyone else...but dammit, it's so hard!" 

The errant comment was enough to draw Vernon back to his seat, if not warily. As the grey wolf eased back onto the floral pad, he turned his attention to the wolf across from him. It was clear Ada had spent some degree of time scolding Yuri for his actions but based on just how he had worded his strange admission, it seemed their talk had gone much deeper than yesterday's fight. 

“Ada's right.” Vernon replied. “She usually is.”

Yuri let out a grumble, nodding weakly against the spools while his eyes remained fixed on the ceiling. 

“But I imagine she's told you that before.” Vernon muttered. “If not everyone else in this family.” The wolf leaned his paws on his knees once again, watching the black wolf intently. “Why the sudden interest in acknowledging it?”

Yuri glanced back at Vernon, the wolf lowering his lids dully at his brother's question. 

"Again, I ain't apologizin'..." Yuri muttered bitterly. " But when is the last time we had a real knock-down, drag-out fight?" 

Vernon rubbed the fur on his chin between his fingers as he thought about the wolf's question. It had been quite some time since the two had thrown paws. Yuri's physical abuse had mostly tapered off once Vernon became too large to effectively pin down. Aside from one or two fights after Vernon's more difficult years, Yuri had mostly relied on the art of insults and put-downs. But yesterday's fight had been a benchmark in their current relationship, a new low bar that Vernon had thought they were beyond reaching despite how toxic their relationship already was. 

"Before your 'cross-country trip' I think." Vernon mumbled. "Where you tried to make me eat dirt, and I pinned you under your motorcycle." 

Yuri pointed a finger at Vernon, stabbing a claw decisively.

“That's because you keyed my ride!” Yuri spat. 

“Rut you!” Vernon snapped back “I already told ya I didn't back then!”

"Oh, like anyone else had the motive to-!?" Yuri let out another snort, crossing his arms defensively as he stopped himself mid-retort. The wolf was clearly growing increasingly frustrated with his own behavior. 

“Yuri.” Vernon shook his head. “Where is this going?”

The jet-black wolf let out a terse sigh, flopping his head back against the fabric once more as his muzzle pointed toward the ceiling.

“Look Vermi...” Yuri shook his head as he stopped just shy of uttering the full nickname. “Look Vernon...” The wolf corrected himself. “I know I've always been an 'ornery' pup, alright?”

“That's one way of putting it...” Vernon mumbled.

Yuri flashed the wolf a momentary scowl before settling back into his seat. The wolf ran a paw through his mane of hair. "Ever since the day I was born I loved gettin' into trouble." The wolf chuckled softly. "I had a fire in my veins from the moment my heart started beatin', and I probably will till the day I die." 

Yuri glanced over to Vernon, squinting slightly as his yellow eyes locked with Vernon's own. 

“Hell if I know why.” The wolf shook his head. “It's just the way I was.”

Vernon let out a scoff. “That's seriously what yer gonna go with?”

“Yeah.” Yuri quirked a curious brow. “Why?”

"Yer tellin' me you tortured us for all those years..." Vernon hissed. "Tortured me!" The wolf could feel a the start of a seethe beginning to build. The bitter resentment for Yuri's constant abuse poking at the embers left behind by his brother's previous attempts at putting one over on him. "And y'all don't even have a damn reason for it!?" 

Yuri gave the wolf an awkward smirk, shrugging slightly. 

“I mean...” Yuri muttered. “It's mostly just who I am.” The wolf chuckled softly.

“I was born with a chip on my shoulder that never really went away.”

“More like a damn boulder!” Vernon sneered. “Yer a ruttin' psychopath!”

“Well, I ain't sayin' I don't have issues, bu-.”

“Seriously! I always suspected it, but I never knew until this!” Vernon let out a laugh at just how preposterous what he was hearing was, cutting off Yuri mid-sentence. 

“I ain't no psychopath!” Yuri snarled, crossing his arms defensively.

Vernon ran a paw through his hair, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Yuri, yer a damn police officer!” Vernon spat, gesturing a paw at the wolf. “You know criminal psychology!”

Yuri shrugged, his uncomfortable expression shifting to one of confusion. “So?”

“That kind of behavior is textbook fer a psycho!” Vernon snapped.

"If I was a psycho we wouldn't be having this damn discussion! Hell, my th-!" The wolf leaned up in his seat momentarily, his anger flaring briefly before the wolf seemed to try to stop himself again. Slowly the wolf slipped back into his seat, slumping into the fabric with a dull plop. Yuri waived a dismissive paw at Vernon, which only served to make the wolf that much angrier. 

“I was born an 'aggressive' pup.” Yuri gestured his paws up. “And bein' bad was the easiest way fer me to get Ma's and Pa's attention.”

“It was...my identity...I guess...” Yuri sighed, his gaze drifting back up to the ceiling as he continued to prattle off his story. “I was one o' three pups, and then a year later I was one o' seven...” The dark-furred wolf scratched his head. “Seven pups, all clawin' to be the center of Ma and Pa's world.” Yuri chuckled softly. “But I learned just how to steal that attention away from any of y'all whenever I wanted.”

Yuri lowered his gaze back on Vernon. “What started as just bein' a mischievous pup because it was in my nature, turned into a concerted effort to keep the attention on me.” The wolf shook his head. “Least that's what my therapist told me.”

Vernon quirked a curious eyebrow. “Therapist?” The wolf said in disbelief. “You?”

Yuri chuckled dully. “Why so surprised?” The wolf snorted. “I'm sure you think I've needed one fer a long time.”

“W-Well...” Vernon winced uncomfortably as he scratched at his neck. “ I just...er...” The wolf muttered. “Never took you fer the type of mammal to go to one.”

"Ain't cause I wanted to." Yuri snorted, flicking a paw in annoyance. "After my second suspension, I was 'required' to undergo therapy in order to get the damn thing lifted.” The wolf raised a finger, waggling it at Vernon matter-of-factly. “And I'd like to point out that she also says I ain't no psycho.”

Vernon had to stifle a scoff. Whatever 'therapist' that was willing to clear Yuri of a title like that either didn't dig deep enough into the wolf's psyche, or had gotten their degree off the back of a cereal box. But making a remark to that effect wasn't worth starting another argument over. 

“Ah.” Vernon replied, bringing his fingers together as he leaned forward in his chair. “So is that where this is coming from then?”

Yuri let out a sigh. "A little from column A..." The wolf trailed off slightly, leaving Vernon to finish the statement in his mind. "But, gettin' back to-." 

“How long have you been seeing the psych fella?” Vernon asked.

Yuri rolled his eyes. “Would y'all stop askin' me so many damn questions!” The wolf sneered. “This is hard enough to wade through as it is with you interruptin' me!”

Vernon recoiled slightly, drawing back into his seat as Yuri bared his teeth at him. It was only for a moment, the ire fading away unusually quickly as the wolf let out another derisive snort before slumping back into his seat.

“It was easy too, ya know?” Yuri hissed. “I was the biggest out of all of ya.” The dark wolf smirked slightly, sending an uneasy chill down the wolf's spine. “Top of the pack.” The wolf let out an almost sickeningly pleasant sigh, as if he were somehow wistful from the memories of his troubled youth, the youth that Vernon's own had suffered under. "Bein' able to keep the rest of y'all down just let me stand that much taller, and at the time I had the power to do it." 

Vernon shook his head in disbelief.

“I just can't really wrap my head around it...” Vernon muttered. “ Gettin' yer hide tanned? Gettin' punished constantly? Makin' yer siblin's cry?” The wolf scratched his head. “That's the kind of attention you wanted?”

Yuri grimaced deeply, a soft growl started to emanate from his throat as his ears flattened tightly against his head. His piercing yellow eyes met Vernon's own, and behind the lenses, he could see the familiar flicker hate shimmering from deep within. Vernon tried to swallow, but the lump in his throat refused to move. 

"It ain't like I was lookin' fer that part of it, it just was somethin' that came packaged up with what I wanted!" The wolf growled. " I didn't really care about anyone else if it meant gettin' that attention." Yuri sighed. "And any attention was still attention to me." Yuri grumbled. "And in time, it became the only surefire way to keep Ma and Pa's eyes on me." The wolf slunk back into his seat. 

"At a certain point, there was no backtrackin' I could do, even if I wanted to try." Yuri hissed. " So all I could do was lean into it that much harder." 

With a heavy sigh, Yuri's grimace faltered into something more neutral as he ran a paw through his mane.

"At first, it was just fun to pick on y'all..." Yuri muttered, the wolf lolling his head from side to side. "Especially since the rest of y'all were a bunch of big sissies when it came to name callin' and play fightin'." 

“Biting your brother in the arm deep enough to draw blood is play fighting?” Vernon spat, furrowing his brow.

“Pups roughhouse!” Yuri hiss. “It's in our DNA!” The wolf crossed his arms defensively. “'Sides' I didn't mean to go that deep on Trenny's arm...I slipped.”

“Mhh-hmm...” Vernon replied dully.

Yuri flashed the wolf another glare, squinting sharply as he regarded the wolf. His piercing yellow eyes never failed to send a chill don't the wolf's spine. 

“What I'm sayin' is, I saw it as funny!” Yuri spat. “Mostly harmless fun...at least to me.” The wolf glowered. “Back then, I didn't do that stuff outta malice, or hatred. I don't even think I had a grasp of concepts like that yet...”

Vernon wanted to speak, to make a joke at Yuri's ridiculous line of self-defense. But as the wolf's glare continued to sharpen the words died in Vernon's throat. The wolf's eyes were practically boring through him now, and the could feel his stomach turn as his own gaze remained fixed on Yuri's. The adult mammal, the Vernon of the now had taken a step back in his mind. Leaving only the little puppy that Vernon once was, frozen in fear of the wolf that was staring deep into his soul.

“Torturin' others....if y'all choose to call it that.” Yuri huffed. “That was fer attention, fer a joke.” The wolf growled softly. “But when it came to you...it grew to become much more than just what I thought was funny.”

Vernon furrowed his brow slightly as he began to grow aware of exactly where the wolf's story was leading.

“Tiny...” Yuri muttered. “Shrimpy lil' Runter...” The wolf sighed, finally breaking his deep, hateful gaze as he turned his attention to his own paws. The jet-black wolf idly intertwined his fingers together. “Ma and Pa's golden pup.”

Vernon felt his wits returning as Yuri's gaze had peeled away from him. His adult self had come back, and with it came his voice.

"Y-Yuri." Vernon's voice broke slightly. "I I ain-." 

“I thought I told y'all to keep quiet!” Yuri growled, his attention remaining on his paws as he slammed one balled fist into the other. Vernon was stunned back into momentary silence by the sudden burst of anger, allowing Yuri to continue with whatever point he was trying to make.

“He was the softest one...” Yuri muttered. “The fragile one.” The wolf hissed. “I can still remember Ma describin' you over the phone to Aunty Abby as havin' a personality that 'glowed like the full moon in spite of bein' so small.” Yuri stuck his tongue out in disgust.

“Y-Yuri...”

“And with Pa, you were gonna be the one to grow up and work at his side.” Yuri growled. “Y'all were the one he wanted over any of the rest of us.”

Vernon furrowed his brow in confusion. “T-that's not...”

"Y'all don't remember?" Yuri hissed."When y'all was two....?" 

In that moment there was the flicker of something in Vernon's mind. A foggy, hazy memory, but it was there. Vernon could vaguely remember walking into his father's study. He could easily recall just how large everything seemed compared to him as his little pawed feet shuffled across the rug to meet the wolf behind the desk. He had been crying...for some reason.

“I gave y'all a native wolf fur-burn...” Yuri growled. “And you went off cryin' to Pa like you usually did.”

“But by the time I made it to him...I stopped crying...” Vernon muttered dumbly. “He was...fixing his hat? I think?” The wolf scratched his head. “And I just...my interest went right to the hat.”

The memory began to grow in clarity, piecing the murky cloud of the scant memories of childhood, the flickers of things locked behind his pre-Dawn door. He remembered asking about the hat. Something along the lines of getting one just like it. A hat just like his Pa's.

“Y'all wanna wear it now Pup?” Dorian chuckled.

"Can I!?" Vernon yipped. "Weawy?" The pup lisped through gapped teeth. 

Dorian let out a loud laugh. "Course ya can kiddo." The wolf said, slapping the over-sized hat on Vernon's head. In that instant, the little wolf's world went dark, and the pup had to struggle to push it up enough to look up at the towering white wolf. 

Vernon frowned slightly. “It don't fit.”

Dorian pressed down on the hat with a playful paw, patting it a few times. In response, Vernon pressed the hat up again as forcefully as he could, puffing his cheeks at his father in annoyance.

“One day it will Vern.” Dorian said with a grin. “One day you and me will be wearin' matching ones.”

The little wolf's eyes went wide, his muzzle hanging open in awe of the old wolf's prediction.

"WEAWY!?" Vernon grinned a partially toothless smile, pressing his paws against his father's lap as his tail wagged furiously. 

“O' course.” Dorian chuckled. “Yer' gonna be my deputy someday ain'tcha?” Dorian grinned, raising an eyebrow at the pup.

Vernon was practically bouncing on his paws with excitement, the little wolf nodding in agreement so quickly it made him light-headed. In response, his father gave him a playful nudge in the arm. 

“I think you got the potential boy.” Dorian grinned. “If you work for it, I think you and me can make the North Meadowland's an even better place.”

Vernon stuck his tongue out of the side of his muzzle, giving his father a determined glare as he held up his hat. 

“I wiwl!” Vernon puffed. “I wiwl be da best deputee eva!”

Dorian smiled. “I don't think I'd want it any other way my boy.”

Vernon blinked at Yuri a few times as the memory continued to resonate within him.

“B-but...” Vernon muttered. “How di-?”

Yuri rolled his eyes. “Who do y'all think was waitin' to share his side of the story outside Pa's door?” The wolf huffed. “I was ready fer y'all to tattle on me.”

Vernon stared at the wolf in shock for a moment, blinking dumbly before he managed to muster some form of response to Yuri's story.

“W-we were pups...” Vernon replied. “It ain't like I meant it.” The wolf continued. “Ain't like Pa was serious either!”

Yuri slunk back into his seat, the black furred wolf letting out a tired sigh.

"When you are a pup, the truth don't really matter." Yuri muttered. "It's all about the way it's perceived." 

The dark-wolf sighed, running a paw through his mo-hawk once again.

“You didn't do anythin'.” Yuri hissed. “You were just born small...” The wolf sneered. “And they dumped attention and love on y'all like it was a summer squall.”

The dark wolf narrowed his gaze at Vernon, his piercing yellow eyes burning with disdain.

“That's when I started to hate you.” Yuri said coldly.

The way Yuri spoke, the delivery of his words made Vernon's blood run cold. Vernon's hackles rose as a shiver ran down the wolf's spine, causing his tail to jerk slightly as the words rolled through him like a venomous wave. It was strange that the words carried such impact. After all, Vernon had said as much to Yuri the previous day. But the bitter, chilling tone was something that conveyed a deeper power than Vernon's own passionate cry. Thankfully, almost as quickly as the words had been uttered, Yuri broke his agonizingly cold gaze. The dark-furred wolf's attention returning to his paws. 

"They just gave you everythin' without hesitation." Yuri growled. "And everythin' you did was worthy o' praise." The dark wolf kicked his leg at a loose spool idly. "They coddled you, and cuddled you..."The wolf shook his head. "And I hated you fer it...before I even knew what hate was." 

"Yuri..." Vernon sputtered, but the wolf couldn't manage any more than his brother's name. In truth, Vernon wasn't really sure what to say. Yuri had just dropped a massive bomb in his lap, and the wolf was still struggling to take it all in. Vernon felt a pang of guilt, but it was muted behind a rising wall of ire as the picture began to grow clearer. A growing sense of indignation as it clashed with what Vernon knew to be true when it came to the love of their parents. 

“B-Bull!” Vernon retorted. “I-” The wolf stumbled over his words. “ None of us went without love in this family!” The wolf spat. “Even you!” Vernon growled softly. “And now yer tryin' to put the way you acted on me!?”

Yuri crossed his arms defensively, the wolf tilting his head upward slightly as he regarded Vernon with his usual hateful gaze. The sneer on his muzzle parting as his mouth opened wide. It looked as though he were going to yell the wolf down, yet nothing came. After a moment, the wolf closed his jaws, Yuri seeming to calm slightly as he slid deeper into his seat.

"Whether it's true or not..." Yuri mumbled. "From that point, I kept my eyes on you." The wolf grit his teeth. "My focus on you, and everythin' that Ma and Pa did fer you." 

Yuri let out a snort. “I was too young to really grasp that focusin' on y'all probably just made it seem like y'all were gettin' even more praise and love because I wasn't payin' as close attention to everyone around me.” The wolf shook his head. “ Therapist says it was like a tunnel vision effect.”

The wolf rolled his eyes. "And since I only knew one way to get Ma and Pa's attention, the only thing I could do to mitigate how they treated y'all was to make you pay for it." Yuri bit his own tongue as he hissed. “O' course, that's lookin' back on it now.” The wolf shrugged uneasily. “Hindsight's a bitch ain't it?”

Vernon furrowed his brow in confusion. If what Yuri was saying was to be taken as the truth, then the reason his brother had been so hard on him growing up was this perceived notion that Vernon was somehow more loved than he was. Then again, Yuri, at least as a pup, didn't exactly make himself easy to love. The wolf had already admitted as much. But if Yuri had the clarity to look back on his past and see his behavior for what it was, then that still left Vernon with the question as to why the behavior continued. Why did Yuri continue to treat him so badly even now?

“Ain't like I didn't try...” Yuri muttered, breaking Vernon's train of thought.

“What?” Vernon replied.

The dark-furred wolf ran a paw across his forehead, letting out a sigh.

“When I got a little older...I tried a paw at doin' things yer way.” Yuri muttered. “Gettin' Ma and Pa's attention in a positive way.” The wolf chuckled. “But I always hackled it up.”

The wolf grit his teeth, his claws digging into the spools slightly before the wolf released his grip with a heavy sigh.

"But I know now it never worked because that wasn't the kind of mammal I was..." Yuri shook his head. "I...couldn't show affection the way the rest of y'all did." 

Yuri turned his gaze back to the wolf sitting across from him, his expression that same, strange look of discomfort Vernon had noticed earlier.

“Back then though, I couldn't figure out why it didn't make a dent.” Yuri muttered. “And all the while I had you to look up at, taunting' me with Ma and Pa's approval whether you wanted it to come off that way or not.”

“Y-Yuri...” Vernon stammered. “I-I didn't mean...”

“In a way...we were torturin' each-other...” Yuri chuckled. “Just on different levels.”

“Now wait a minute.” Vernon declared, his voice growing more confident as he spoke. “That ain't even close to fair to comparin' what you did to me on purpose to how Ma and Pa treated me!” Vernon gestured a paw emphatically. “Hell, you doin' what you did probably made Ma and Pa try to compensate by...”

Vernon trailed off as he contemplated just what he was saying. He had been ready to simply write off Yuri's supposed fuel behind his tormenting of the wolf as nothing more than a lame excuse. But as he began to further wrap his mind around the information, a disheartening picture was coming into view. The glaringly powerful image of a wheel, a self-sustaining cycle of behaviors that only amplified each side as it continued to spin.

Yuri furrowed his brow, his previous smirk slipping into a deeper grimace as he appeared to pick up on Vernon's own thoughts.

“By the Gods, I could use a drink right now...” Yuri shook his head.

“Yuri...” Vernon muttered.

“I kept making it worse...” Yuri muttered, gesturing lamely with a paw at nothing in particular. “And you kept makin' me want to make it worse.” The wolf sighed.

“And then you went through yer bad phase.” Yuri continued.

Vernon froze at the memory as he felt himself pulled back to that troubled time. The years after Dawn was separated from him. It had been a shock to his childlike understanding of greater Animalia. His limited, naive and pure ideals about the way mammals were supposed to get along were violently stripped away as he was instilled with the knowledge that his kind was to be feared. It was a flawed thought process, the wolf knew that now. But back then, confronted with such a concept after knowing no other was too hard to take. And so, while not entirely giving in so far as to actively scare and terrorize innocent prey, he lived as a 'true wolf' in the eyes of some of the toughest mammals the North Meadowlands Middle and Junior High School had ever seen. 

Even Yuri had never been a brazen bully outside of the home. Before Vernon had changed his behavior, lashing out at the world around him, Yuri had been known for mostly for being a name-caller. The kind of mammal who only fought when he had enough of an advantage over his opponent to ensure his victory. Yuri had always been more of a manipulator when it came to the whispers of the other students. A craftier mammal who picked his battles properly. But Vernon, well he became a true brute. The fact that he shot up like a corn stalk in junior high only made the situation that much worse, and the students that much more fearful. 

It haunted him, that part of his life. When it came to his list of regrets, it was the second thing he wished he could change. The first of course, being Dawn's separation from him, even knowing there was no way he could at the time. But much like Dawn's own sordid history, it was something he had to live with now. 

“And how did Ma and Pa deal with y'all then?” Yuri asked.

Vernon bit his lower lip. He already could tell where this conversation was going the moment Yuri had mentioned it.

“T-They punished me!” Vernon protested. “You tryin' to say they gave me a lighter sentence than you fer the stuff you did?”

Yuri cocked a brow, looking back at Vernon with irritation.

“Oh they did, sure enough.” Yuri muttered. “Hesitant at first, but they levied the same kind of punishments at you that they did fer me.” The wolf chuckled. “Some even worse than any I ever had.” Yuri scratched his chin. “At least that much I can say was fair.”

Yuri flashed Vernon a wide, sinister grin. “Although since you had taken over the role of Alpha dog at the house, you surpassed purty much anythin' I could dish out in terms of' bein' bad.” Yuri snickered. “I'd like to say it was one of the few times I mighta' respected ya a little bit.” The wolf sighed. “Ya might say, in the spiritual sense that's probably the closest we've ever been, eh Vern?”

Vernon sneered at the very idea of Yuri considering the two being alike at all. But at the same time, Vernon couldn't deny that his behavior was bad, if not worse than Yuri's at some points, even if it hadn't been directed inside the household. “You certainly didn't act like it.”

Yuri chuckled to himself. “As I said, it was just the kinda mammal I was.” The wolf flashed him a cheesy grin. “An aggressive little shit with a big mouth.”

“Who beat on the rest of us.” Vernon retorted.

"Fer the most part I grew out of beaten' on mammals..." Yuri hissed. "You grew into it." the wolf leaned back into his chair, letting out a soft chuckle."Fer a time anyway." He said, waving a paw dismissively. But as the wolf nestled deeper into his seat, his eyes found Vernon's again, his brow furrowing slightly. 

"Funny thing..." The wolf sighed. "Durin' that time, that was when I gave a real shot at tryin' to be better behaved fer Ma and Pa." The wolf chuckled again, the laughter trailing off into a bemused sigh as he squirmed in his seat uncomfortably. "I thought, maybe, just maybe..." The wolf continued. "That you foulin' up so bad might have been my in. To get the attention I felt I deserved." 

The wolf's eyes drifted back to the ceiling as he took a slow, deep breath. “But with the newly fallen golden pup causin' a ruckus and gettin' into trouble so often...” The wolf's eyes shifted back to Vernon's own, his eyelids squinting tightly around his irises. “The previously 'worst pup' in the pack actin' marginally better didn't exactly net me the amount of attention I was lookin' fer...” The wolf chuckled softly.

“Ya see, despite all them punishments, Ma still wailed for y'all...” Yuri muttered bitterly. “Pa still believed it was a passin' phase, because it 'wasn't like you'!” Yuri scoffed. “they bent over backwards tryin' to 'bring you back around'!

The jet-black wolf leaned up in his seat, stabbing an accusatory claw Vernon's way as he sharpened his gaze.

“And when you finally broke down...” Yuri growled. “Decidin' to clean up yer act and beg fergiveness, they ju-!” Yuri stammered, gnashing his teeth harshly as he seemed to be fighting the urge to growl. “They just took ya back with open arms!” 

The wolf slammed his fist harshly against a slab of fabric, the object letting out a muffled crack as the rod the held together presumably broke under the sudden pressure. It buckled under his fist before slipping to the floor as Yuri slumped harshly back into the mound of spools, the wolf letting out a terse huff as he crossed his arms. 

“They just dismissed it all! Put it all behind them!” Yuri hissed. “Just like that!”

“So what, you're jealous!?” Vernon snapped back, flashing the wolf a sneer of his own. “Because Ma and Pa were worried about me?”

“JEALOUS!?” Yuri snarled, the wolf lunged toward Vernon, but stopped short of leaving the mound of spools, once again slamming a fist into the material. It was enough to make Vernon wince, but not enough to make him back down.

“OF COURSE I WAS JEALOUS!” Yuri growled. “I was jealous because you could do what I never could with Ma and Pa!” The wolf continued, gesturing wildly with a paw. “You could come back to them! But I was always me!” Yuri barked. “There wasn't a turn around fer me! Nothin' to hope fer for me! I was always Yuri the troublemaker! Yuri the problem pup!” The wolf was practically thrashing in his seat now as he stabbed his claw at Vernon once more, his glare so sharp Vernon was almost fearful it would cut him from across the room.

“You got to go right back to bein' the golden pup!” Yuri snapped. “The pup I never got to be!” The wolf's ears sagged slightly, his hateful expression dulling to something soft and oddly sullen. “The pup I never could.”

Yuri drew in a trembling, soft breath. The ragged breathing the only sound permeating the room as the wolf seemed to be trying to steel himself after his wild outburst. Vernon meanwhile, was staggering through his own recovery from the wolf's tirade. The admission had left him reeling. And despite Yuri being a master manipulator, and hard to read, there was no mistaking that emotional whirlwind as the truth. The truth at least how Yuri saw it. 

"I-I know." Yuri muttered. "I know who I am Vernon." The wolf continued. "I've come to terms with it." The wolf sighed, running a paw through his mo-hawk in an effort to keep the now sweat-soaked fur from drifting into his face. 

“I know now, that no matter what I was always gonna be trouble...even if I was an only child.” Yuri glanced back at his brother as he gripped the swaths of materials between his paws. “I ain't blameless...but it was the only way I was gonna act with you in that spot.” Yuri let out another tired sigh. “Alpha don't mean shit when held up to knowin' yer loved.”

“Y-Yuri...” Vernon muttered. The wolf found himself unsure of how to respond. “Y-you can't mean...I mean...” The wolf struggled to find the words. “You know Ma and Pa love you.”

“Not as much as you...” Yuri muttered. “Never as much as you.”

Yuri raised a paw, lamely gesturing at nothing as he flopped back into his chair.

“And not just them, but the rest of the fellas too.” Yuri rolled his eyes. “Always jumpin' to defend you...” The wolf shook his head dismissively. “They probably care just as much.” The wolf slid deeper into his seat. Slapping his paws against the material loudly. “Because even though you weren't the last born, and even though yer the biggest wolf out of all of us now...” Yuri grumbled. “Yer always gonna be 'Puppy' to this family.”

The room fell into a bitter silence as Yuri concluded his statement. The jet-black wolf now simply slumped into the mound of materials with his eyes closed. Vernon watched the wolves nostrils flare softly as he took a series of cool, calculated breaths. It was clearly a calming exercise, something Vernon was all too familiar with in his life with Dawn. Granted it was rare the ewe had to resort to it nowadays, but whenever she was nervous or overwhelmed, Vernon would catch her running through the same quiet ritual that Yuri was now undergoing. He could even see Yuri's lips moving as he silently counted through a series of numbers, the same way Dawn would have. It could have been coincidence, but it certainly added to the credibility that Yuri's therapist was indeed a real mammal, and clearly studied the same techniques Dr. Gnu had. But with Yuri lost in his exercise, it left Vernon to reflect on just what he had said.

There was truth in what Yuri said, as much as Vernon hated to admit it. While Vernon didn't necessarily agree with just 'how much' Yuri thought he was unloved, the prospect of the way a family and its roles stay with you long after you grow out of them was something he had never really given any thought to. When Vernon left for Zootopia to become an architect, it was the first time he had ever left the ranch. And in this strange new place, outside of Gus, no other mammal knew anything about him. They didn't know 'Puppy', for his better years or his worse. He was just a wolf, a stranger to most, and Vernon to others. He was an adult to everyone he met because he had met them as such. And no amount of indulging those around him with stories from his past, even the bad ones, would truly change how he was perceived now. They hadn't been there to see what happened themselves, to experience it first paw. And so, in that way, they could never truly see it the same way his relatives would have. 

But whenever he returned to the ranch, it was as if he had stepped back in time. He was 'Puppy' again, with everything that implied. Of course, to Vernon that carried with it a warm familiarity, a sense of comfort and longing that he often found himself missing. It was something that drove him back to the ranch to visit almost monthly. But Vernon had never stopped to consider that not everyone might share that same feeling of warmth and pleasure when it came to slipping back into those roles.

“D'ya wanna know why I left Vern?” Yuri's sudden question broke the wolf's train of thought. “Why I took a cross-country ride fer three months instead of stayin' home and scoutin' colleges properly like Zach and Xave?”

“Why?” Vernon asked, despite feeling fairly confident in what the answer would be.

“I had to get outta there.” Yuri muttered. “I needed to get away, from this family...” The wolf drew his gaze back to Vernon, flashing the wolf oddly sorrowful eyes. “From you.” The wolf averted his gaze, raising his paws and dropping them listlessly to his sides. “From me...”

“You had to get away....from yerself?” Vernon asked. There was a joke to be made in there somewhere, at least Vernon's mind had thought of a couple. Most of them revolving around the general idea of 'I'd want to get away from you too.' But considering the gravity of the conversation at paw, the wolf chose to hold back for the time being, saving the barbs for just in case things suddenly went south. 

Yuri crossed his arms defensively. “ I don't know...” The wolf sighed. “ I just....whether I was loved, or not, I didn't really feel it, so I left...lookin' fer something...” The wolf shrugged. “Anythin'...”

Yuri shook his head dismissively. "I needed to get away from Zootopia's little shithole of an off-ramp stop and figure some things out fer myself." The wolf lamented. "To see if there was more to me then where I fit in this pack." 

The wolf leaned forward, pressing his muzzle into his clasped paws as he tapped the bridge of his snout.

“I tell ya Vern, bein' out there.” Yuri sighed. “It felt liberatin', like I was a new mammal.” The wolf let out a soft chuckle. “Well fer the most part.”

Yuri took a deep breath, puffing his chest as he began to speak, placing a prideful fist against his breast.“I felt like this burden had been yanked right off my back. Like Animalia was my oyster and I could do whatever the hell I wanted without havin' someone just waitin' to scold me for it.” 

Yuri glanced at Vernon, a twinkle seeming to gleam from behind his eyes. “I mean, within' reason o' course.” The wolf chuckled.” I know Pa had so little faith in me durin' my little trip, he was just waitin' fer the phone call that I'd be locked up somewhere for doin' somethin'.” Yuri turned to Vernon slightly, flashing the wolf a smug grin. “Not to say I didn't get into a few skirmishes on the road.” Yuri took a moment to adjust his tie confidently, dusting it off with a paw. “And I won every single one mind y'all.”

Vernon rolled his eyes, only to earn a derisive snort fro Yuri.

“But when I was out there, I could really think clearly fer the first time in a long time.” The wolf sighed, leaning his muzzle back into his paws. “I did a bit a...what'dya call it? Soul-searchin'?”

Vernon gave a timid nod, and with the acknowledgment, Yuri continued. 

“Despite everythin'...” Yuri continued. “The Hunter blood ran deep in me.” The wolf sighed, letting his head droop lamely. “Or at least all that crap Pa used to teach us growin' up about honor and justice actually managed to stick somewhere in this ol' head o' mine.” The wolf snorted, jabbing a finger to his temple for emphasis.

"Regardless of what Pa said about wantin' you to be his deputy, he trained us all to be in law." Yuri sighed, glancing back at Vernon from the corner of his eye. "And, call it whatever you want..." The wolf chuckled. "Brainwashin' or some deep-seated desire to appeal to the 'ol 'Mam..." Yuri rolled his eyes. "I figured I'd try and give it a go." 

Sitting back up, the wolf ran a paw through his hair before resting it on his neck. "And so, 'round the middle of that trip, I decided I'd just keep drivin' till around the time when all the academies started enrollin'..." The wolf chuckled. "And whatever city I ended up in at that time, I'd set up stakes there." 

Vernon furrowed his brow. “You mean, that's how you picked Seaodder?” The wolf leaned up slightly. “There weren't nothin' but random choice behind it?”

Yuri gave a genuine smile, something rather surprising to see.

"It helped that it was about as far as you could get from home." The wolf sighed pleasantly. "But that was purty much the decidin' factor." Yuri gestured with a paw. "My bike broke down just outside o' Redmound, and I didn't have the loose funds to fix it on my own. And by the time I saved up enough for the repair along with food and roomin' expenses, it was time to call Pa and enroll somewhere." 

Yuri shook his head, a mischievous smirk crossing his muzzle. “I can still remember dialin' up the ol' 'Mam.” Yuri glanced back at Vernon with an expectant look. “Still remember how he answered the phone.”

“How?” Vernon asked, his curiosity piqued.

Yuri chuckled. “He opened with, 'Well this ain't a collect call, so I'm already pleasantly surprised.'”

Vernon wasn't sure if it was okay to chuckle along with the wolf, instead opting to settle for a simple grin. Considering Yuri's personality, it seemed like a pretty logical conclusion on Dorian's part to assume any call from Yuri at that time might have meant trouble, and while their father could sometimes be rather blunt, it was still surprising even for the ol' Mam just how honest his statement was at the onset. 

Yuri shook his head as he continued to chuckle. “Ada never gets tired of hearin' that line. It still cracks her up.”

“Wow...” Vernon muttered. “When you mentioned you thought Pa might have pegged you gettin' locked up before school, I didn't think y'all meant it.” The wolf lied. After all, he and the remaining Hunter pack still at the ranch often joked about pinnin' down the date the mugshot would show up on Pa's computer.

Yuri lolled his head back, letting out a tired sigh. “Don't patronize me Vern.” Yuri replied. “The whole of the North Meadowlands was placin' bets on when I was gonna end up on the opposite side of the bars the family was used to dealin' with, let alone what the rest of y'all were thinkin'.”

Vernon shrank into his shoulders, letting out a quiet, guilty hiss. It was like the wolf had read his mind, and in turn, the sudden surprise call out had forced a genuine response to the surface. But Yuri didn't seem to notice, or desire to linger on catching him, instead pressing forward with his own story. 

“O'course, Pa was more than happy to pay out any lodgin' fer me at that point.” Yuri sighed. “Seein' how most police academies tend to waive tuition if you got cops in the family, the price of the place wasn't a concern of Pa's.” The wolf smirked. “And Ma was just 'dee-lighted' I was goin' to school." Yuri feigned a smile as he stretched out the word, mimicking their mother's tone. "Hell, I remember after Pa mentioned to Ma who was on the phone, she was on the line in two seconds flat, frettin' over whether I was alright or if I needed pickin' up...I..." Yuri shook his head. 

“It certainly felt...different. A good kinda different.” The wolf flashed Vernon a genuine smile.

With that, Yuri placed his paws behind his head, leaning back into the spools as he let out a pleasant sigh. Out of the corner of his eye, he managed to catch Vernon's gaze again.

“Livin' and workin' in Seaotter...” Yuri muttered. “It helped me figure out what kinda mammal I was, what I wanted outta life, and who I wanted to be.” The wolf raised a paw, gesturing with it in a dismissive small circle. “And while that mammal turned out to be...well...”

"Still kind of a dick?" Vernon asked, only to get another glare from Yuri. But the piercing gaze was short-lived, the wolf letting out a huff as he crossed his arms and turned away. 

“Aggressive, reckless, and a bad comedian.” Yuri spat. “At least that's how my partner Lance would tell it.”

Vernon did his best to stifle a snicker, but Yuri clearly caught it, flashing the wolf a sneer.

“Stringy, shrimpy little twerp of a stag.” Yuri muttered, letting out another snort despite trying to hide a smirk of his own.

“The point is.” Yuri closed his eyes. A warm, genuine smile crossing his muzzle as he leaned back into the pile of spools once more. “It was just...I mean, to be in a place where the only thing anyone had to go on when meetin' me the first time was that a highly respected sheriff had more or less vouched fer me to get me into the academy.” The wolf shook his head softly.“Out there I wasn't carryin' all this baggage, this history fer mammals to pick and choose from to decide who I was before even utterin' a damn word.” The wolf shook his head. “And fer the most part the work I put in at the precinct spoke louder than my...ahem...'abrasive personality'.” The wolf grimaced as he uttered the phrase, telling Vernon that the description, like Lance's, wasn't his own assessment. 

The black-furred wolf looked back at Vernon, wearing that unnaturally pleading expression that managed to shake Vernon's guard when it came to trusting how sincere the wolf could actually be. “Fer once I wasn't the worst mammal in the world before I even uttered a word.” The wolf muttered.

The statement had left Vernon somewhat stupefied. Was this how Yuri actually felt about everything? Was this the honest to the gods truth or was it just another game for the wolf to play at? Either way, it left Vernon struggling to come up with some sort of reply. Should he be trying to comfort his brother after making himself seem so vulnerable, or should he remain guarded?

But if the wolf was interested in getting input at that moment, he certainly didn't seem it. Instead, the wolf simply continued his story as he nestled his head back into the mound of spools.

“Even the first suspension didn't really change things fer me.” The wolf muttered. Placing a paw to his brow. “I was still pretty green at that point, and I went a little too far off book for my Superior Officer's liking.” Yuri shook his head. 

"O' course, our precinct considers that sorta thing a hazin' ritual anyway." The wolf gestured his paw lamely at Vernon. You ain't really a true Seaodder cop unless y'all have bent the rules once or twice to get the job done." Yuri sighed. "Well, as long as you ain't stealin' drugs from the evidence locker anyway..." The wolf said with a chuckle. 

“And more importantly...” Yuri glanced back to Vernon, that oddly sorrowful expression returning as he spoke. “Bein' out there made me confident that if I could change...or grow-up or whatever...” The wolf murmured. “That maybe the family could too.”

Yuri's attention returned to the ceiling as he slipped his paws behind his head. “Maybe I'd even make the family proud to some degree.” The wolf closed his eyes again, drawing a deep, slow breath. “And based on what Ma and Pa had to say when the came out to visit or called, I knew they were...to some extent.“

“But...I just couldn't bring myself to visit back home...” Yuri muttered quietly. “Not even fer just a day.”

Vernon could already see where Yuri was going with his train of thought, but the wolf couldn't stop himself. There was a sense that if he didn't ask the question, Yuri might not be able to muster the desire to continue opening up to him.

“Why?” Vernon asked quietly.

Yuri opened one golden eye, his iris settling on Vernon momentarily before his gaze shifted away again.

"Look..." The wolf sighed. "Don't get me wrong. Havin' Ma and Pa visit me out in Seaotter was...actually purty nice." The wolf muttered. "I actually...I enjoyed myself." The wolf sighed. "It made me just a little hopeful...but not enough to come out the ranch because..." The wolf shook his head, letting out a long, tired sigh before continuing. 

"Because, I was afraid that if I went back..." The wolf released his paw, allowing his mo-hawk to spring back into place as he dropped his arm lamely to his side. "Everythin' would just play out the way it always did." The wolf muttered. "And I'd be right back in that...damn place." The wolf snorted. "That cold, miserable place." 

The wolf shook his head dismissively before placing his other paw to his brow. “But there was the other part of me that kept tellin' myself things had changed too much to go back to the way they were. I was a different mammal now.” The wolf sighed. “Or so I thought.”

Yuri's piercing yellow glare found Vernon's gaze again, the familiar flicker of ire behind the lens returning. “Then I got to hearin' Ma prattle on and on about y'all left the ranch to become an architect.”

Yuri's jovial demeanor had evaporated so quickly it was almost enough to give Vernon whiplash. Not only had the expression on his face reverted to the usual one of revulsion and disdain, but the tension in the air had flooded in so rapidly it was almost suffocating. Alarms were going off in Vernon's head, and along with them the wolf's guard immediately shot back up. Once again, Vernon found himself taking note of the exit, and reaffirming the quickest way around Yuri and out should the situation get worse. 

“And what did Pa do?” Yuri hissed, his muzzle bridge crinkling to expose his fangs. “He just up and let you go!”

“Pa didn't just 'let me go'!” The wolf growled back. “He refused to support my choice in careers! He fought me tooth and nail on not goin' to the Police Academy” Vernon crossed his arms defensively. “In the end, I mostly had to pay my own way to pursue bein' an architect and get where I am!”

Yuri crossed his arms. "Like Ma wasn't sneakin' you money on the side when she could!" The wolf sneered. 

“Why does what I do with my life matter to you so much!? Huh!?” Vernon snapped back. “It's my life ain't it!?” The wolf huffed. “Ain't like you'd let anyone stop you if that's what you wanted to do!”

“Because you ruined everythin' fer me!” Yuri snarled, rising partially out of his seat. In response, Vernon leaned one of his feet against the floor, preparing himself for the sprint to safety he was certain he'd have to make. 

“The way everyone reacted to what y'all did... All it did was show me that nothin' had changed at all when it came to this family!” Yuri continued, his muzzle quivering as he bared his fangs.”That life at the Hunter Ranch was the same as it always was! And I was a damn fool for thinkin' I was gonna make a dent in my reputation if even after leavin' everyone in this family was still kissin' yer ass!”

Yuri's hateful gaze remained fixed on Vernon as his breathing grew increasingly ragged. His eyelids tightened around his piercing yellow eyes as a low growl began to thrum in his throat.

"And that was all Ma could talk about after." Yuri hissed. "All everyone in this damn family could!" The jet-black furred wolf huffed, his breathing growing heavier as he tightly balled his fists. 

“Every update about the family from then on started with you.” Yuri sneered. “How Vernon was farin' in Zootopia! How stubborn Pa was bein'! How wild it was that one of us was goin' fer somethin' other than a law job!"

The wolf was almost trembling now, the ire inside clearly reaching a boiling point as he clutched at the spools of material that made up his chair.

“The attention was back on you....hell I was stupid to think it was ever off you.” The wolf seethed.

“Family, attention, the golden pup. Even when I was in Seaotter it was like I had been dragged back to that damn farm in my head. Those damn calls hangin' over my mind fer days while I tried to do my damn job!” Yuri's growling slowly began to shift into more of a whine as the wolf slipped back into his seat. His grip loosening on the spools as he slumped back into the mound of material. Before Vernon knew it, Yuri was back to counting each methodically deep breath as he worked to calm himself. 

Vernon was once again left in a mixture of shock and confusion. Was it okay to let his guard down again, to take his eyes off his means of escape? For the time being, it appeared the bomb that was Yuri's temper had somehow diffused itself. And after holding on long enough for Yuri's labored breathing to become somewhat stable, Vernon's initial wariness began to fade in favor of a strange, growing sense of sympathy. Whether it was a performance or not, the whole affair was visibly taking a great deal out of the wolf. His panting persisting even after the countdown had long since completed, the low gasping punctuated with the occasional gulp as he lay back in the pile of spools with his eyes closed. 

Glancing around the room, Vernon noticed an half-empty opened pack of bottled water sitting on another mound of fabric and old furniture. It was something that was no doubt used to stock the drink machine he had seen out front. Leaning in his seat, Vernon snagged two bottles of 'Tundratown ice' water out of the case, slipping one into Yuri's paw before easing back into his own seat and unscrewing the cap. Vernon watched the dark-wolf open his eyes at the sudden contact, his pupils darting to the bottle in his paws momentarily before finding their way back to Vernon.

“I thought y'all might be parched...so...” Vernon rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “It ain't cold, but it's not exactly hot in here so it should be fine...”

Yuri simply stared at the wolf for a moment, blinking a few times before leaning up in his seat and uncapping the water. Vernon watched as the wolf took a long sip, taking in about a quarter of the water inside the container before pulling it away from his muzzle and letting out a satisfied sounding sigh. Capping the liquid, the wolf leaned back into the spools, letting the bottle rest on his chest as he returned to staring at the ceiling. 

“That's how I got my second suspension Vern...” Yuri grumbled.

“What?” Vernon scrunched his muzzle in confusion. “Wait, yer blamin' me fer you gettin' suspended too now?”

Yuri sighed as he leaned forward, his head drooping in his lap as he leaned his elbows on his knees.

“You were in Zootopia fer a year I think.” Yuri muttered. “Datin' that arctic wolf, remember her?”

“Anjou?” Vernon asked, taking a swig of his own drink as he quirked a brow.

“That's the one.” Yuri smirked. “The one Ma said had more fluff between her ears then brains.”

“Ma said that?” Vernon quirked a brow. Yuri simply rolled his eyes.

“I mean she was right...” Vernon admitted, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. “But still...”

"Fact of the matter is she kept goin' on and on about how you were workin' yer tail off." Yuri cut the wolf off, setting his water aside before crossing his arms defensively. "Livin' with Gus, workin' night shifts at a fast food place to pay yer own way as much as y'all could." The wolf raised his paws, wiggling his fingers as he feigned an inspired looking expression. "Oooh...how damn novel of you." Yuri scoffed. 

"Barely even congratulated me on breakin' up a huge night howler drug syndicate that same week." Yuri snorted. "The case that led me to meetin' Ada." The wolf scoffed. "By that point, we were just startin' out datin', but Ma glossed over that and went right back to you!" 

The jet-black wolf lowered his gaze back at Vernon, squinting slightly as that familiar glimmer of hate returned. 

“For the next two weeks that conversation just kept replayin' in my head, over and over...” Yuri muttered. Vernon could see the wolf's fists balling tightly around some of the stray clumps of fabric as he spoke. “And over again...”

Yuri closed his eyes, taking a deep of breath and holding it once again before slowly letting it out. The wolf's nostrils flared as he seemed to silently mutter something inaudible. Vernon watched the wolf fumble for his water without looking, making a few lame grasps at the fabric behind him before snagging the drink. In a blink, the wolf swigged another quarter of the bottle down, letting out a pleasant sigh as he capped the bottle and tossed it back onto the spool.

“I was able to keep my cool up until this...” Yuri let out a terse sigh. “Routine bust went all sideways on us.” The wolf took in another deep breath, holding it for a few moments before letting it out. Vernon could hear his brother shudder as he exhaled.

“The dealer made a break for it.” Yuri growled. “And since old spindly detective Eckhart was pitiful in a chase, it was up to me to catch the guy.”

Yuri took in another shuddering breath. “And when I caught up to the guy...” Yuri continued. “ I pinned him to the ground, only to find out the guy was a wolf.”

The wolf's eyes opened, those familiar piercing yellow eyes boring into Vernon's own as Yuri grit his teeth.

"A wolf who looked an awful lot like you..." 

Vernon gulped quietly, biting his lower lip in order to keep from breaking into a full wince. Whatever picture Yuri was about to paint, was certainly not going to be a pleasant one.

“And he made the mistake of throwing a punch.”The wolf placed his head in his paws, covering his eyes as he let out a sharp exhale.

“Yuri...” Vernon muttered.

In a flash, Yuri snapped his head out of his paws, his now wild eyes locked on Vernon, causing the wolf to jump in his seat.“I just rutting snapped!” Yuri spat, a frenzied look on his muzzle. “I just kept beating him again and again.” The wolf mimicked the bludgeoning with his fist, pantomiming the blunt movements with one arm while catching the fist in his other paw. “Eventually two other officers managed to pull me off, but I was snarling and thrashing until they got me back to my squad car.”

Yuri let out an uncomfortable chuckle, the awkward sounding laugh sounding particularly unnerving after Yuri's rather disturbing tale. “They actually tested me for night-howler exposure when they got me back to the station...” The wolf muttered. “That's how buck-wild I had gone on that fella.”

“Sweet Sawgrass...” Vernon uttered in horror and disbelief. After all, he, along with the rest of his brothers loved to use Yuri's suspensions to get under his pelt for his usual remarks. But Vernon had never known the details. As far as he was concerned it was simply ammo to sling back at Yuri and nothing more. But after his horrid retelling of events, and the reasoning behind it, Vernon felt sick. Not just because of how extreme it had turned out to be, but because of who Yuri had been picturing during the whole affair.

"And that's when I was ordered to take mandatory therapy." Yuri sighed, slumping back into his seat with a listless flop. 

“I...uh...” Vernon stammered, trying to regain some sort of footing in the conversation after that unsettling confession. “I imagine that didn't go well...”

Yuri sighed. "Goin' to therapy was like gettin' teeth yanked." Yuri grumbled. " I didn't see anything wrong with me. And I wasn't keen on openin' up to some little, wet rat who looked like my third-grade teacher." The wolf scoffed, throwing up a paw. "And what's worse was that Ada was supportive of it!" 

“Why is that so bad?' Vernon asked.

“It ain't I guess...” Yuri muttered. “I mean, we hadn't been together that long but she picked up on my family issues real quick cause she recognized 'em and was fixin' to help.” Yuri shrugged.

“No, I meant like..what's wrong with therapy?” Vernon continued, taking a sip of his water. “Ain't like goin' to therapy is somethin' to be ashamed of these days.”

Yuri glared back at the wolf. “You got a therapist Vern?” The wolf hissed.

“W-well no...” Vernon replied. “But Dawn does.” The confidence in Vernon's tone steadily increasing as he spoke. “I mean, it's done a lot fer her, and old Dr. Gnu is a swell guy.” The wolf shrugged. “If I ever needed one, I'd be fixin' to see him.”

Yuri scoffed. “Y'all remember who yer talkin' to right?” The wolf muttered.

Vernon simply rolled his eyes.

“Either way that's more or less what Ada said.” Yuri gestured at the air with a paw. “Except instead of talkin' about yer lil' sheep, she was talkin' about her own experiences in therapy, and how it helped her deal with her family issues.”

“And it...?” Vernon spoke softly, the wolf trying to be as careful with his words as possible. “Eventually helped you right?” The wolf asked.

Yuri shook his head dismissively. "Not at first." Yuri grumbled, leaning on a paw. "I wasn't open to it." Yuri sighed. "I didn't trust that shell cracker as far as I could throw her, so I tried lyin' long enough to get my free pass back to work." The wolf huffed. 

“I take it by the way y'all phrased that, it didn't exactly go according to plan?” Vernon asked incredulously. 

“No...” Yuri grumbled, crossing his paws defensively. “She saw right through me...” The wolf huffed. “The lyin' I mean. Not the stuff she was actually diggin' fer.”

Yuri let out a sigh as he ran a paw through his mane of head fur, his eyes wandering back to the ceiling as he recounted his therapy. "By the time my suspension was supposed to be up, the only reason she gave my boss the okay fer me to return was on the condition that I agree to keep up the weekly appointments until she 'pried open this oyster'.” Yuri grumbled, throwing Vernon a glance as he lowered his brows. “Her words.”

Vernon chuckled. “Otter, I take it.”

Yuri rolled his eyes. “They call the place 'Seaotter' fer a reason.” The wolf muttered. “Place is lousy with aquatic rats.”

“So what happened with her?” Vernon asked. “You say y'all opened up eventually?”

Yuri furrowed his brow. “Eventually Vern.” The wolf muttered. “A very long eventually.”

"I had only bein' seein' Miss Banks fer about half a year when Ma started pressurin' me about comin' home for the reunion that year, and introducin' Ada." Yuri sighed. "And when Ada caught wind of it, despite my best efforts at preventin' it, she got all excited about it." The wolf crossed his arms. "O'course I couldn't tell her y'all were the reason I was going to therapy in the first place." The wolf shrugged. "But she was so damn persistent...Both her and Ma...So I ended up cavin'." 

Yuri reached for his water, taking a smaller sip than his previous ones before pointing the open bottle at Vernon. The jet-black wolf quirked an eyebrow. 

"I'm assumin' y'all remember that particular reunion?" Yuri muttered. 

Vernon gave the wolf a dull, half-lidded gaze. "I remember." 

It wasn't hard to recall meeting Ada for the first time. The fear Vernon had been holding onto during the weeks leading up to that visit had left a strong enough impression on him to permanently etch the entire affair into his memory. He could remember the feel of rising dread as he rode the train that day, the gnawing unease at not only having to see Yuri for the first time since he had left for college, but that he was bringing a 'friend' along. 

The prospect that some mammal had found Yuri appealing was nearly impossible for Vernon to wrap his mind around, and if Yuri were to be believed, that mammal could only be as awful and twisted as he was. At least, that was Vernon's reasoning at the time. Of course, being one of the first to arrive made the wait that much more agonizing to endure. The wolf found himself unable to fully unwind knowing that Yuri would be along at any moment to spoil the whole trip. Not that it wasn't already uncomfortable enough with Dorian's judgmental grunts and glares every time the topic of Vernon's schooling came up.

Watching Yuri guide the imposing looking hyena in the dark, spike studded jacket into the family dining hall was almost like watching an officer leading an inmate down to her cell. At that moment she gave off the kind of aura that told Vernon she would bite his head off if he made the mistake of even breathing in her general direction. But that image immediately shattered the moment she started talking. The nervous bouts of cackling coupled with her attempts at cheesy jokes to break the ice completely removed any preconceived notions Vernon had spent hours building up in preparation to protect himself from her. Unlike Yuri, Ada had turned out to be a blast to be around, which had only left Vernon to ponder just why a girl like her had decided to be with his bitter and hateful brother in the first place. 

The whole time Yuri had done little to paint any sort of picture of himself that wasn't what Vernon already knew him for. Although he had started out remaining largely silent, limiting his vocabulary to simple grumbles and quiet conversations with Ada. It didn't take long for the Yuri he already knew to start shining through. His crass jokes, and put-downs had remained just as biting and nasty as the wolf remembered. Even with his best efforts at keeping up with Yuri, and throwing whatever he could back at him, including the suspension, it did nothing but manage to worsen the trip. And while his mother and brothers had done their best to defend Vernon, the wolf ended up making a promise to himself never to go to a reunion where Yuri was present ever again. To do anything and everything in his power to avoid the wolf until his dying day if possible.

"I remember..." Vernon repeated, his brow furrowing as he lowered his gaze on Yuri. "After that trip, I made a mental note to try my hardest never to show up fer a reunion you were at." 

Yuri cracked a smile, the wolf letting out a dull chuckle as he regarded Vernon before taking another sip of his water.

“You ain't the only one Vern...” The wolf shook his head. “Or did y'all even notice?”

Vernon's muzzle crinkled in confusion. “What?”

“I came back from that trip not only with Ada lovin' our little family.” The wolf hissed. “But takin' a weird little shine to you especially...” 

Yuri capped his bottle, tossing it aside again before crossing his arms and letting out a huff. "She saw you like the rest of 'em did, and took to y'all like you were her best friend." The wolf hissed. "We actually almost broke up over it..." 

“Broke up?” Vernon quirked an eyebrow. “Yuri, she's like a sister to me, you know I was never going-.”

"You think I'm sayin' I thought you was gonna steal my girl!?" The wolf let out a barking laugh, slapping his paw with a knee in amusement. "Like you'd have a chance!" Yuri snickered. 

“Oh!” The wolf ears sagged slightly. “Well...I mean...you don't have to laugh that hard.” Vernon grumbled, slipping his water to his side and crossing his arms as he leaned back into his chair.

“Naw...naw...” Yuri said, wiping a tear from his eye as the last of his laughter died away. 

"Naw, see...after that trip, it proved to me that nothin' back there had changed fer me." The wolf leaned up on his knees, resting his chin on a paw as he stared off at nothing in particular. "Fer me it was the final nail. The last straw." The wolf shook his head. "I was dead set on never goin' home again, and puttin' myself in a place where the only thing fer me is that role y'all put me in by default." 

The wolf let out a tired sigh, pawing at his eyes softly as he continued.

“But Ada wanted us to go back whenever we could.” Yuri grumbled. “Because she...She got to be like me comin' to Seaodder...” The wolf glanced back at Vernon, his yellow eyes uncomfortably sorrowful looking. “ Whatever thought's y'all had about her ya left 'em at the door. And everyone just took her on like she was part of the family at the drop of a hat." The wolf sneered slightly. "It made it all that much harder to endure." 

With that, Yuri turned away from Vernon, his expressions now hidden with his back facing the wolf as he went on.

"So after months of bickerin', and pressure from the therapist, I made an agreement with myself that Ada was worth enough to stick out dealin' with y'all a few times a year." The wolf muttered. "But I didn't tell her that from then on, I was gonna be doin' my damnedest to make sure we missed the ones you were going to." 

"Me?" Vernon laughed. "You mean, we-I?" The wolf's snickering continued, albeit in an awkward manner as he absorbed Yuri's confession. 

“Wow...” Vernon let out an amused sigh, slowly leaning back into his chair.

“If I had known that, I wouldn't have needed to waste so much effort on my part to avoid you.” The wolf let out another chuckle, but it trailed off as the deeper, underlying message began to filter into Vernon's mind. One that had built on what Yuri had said earlier, about his young self so long ago. That had stayed with him strongly enough that he felt the need to take it out on some strung out young wolf that looked a little too much like himself for Yuri's tastes.

“You really do hate me, don't you?” Vernon chuckled weakly.

“And you don't hate me?” Was the response that came from the dark furred wolf.

Vernon fell silent, the two wolves simply sitting in the now stilted, uncomfortable air for what seemed like ages as Vernon silently mulled over everything Yuri had told him. The wolf's skepticism was fading fast in the face of the massive deluge that was his brother's confession. 

The story seemed far too elaborate and well thought out to be a twisted and manipulative prank. For whatever reason, Yuri was bearing his soul, to Vernon of all mammals. The wolf who had spent his own youth making sure that Vernon's was that much worse. Who's very existence had prevented the family ranch from ever truly being a safe haven to come back to when the cruelty of the outside world had proven too much to bear. And after he had left home, it was the looming shadow of Yuri's presence hanging over Vernon's head that had kept the wolf from visiting home for more times than he would have liked to admit. That had been more than enough evidence, in Vernon's opinion, to have Yuri's behavior pegged for life as a hateful troublemaker, who was dead set on making Vernon's life miserable at every opportunity. 

But it was that same line of thinking that could easily be blamed for simply never being open to the prospect of Yuri reaching out. Of being anything other the exact same mammal, no matter how much time had passed. Judged by not only Vernon, but the entire family with a slate that never washed away. It reminded Vernon vaguely of his own thought process when he had chosen to rebel against society after losing Dawn. That awful feeling of being held up against the prejudiced, preconceived expectation of those around you to the point where it's easier to give up, and simply be the monster everyone expected you to be. 

“Those ones I was at...” Yuri broke the silence, pulling the wolf's attention back from his own thoughts. “And you weren't...” 

Vernon could see the wolf's back shudder slightly as he let out a terse sigh.

“They weren't perfect...” Yuri glanced over his shoulder, his yellow iris meeting Vernon's own with a serious stare. “But they were a lot easier to get through.” The wolf shrugged as he averted his gaze once more. “Fer a while anyway...”

“Up until Zach's tithe right?” Vernon murmured. The gaps were quickly starting to close up in Vernon's mind as everything Yuri was saying began to slide into place.

Yuri's had seemed to nod in acknowledgment. 

“Had to be there...” Yuri hissed. “Everyone had to.” The wolf shook his head. “I knew it was gonna be a disaster, but I knew there weren't gonna be any excuse that Ma would take to let me out o' goin'.

“Same...” Vernon replied. “Not that I was going to miss Zach's tithe fer anything...I just mean-”

"I know." Yuri muttered, holding up a paw. "Part of me wanted to go fer Zach's sake..." Yuri slowly eased back into his seat, raising an eyebrow at the wolf as he turned to appraise him. "Part o' me...cares..." 

Vernon placed a paw to his muzzle, listening intently as the wolf continued. His eyes had shifted back to the curtain as he let out another sigh.

“I think we can both agree it was a shit show.” Yuri muttered. “And that was on me.” Yuri glanced to Vernon from the corner of his eye. “I ain't passin' the buck on that one.”

Vernon sucked in a sharp breath of air through parted teeth. Yuri's 'toast' had certainly been an uncomfortable scene. His belligerent mixture of a tirade of cruel jokes and implications laid out at Vernon's expense had gotten Vernon's blood boiling so badly that he packed up and left the next day without so much as a word. 

"I was still reelin' from the hangover when Ada dragged me back to the airport the next mornin..." Yuri sighed. "And between fightin' with her and dealin' with what I did on the job...well... let's just say it wasn't too long a'fore I was suspended again." 

“Number three...” Vernon muttered.

Yuri gave a simple nod. “I was already going to therapy, so they added 'anger management classes' on top of it.” The wolf made air quotes with his fingers. “And Ada was furious.”

Yuri placed a paw on his forehead as he leaned back into the fabric pile. "She was right too." The wolf sighed. "I wasn't bein' open with her. And she almost left me over it." Yuri's paw slid down, covering his eyes in the process. "I...couldn't...I didn't want to lose her." 

“Because you love her. Right?” Vernon asked, smirking slightly.

Yuri's fingers parted slightly, allowing his eye to fall on Vernon.

“Don't tell her I said it.” The wolf seemed to be hiding a smile. “But...o'course I love her.”

Vernon rolled his eyes, doing his best to stifle a chuckle at Yuri's attempt to hold on to some semblance of his remaining bravado. 

“So I Alpha'd up and told her everythin',” Yuri shut the seam he had made between his finger, hiding his eye once again as he continued to speak. “About how much seein' the family bugs me.” The wolf snorted. “About how much seein' you bugs me, and how they treat the both of us. About havin' my mistakes thrown in my face every damn time I go home!”

The wolf pulled his paw free of his face, allowing it to listlessly flop to his side as he stared off at the ceiling.

“Everythin' I'm tellin' you now.” The wolf glanced at Vernon once again, his golden irises finding Vernon's own. “And y'know what she said?”

“What?” Vernon asked.

“She told me that the only way thing are gonna change is if I be honest with y'all.” The wolf replied. “That she weren't no therapist, but the ball was in my court when it came to actually makin' a change.” The wolf muttered. “From her perspective, she believed y'all were good folks, and if I actually opened up things might...change fer the better.”

Yuri eased up into his seat, leaning on his knees once again as he let out a sigh.

“And when I managed to tell the therapist, she felt the same way.” The wolf glanced at Vernon, raising a brow dubiously. “With a few exceptions.”

Vernon furrowed his brow in confusion. “What kind of exceptions?”

“Well, Miss Banks said that from what I told her, that the crux of everythin' is our relationship.” Yuri gestured between himself and Vernon with a lazy paw. “I get angry and irritated when I feel the family is bendin' over backwards fer you, or defendin' you. So I lash out like when I was a pup.” Yuri muttered, gesturing his paw back toward Vernon again. “And then, based on what she knew about y'all, said that in-turn, you get angry at me fer me givin' you shit.” The wolf placed his paw back onto his knee. “And you either remind me of the shit I did as a pup, or the family does, and how little I've changed.”

“She's saying...we're feeding each other's behavior at this point?” Vernon asked.

“At this point.” Yuri replied. “Back in the day it might have been different. But now...”

“Bu-You...I di-...” Vernon struggled to rebuff the wolf's assertion. But as the therapist's 'prognosis' meshed in among the rest of the wolf's earlier statements, it became increasingly hard to argue a point against the otter's reasoning.

“Face it Vern, we bring out the worst in each other...” Yuri continued. “And it's all we know how to do.”

Yuri was right. His therapist was right. As startling as it was to conceive, and as guilty as Yuri was of his own role in this self-sustaining cycle, Vernon was guilty too, even if his role was comparatively smaller in his own eyes. Vernon had become used to fighting Yuri, to having his retorts and one-liners ready well in advance of having to face any interaction with him. He had given up long ago on trying anything else, or even thinking of trying to deal with the wolf any other way. 

“How was I..?” Vernon shook his head. “What did you..?” The wolf struggled to reply. Too many questions, all struggling to get out of his muzzle at once and colliding in his throat before withering out as incomplete sentences.

“Y-you never told me any of this.” Vernon finally managed to reply, blinking dumbly at the jet-black wolf across from him.”We never talked. W-we never...”

“I was never the talkin' type Vern.” Yuri replied. “Hell I wouldn't be admittin' this to ya know if it weren't fer...I promised her.”

Vernon furrowed his brow. “Ada?”

Yuri gave a slow nod.

“Miss Banks gave me two options.” Yuri spun toward Vernon, leaning on his knees as he eyed the wolf. “Either cut the family out entirely.” Yuri's muzzle tilted to the floor as he averted his gaze. “Or try and fix the problem by openin' up to the 'source' and workin' outward.”

“And by 'source'...you mean...” Vernon pointed at himself with a weak, withering paw, only to receive an affirmative nod from the jet-black wolf.

“O'course I was against both options.” The wolf sighed. “I was sure if I tried to bring it up, I'd either hackle things up or ultimatly get nowhere...” The wolf placed a paw to his temple. “But I couldn't bring myself to just...to just say to hell with y'all.”

The wolf placed a paw on his neck, rubbing it uneasily as he glanced up and away from the wolf.

“As rutted up as this situation is...” The wolf muttered. “As rutted up as I am...” Yuri shook his head. “I...I care about my family.”

The wolf let out a dull chuckle as he ran his paw back over his mo-hawk, stopping to rub his head before allowing his arm to slip back to his side.

“Ada knew that...” Yuri shook his head. “Which is why she agreed that I needed to 'Alpha up' and actually...say this shit to you.” The wolf sighed. “That I owed it to myself, and to y'all to work things out. To finally get this weight off my shoulders and clear the air when I was ready.”

“In fact...that's...was sort of the reason I decided to come out to this reunion.”

Vernon drew backward slightly, his expression one of mild disbelief. “To have this talk?”

“And as y'all can tell by our faces...”The wolf muttered, gesturing between the wolves accumulated bruises and cuts from the day before. “I hackled things up that much worse fer tryin'.” The wolf shook his head. “Just like I figured I would.”

Vernon let out a barking laugh. “You mean to tell me that y'all beatin' me up was you tryin' to make things right!?” The wolf scoffed.

“I got drunk okay!” Yuri snapped back, crossing his arms defensively. “I was tryin' to muster the courage up to even try to approach makin' things better, and I needed the help!”

“Some help.” Vernon retorted. “And considering how you behaved before the drinking I can't say-.”

"I came out here with the best of intentions dammit!" Yuri hissed. "I wanted to surprise Ada and the family, and really try at turnin' over a new leaf." The wolf placed a paw to his temple. "But the second I saw you yesterday mornin' I slipped right back into it!" The wolf gestured his paws dramatically at the wolf across from him. "I tried but I just- I could-!" The wolf shook his head. "All that talk about yer new girl, knowin' who she was and that Pa was pissed!" The wolf directed a paw at Vernon. "That part of me, that deep seated part buried inside couldn't resist playin' into it further." Yuri let out a harsh, exaggerated breath. "To keep that wedge forced in there to make sure that this time everyhtin' didn't work out like it always did. To make sure Pa didn't eventually just give in and...ARGH!" Yuri clamped his paws to his head. "And so much fer that beca-!" 

The wolf stopped short of finishing his sentence, letting out a harsh breath as he went back to counting down his breathing. The drawn-out, methodical exhales slowly but surely calming down the wolf to a point where he could continue. With the final, long breath the wolf's paws slipped off his head, coming down to brace themselves on his knees once more as he opened his eyes. His gaze returning to Vernon's own.

“Ada was right about somethin' else too.” Yuri muttered. “Few things actually.”

Vernon quirked a brow curiously. “What about?”

Yuri clasped his paws together, leaning in slightly as his attention returned to the floor.

“After that brawl, while you were hashin' things out with Pa...we had a huge fight about everythin'.” Yuri muttered. “I told her what I was tryin' to do, but how hard it was to make good on it.” The wolf glanced up at Vernon briefly, his golden eyes looking strangely sullen as he spoke. “Especially with things goin' the way they were.” Yuri shook his head.

“The fact that Pa wasn't bendin' on givin' in to you was...just too satisfyin' fer me...the version of me that lives here.” Yuri pointed a claw at the floor. “But Ada...”

“She just...she hit me with somethin' I'd never really given much thought about before...” The wolf turned his attention to the floor, his elbows resting on his knees as he studied the gritty looking rug.

"That if the tables were turned." Yuri sighed. "If it was me fightin' tooth and nail fer the right to get tithed to Ada." Yuri glanced back to Vernon, his eyes shimmering softly as he met Vernon's gaze. "Regardless of how we get along, you'd stand up to defend us." 

Vernon was taken aback momentarily by yet another odd admission from the wolf. The words almost seemed to carry some sort of emotion other than a simple acknowledgment. Perhaps respect, or a begrudged sense of appreciation. But in that moment, Vernon felt as though Yuri was giving off the briefest glimmer of something resembling care. Care toward the brother he admittedly disliked most of all. 

“O-of course Yuri...” Vernon murmured. “I mean...I do...er...” Vernon glanced at his feet for a moment. There was no easy way to say this, but it was the truth.

“Look...I don't hate you Yuri.” The wolf glanced back up at his brother. “To answer yer earlier question.”

Yuri furrowed his brow, flashing the wolf a dubious glance.

“I love you, as a brother.” Vernon said. “But I...really don't like you. As a person.”

In spite of Vernon's admission, Yuri cracked a wide, genuine smile.

“That's the other thing Ada was right about.” Yuri chuckled.

“Wait, what?” Vernon replied.

Yuri shook his head dismissively. “After all this talk, all this openin' up.” The wolf brushed a paw through his mo-hawk briskly. “I still don't like you either.”

Vernon couldn't help but laugh.

“I mean I love y'all as my brother.” Yuri smirked. “But as a person...y'all drive me nuts.”

Yuri's smile faltered slightly as he turned his attention back to the floor, the wolf placing his paws together as he studied the faded, torn up rug at his feet. “So much fer therapy huh?”

Yuri idly kicked a foot at one of the loose spools laying on the floor, letting out a snort.

“All that work tryin' to put things in perspective...”The wolf muttered. “All the arguments with Ada.” Yuri glanced back at Vernon, a genuine frown crossing his muzzle as he spoke. “Even after she put it all in perspective for me last night....I don't feel like anythin's changed.” The wolf sighed. “It's like there weren't even a point to it all.”

“Hey...” Vernon said softly, drawing Yuri's attention back to the wolf. 

“Look, I...” Vernon muttered, shaking his head. “What you did today was a huge step.” The wolf continued. “You shouldn't short change yourself for actually going through with it.”

Yuri simply let out a low grumble in response.

"Makin' a big change, especially when it comes to somethin' so deep-rooted on yer inside, ain't somethin' y'all can just fix in a day." Vernon continued. "I know that enough from what Dawn's told me about her sessions with her own therapist. And I don't doubt that in the slightest."

"But that said, I'm proud of you for takin' that step." Vernon said, offering the wolf a soft smile. "Not that I haven't been proud of you before."

Yuri quirked an eyebrow. “Huh?”

“What, you don't think I'm proud of your accomplishments just because we don't get along?” Vernon continued. “I know fer a fact that with every one of those suspensions y'all got equal if not more accolades to back 'em up.” The wolf said with a smirk.

Yuri tilted his head slightly. “Wait, what?”

“That drug syndicate you broke up, hell you had to work against some of the cops in yer own precinct to take that mess down.” Vernon chuckled. “How many crooked cops you end up rootin' out in the process?”

“Fourteen.” Yuri replied. “But who told y'all-?”

“You forgot Ma calls me too right?” Vernon chuckled. “ I probably hear just as much about what you and the others do as you hear about me and then some.”

Yuri's eyes seemed to flicker momentarily, a hint of moisture glossing over his yellow eyes before he began to blink rapidly in a clear effort to shoo them away.

“And Y'all should take pride in that too.” Vernon continued. “And you got Ada.” The wolf raised a finger, waiving it at the black wolf warily. “Which I might add, y'all would be a fool to ever let that gal go.”

Yuri's smile broadened to reveal his teeth, his chest swelling slightly as he placed a paw to his chest that implied a sudden swell of confidence despite averting his gaze once more.

“Pfft, that ol' yeen wouldn't let me even If I tried.” The wolf laughed softly before trailing off into a pleasant sigh. “But...there ain't a day that goes by where I ain't thankful to have her.”

“And so what if we don't like each other.” Vernon shrugged. “We don't have to.”

Yuri tilted his head in confusion, his ears lolling to one side slightly.

Vernon raised a finger. "We are two very different wolves." The wolf shook his head. "Even givin' our best efforts, we might never get along." 

"But now that this is all out in the open, maybe we can learn to tolerate each other." Vernon said. "To learn to be civil with one another enough to actually be able to visit home at the same time without causin' a scene. And actually have a decent time in the process." 

“Maybe...” Yuri muttered, the wolf scratching at his chin thoughtfully. 

“We don't have to be the closest brothers in the pack.” Vernon gestured to Yuri lazily. “In fact, distance is probably the healthiest thing for us.” The wolf shrugged. “But our mates seem to get along really well, and when it comes to Ma and Pa...”

Vernon frowned as the realization came back to him. In the lengthy, unexpected discussion with Yuri he had almost entirely forgotten his current circumstances. Up until this point he had been talking as if there were future visits to the Hunter ranch in store for him and Dawn. That there was really a chance to work on getting along with Yuri in the long run when this was going to be the last reunion Vernon was allowed to attend. After all, for all of his admitted faults and troubles, Yuri remained a Hunter, while Vernon was, for the moment, nothing. 

Vernon placed his paws on his knees, letting out a sorrowful sigh.

“Vern?” Yuri spoke, But Vernon's eyes remained on the floor. “Ya'll alright?”

“Eh...it's...it's n-nothing.”The wolf said, doing his best to shake off the rather hollow feeling the realization had brought with it. After all, if Yuri hadn't brought it up, then the wolf clearly was unaware of thier Father's declaration as to Vernon's status in the family pack. And rather than risk tempting Yuri's more troubled side into taking over in light of such a discovery, the wolf was keen on riding out the rather rare moment of camaraderie between the two wolves.

However, despite Vernon's reassurance, it did little to change Yuri's level of concern.

“Hey...” Yuri shrugged. “ Like you said, we may not end up bein' the closest brothers in the pack.” The wolf offered an awkward, uncomfortable looking smile.

“But there ain't no reason we can't shoot fer it right?” Yuri asked.

Vernon quirked a brow curiously as Yuri reached a paw into his breast pocket. The wolf fumbled momentarily before managing to yank what looked like some sort of strange tribal looking bracelet free of his tux before flinging it at Vernon.

The sudden projectile caught Vernon off guard, and the wolf almost failed to catch it as he clumsy reached his paws in the air. With the item now gripped tightly in his paws, the wolf began to carefully inspect the trinket. It was definitely tribal in nature, the wood cut shapes and carved symbols looks like something straight out of Afrikat. But the most eye-catching portion of the bracelet was the large, wood carving of a hyena skull with colorful face paint marking the features. Vernon tapped the skull gingerly as he dangled the bracelet from a paw before turning his attention back to Yuri. 

“What is...?” 

“What y'all got there is a bracelet Ada gave me.” Yuri muttered. “It was a gift fer our first anniversary.” The black furred wolf scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably as his eyes shifted away from Vernon. “I-It's...somethin' that means a lot to me.”

Vernon eyed the medallion on the charm more closely, tapping it with a claw again. "Okay..." The wolf murmured before glancing back up at his brother. "But then, why are you giving this to me?" 

“I made this promise to Ada.” The wolf muttered. “And now I'm makin' it to you.” The wolf ran a paw through his mo-hawk briskly, pressing his paw on it a few times in a clear attempt to force some of the 'spring' back into it.

“I told her last night that startin' right there, I was gonna try harder to be better.” Yuri sighed. “And I want to try to extend the same deal to y'all.” The jet-black wolf rolled his eyes slightly. “And so, with that in mind...”

Yuri held up a paw, pointing up one finger as he eyed the wolf across from him.

“One.” Yuri spoke. “From now on, I ain't drinkin' around y'all anymore.” Yuri flashed the wolf a mischevious grin. “We all know how that goes.”

Vernon flashed the wolf a dull glare. “Right...”

Yuri seemed to ignore Vernon's rather doubtful sounding reply, instead simply pointing a second claw upward and continuing.

"And two." Yuri adjusted his tie slightly with his other paw, clearing his throat awkwardly before continuing. "I want you to wear that thing whenever we're around each other from now on." 

The wolf gave a slight shrug. "I don't care what wrist y'all decide to wear it on, just make sure I can see it." 

“Because...?” Vernon tilted his head curiously.

“If I start gettin' to ornery, or actin' too much like my...old self...” The wolf winced as the worlds 'old self' left his muzzle. “Just send up the ol' bird at me with the paw that bracelets hangin' off of.”

Vernon couldn't help but smirk.

“You want me to...” The wolf chuckled. “Flip you off?”

Yuri rolled his eyes. “That thing yer holdin' will remind me of my promise to Ada.” The wolf chuckled. “And my promise to y'all.” The wolf grinned. “And hopefully reign me in a little bit.”

Vernon inspected the charm once again, chuckling at it before slipping it onto his left wrist. 

“So it's like a sacred talisman meant to keep y'all away huh?” Vernon smirked.

Yuri let out a scoff. “If that's how y'all want to look at it.” Yuri shook his head. “Although the idea was it's supposed to remind me that we're aimin' to make things better between us from here on out...” The wolf averted his gaze slightly, an uneasy expression lacing his features. “Sort of a symbol of makin' an honest try at a fresh start...”

Vernon flashed the wolf a genuine smile.

“Thanks Yuri.” Vernon replied. “I...It...” The wolf sighed. “Thanks.”

Yuri nodded softly, the wolf clearly trying his best to stifle a smile.

“Hey.” Ulric's voice drew the wolves attention to the curtain as the twitchy wolf poked his head in. His eyes darting from wolf to wolf in a frenzied manner.

“Uh...” Ulric murmured. “Aunt Abby's ready for Vern...” The wolf's eyes warily fixated on Vernon.

“Is he...cool?” Ulric asked.

Yuri rose to his feet, straightening his tie before turning his attention back to Vernon.

“It's a weddin' Vern.” Yuri spoke, drawing Vernon's attention back on him. “Fer you and the sheep.”

Vernon blinked at his brother in confusion as he struggled to make sense of what he was saying. It couldn't be true, yet Yuri's expression seemed genuine enough to take at face value.

“Yuri!” Ulric whined. “You weren't su-!”

“Aw hush you idjit!” Yuri snapped. “I know what I'm doin'!”

“A...A wedding?” Vernon asked in disbelief.

“That's what these damn pups have been stumblin' over themselves to keep quiet about.” Yuri rolled his eyes. “More afraid o' spoilin' the surprise and riskin' Ma given' them the 'ol' glare' than keepin' you from sprintin' to the next county.”

“B-but...how?” Vernon murmured, his lip trembling slightly as he spoke. “What about Pa, abou-?”

"It's a caprid weddin', ain't a tithe. And as fer Pa...well..." The wolf rolled his eyes. "He ain't gonna be around to object." 

The jet-black wolf shook his head. "But that's about as much as I can say." Yuri held his paws up. "Yer just gonna have to trust me on this, alright Vern? If I don't keep some sort of element of surprise in this whole thing it makes this whole tag and bag thing kinda pointless don't it?" 

Vernon winced, his ears drooping slightly. “Y-yeah..but-?”

“Trust me. There's a bit more to this, but I just can't tell ya.” Yuri flashed the wolf a broad grin. Vernon was unsure if the smile was intended to be comforting, as it carried the vague hint of Yuri's mischievousness. “But I think y'all will be pleasantly surprised.”

With that, Yuri held out a paw to Vernon, gesturing for the wolf to take it. Vernon simply stared at it in surprise for a few moments, watching the wolf flick his fingers in an effort to entice him to grab his paw. Vernon still wasn't very used to trusting Yuri, but to say the conversation hadn't managed to put considerably more faith in the wolf would have been a lie.

Vernon's confused expression slowly morphed into a smile as he took his brother's paw, the dark-furred wolf lifting him to his feet before releasing his grip. Yuri flashed the wolf a smirk. Across the room, Vernon could see Ulric cow his head, the wolf closing his eyes tightly as he turned away from the pair in a show of fear. It was as though the wolf were waiting for a bomb to go off.

“Now get out there, and get suited up.” Yuri said. “ Gotta get you fitted fer the funeral fer yer bachelorhood. “

Ulric perked an ear, one of his eyes slowly opening as he regarded the two again. Slowly, a look of partial relief came over his features as he reluctantly slipped out of the room.

“I'm getting married.” Vernon muttered quietly to himself. “I'm getting married?” He glanced at Yuri, only for the wolf to give him an affirming nod. It was starting to sink in. This was really happening. 

“Sweet Sawgrass, I'm gettin' married!” Vernon placed a paw to his head, a goofy grin forming on his muzzle as he spoke. 

“Thinkin' about runnin' now?” Yuri said, flashing the wolf a smug grin.

Vernon gave the wolf a disapproving glare, letting out a huff. “No!' Vernon replied. “Of course not!”

“Ah good, good...” Yuri grinned, giving Vernon a gentle push toward the curtain. “Was worried I was gonna have to put y'all down to keep ya from makin' a break for it.”

Vernon chuckled halfheartedly as he neared the curtain, placing a paw on the frame as he looked back at Yuri.

“With what?” Vernon muttered. “Pruning shears?”

Yuri chuckled dully. “Well, since were still bein' all open and honest...” The wolf reached into his pocket, revealing what looked like some sort of compact firearm with black and yellow striping. “You weren't exactly as free to leave as y'all may of thought.” The wolf snickered as he spun the weapon around a finger. “If you tried to bolt I was ready to pop a few thousand volts into ya.” 

Vernon shook his head. He should have figured as much. As always, Yuri didn't make a move unless he felt that the situation was entirely under his control at all times.

“Well....if were still bein' open and honest...” Vernon replied innocently. “I think it's time I tell you that...”

Vernon flashed the wolf a mischievous smile. 

“I keyed the rut out of yer motorcycle.”

Yuri's expression dropped before his muzzle twisted into a furious and hateful scowl. His fangs on full display as Vernon turned to rush through the curtain. Yuri let out a loud snarl as Vernon pushed through the fabric, the wolf extending his arm in a desperate bid to flash the bracelet. But the talisman was met with the sound of taser barbs firing, impacting the fabric of the curtain with a dull thud as Vernon just barely escaped.


	48. Like Father Like Son

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Forty-Eight: Like Father Like Son

“Ow!” Vernon let out a soft hiss through parted teeth as he recoiled slightly from his mother's touch. The wolf was already uncomfortable enough allowing his mother to smear make-up onto his fur, but the fact that whatever was in some of the products was doing a fantastic job of seeping into the cuts strewn about his muzzle made the experience that much worse.

“Oh stop yer belly-achin'!" Audrey tutted, giving the wolf a playful 'boop' on the nose with a stray finger before applying another dab of grey-toned fur concealer to the pad she was holding. "Y'all want to look yer best don't ya?"

Vernon rolled his eyes at the she-wolf.

“O' course I do!” Vernon replied. “I just didn't expect this stuff to sting worse than alcohol!” The wolf let out a soft chuckle. “Is it supposed to keep burnin' like this?”

“Well It ain't normally used fer coverin' up scrapes and cuts." The she-wolf chuckled. "But we ain't exactly got time to wait on ol' mother nature to patch you up herself, now do we?"

Vernon grit his teeth as she she-wolf dabbed some of the concealer over his eye. While the wound wasn't swollen anymore, it was still the largest of the cuts he had accumulated in his scrap with Yuri. And it certainly felt its size as the make-up sent a searing jab of pain into his temple. The wolf inhaled sharply, clutching his paws on his knees in order to stifle the urge to let out a whine and pull away as his mother continued to carefully dab at his cut. The process of blending the color in felt agonizingly long as the she-wolf gingerly swabbed over the wound again and again. It was only when his mother finally drew the pad away, was Vernon finally able to relax again, the wolf letting out a slow, shaky exhale as pain began to subside.

Audrey shook her head softly, flashing Vernon an amused smirk.

“Just be thankful y'all got my fur pattern or I wouldn't have had this stuff on paw” The wolfess chuckled. “Let alone be able to blend it in just right so it won't show up on camera.”

“I know, I know...” Vernon replied dully. “I am Ma.”

“Yer brother is completely out o' luck since I ain't got nothin' fer black fur.” Audrey muttered. “At least he ain't the one gettin'....gettin'...”

The familiar hitch in the she-wolf's breath caused the wolf's hackles to rise on instinct alone. Vernon's frame tensed reflectively at the shifting tone in the she-wolf's voice. Her stuttering whimpers and broken words causing the wolf to wince, and his ears to splay flat against his head as he prepared for the worst.

It was a natural response that never seemed to dull despite the fact that it in the ten or so minutes since his mother started conducting her 'finishing touches', she had broken into one of these fits at least five times before.

“G-g-g-!” The she-wolf retracted the pad, bringing her paws close to her face and fanning herself as she began to sob.

“G-Gettin' HITCHED!” Audrey cried loudly, tears once again streaming down her fur as she began blubbering like a wounded puppy.

Vernon let out a tired sigh. His mother's hysterics were rather heartwarming when it came to her fretting over him. But they also always managed to fill the wolf with a terrible sense of unease. Every time he heard his mother cry, his instincts would drive him to want to do whatever he could to make her feel better, to go out of his way to cheer up the softhearted she-wolf. 

But in the case of happy tears, it was hard to convince that inner part of him that it was somehow okay to let his mother cry it out. That despite just how painful, and woeful the wail that the she-wolf had started to pitch sounded, it was a display of overwhelming joy. A blubbery, weepy, mess of a display of just how happy she was for her son and his mate, unabashed and open for the wolf to see. She had been the same way during Vanna's tithe to his brother, and it was a given it would be exactly the same at every future Hunter tithing down the road.

"M-Ma..." The wolf reached out a wary paw. It was a pointless effort he knew. Even if he managed to temporarily stem the tide, she would break into another fit sooner or later. If not further along in the conversation, then certainly whenever the ceremony actually started.

“Oh-OH!” Audrey bit gently on one of the knuckles of her finger in order to stifle her sobs, but she only managed to hold back for a moment before reeling backward into another over the top wail. “ MY LITTLE PUPPY!”

“Ma, please...” Vernon whimpered softly. “Y-yer gonna hyperventilate!”

Audrey let out a sharp sigh, her body heaving forward before taking in a slow, shuddering breath. Bringing her free paw to her muzzle, the she-wolf began to weakly paw at her eyes.

"I'm liable do it eventually anyway Vernon!" The wolf whimpered. Audrey wiped away the remaining tears with her thumb and forefinger before dragging them down the bridge of her muzzle. Taking a slow deep breath, the she-wolf seemed to compose herself to some degree.

“I-I'm sorry Verny...I-I...” Audrey sniffed. “I just...I...” The she-wolf swabbed at her face with her forearm, letting out another soft whimper. “I was able to keep it together fer most of the day...B-but now that it's so cl-close I-I...”

Vernon watched his mother let out another shuddering cry as she held her arm over her eyes. “Get it together ol' girl...” He could hear the she-wolf sniffle to herself. “Just keep it together till we're outside.”

His mother's desperate attempt at pulling herself together would have been enough to earn another chuckle out of Vernon, but the wolf found himself transfixed on her previously unfinished statement as a renewed wave of realization took hold of him. The wedding was close now. Of course, he hadn't needed his mother's words alone to confirm that for him. The windows outside the boys' old bedroom had long since grown dark. The last bands of lingering sunlight had been chased away hours ago by the encroaching blanket of evening dark. By now, the wolf was certain the full harvest moon had taken its position high aloft in the autumn sky. With the day gone, and with what remained of the night now in full swing, it stood to reason that there was little time remaining until the wolf would be lead to the wedding on that basis alone.

However, this also wasn't Vernon's first wedding. Being a part of the preparations for Zach and Vanna's tithe had given the wolf a rough idea of what to expect for himself. While a caprid ceremony wasn't exactly the same as a tithing ritual, it was similar enough for the wolf to be able to form a rough checklist in his head as to what he was required to do before the ceremony could actually start. And as Vernon began to run through the compiled checklist again in his mind, it quickly became apparent that, barring any unexpected surprises, there seemed to be no preparations left to take care of. The wolf bit at his lower lip as he reassessed everything that he had done so far throughout the day in an effort to double check his reasoning. 

It was only fair to start keeping track of everything after Yuri had come clean with him about exactly what all the hush and fuss was about, at least in his mind. Before then, little had been accomplished in the way of preparation for what was to come. Of course, that was mostly due in part to how his brothers had chosen to 'handle' the situation. Their 'tackle and shackle' approach had only managed to put Vernon sharply on the defensive, and their evasive demeanor had made him that much more defiant at every turn. But Yuri's talk and admission as to what was really going on had managed to put the wolf at ease, and put an end to all attempts to resist when it came to his brothers directing him.

Well, at least all the remaining Hunters but Yuri. Despite how much of a bold step they had managed to take in terms of opening up to one another, Vernon's rather petty admission of his own had put the black furred wolf right back at his throat. And while Vernon had narrowly escaped the sting of his taser, it took the collective might of the other Hunter brothers to hold Yuri back as Vernon scurried his way to the relative safety of Aunt Abby's side. 

From there the tiny armadillo lead him around the store, gesturing to various suits she had jotted down ahead of time as possible candidates for Vernon's tux. Apparently once she had gotten the call, the little mammal had spent much of the early morning trying to recall the brothers favorite colors and perfected styles as she awaited their arrival. She admitted to having struggled with some, but when it came to Vernon, 'the mammal of the hour', she had easily recalled his preference for green, natural hues. With varying ranges of enthusiasm the little mammal showed off tux after tux, and even though Vernon had made his choice by the second suit, the armadillo insisted he hold his vote until she ran down the whole list. But at least the list was considerably shorter considering what she had known to screen out ahead of time.

It was while she was fitting the suit to the wolf, a deep green tux replete with an emerald green tie that almost perfectly matched his eyes, that among Abby's rather excitable chatter the little armadillo brought up a prospect of the ceremony the wolf hadn't given much thought to. With all the preparation that had been done, and was being done on his behalf, there was one crucial element that only he could prepare. And that of course, was writing his vows. 

With how quickly the surprise wedding had been dropped on him, the wolf had still been sort of reeling by the time Aunt Abby had dropped that bombshell. And the sudden realization had sent the wolf into a state of quiet panic. A state that persisted long after Aunt Abby had finished his fitting, and well into the truck ride back to the Hunter Ranch as his brain struggled to put together a lengthy series of flowery words that sounded suitable. He knew whatever he said had to be perfect, something elegant and intelligent enough to truly convey how he felt about his mate in front of all the mammals who would bear witness to their union. And the longer he struggled, the more petrified he became about the possibility of embarrassing himself, or worse yet, embarrassing Dawn.

He had been so lost in his own thoughts that he nearly jumped out of his pelt when one of his brothers unexpectedly covered his eyes with an extra necktie as they approached the ranch. Apparently, the veil of semi-secrecy had to continue up until the boys, along with Aunt Abby had gotten him inside the Ranch once again. At least that's what they told him. Although it took Yuri's word to remind Vernon to remain calm enough to allow the mammals to lead him blindly into the ranch. The wolf could only assume the measure was to keep him from seeing the set pieces for the whole ceremony that was presumably staged somewhere within eyeshot of the driveway. 

As he felt the old pick-up draw to a slow stop, his nostrils picked up on a delectable mixture of smells wafting through the air. There was the distinct air of food simmering somewhere unseen, and as the wolf was guided off the truck bed, his ears cocked toward the occasional sound of clanging and hammering that more than confirmed his previous suspicions. To Vernon, it made the continued secrecy seem all the more pointless. But as if Aunt Abby had read his mind, the mammal was quick to point out that the surprise lied in seeing everything all at once when it was done, rather than spoiling it mid-way through. And while it was something the wolf didn't entirely agree with, he wasn't in a great position to argue the point as the group lead him inside.

The sound of several doors opening and closing were the next things Vernon heard, the familiar cool feeling hardwood meeting his foot paws as he was led from room to room. All the while his brothers and Aunt Abby remaining relatively silent as Vernon tried to figure out where they were heading. The fact that a bulk of the Hunter Ranch was covered in hardwood flooring made it hard to track exactly where he was on the first floor. But that quickly changed when the wolf stepped beyond the last door to feel the icy chill of tile replace the somewhat warmer hardwood he had previously been walking on. There was only one room in the house that had tile flooring, and he had spent a good chunk of the previous night in it getting patched up by Dawn.

He knew it was the bathroom before the blindfold was undone, and as he turned to meet the mammals who had lead him there, the only one who remained was Yuri. The jet black wolf flashed Vernon a sly smirk.

“Yer on yer own till Ma comes to get ya.” Yuri spoke. “So clean up, and get as gussied as ya can.”

With that, Yuri momentarily turned to leave. But as the wolf placed his paw on the doorknob, he froze.

“Oh yeah...” The wolf muttered.

In a flash, Yuri spun around, giving Vernon a sharp jab in the arm. 

“OW!” Vernon hissed! The jab hurt enough for the wolf to reflexively draw back, but felt as though Yuri was holding back to some degree.

“Had to wait till Aunt Abby was gone to git that one in.” Yuri flashed an amused grin. “That was fer my bike.”

“It was a JOKE!” Vernon tried to lie. But before he could even finish, Yuri slammed the door behind him.

“Sure it was!” Was the last thing Vernon heard beyond the door as he found himself left to his own devices, and once again his own thoughts.

Disrobing and carefully setting aside his tuxedo, the wolf drew back the shower curtain to the old family tub and stepped inside. Taking a moment to relax his breathing, the wolf reached a wary paw out toward the spigot, bracing himself in preparation as he turned the water on. The sudden stream of hot water stung when it first made contact with his fur. The heat against the cuts on his face causing the wolf to flinch as he adjusted to the temperature. But it didn't take long for the lingering burning to turn into a deep, mind-numbing soothe. And as the wolf began to lather his fur, his mind once again drifted back to the lingering issue at paw. 

Now that he knew what was going on, everything felt like it was moving around him at light speed. And all the while he still remained at square one when it came to his vows. But worse yet, his time in the shower brought along the more worrying fear that not only would his vows be bad, but that by comparison to Dawn he would most likely look a fool no matter what he managed to cobble together.

While he was smart enough, he was certain a mammal like Dawn who was a professional writer, and had previously served as a politician could do a considerably better job at stringing together vows than some architect wolf, and what made the pressure inside feel that much more intense. She had a gift, and it came bundled with a wealth of beautiful words and prose that she knew just how to string together to make the perfect passage. He had witnessed it first paw early on when it came to his attempts to pen the portions of her book he was to be credited for. A format they quickly dropped in favor of Dawn taking dictation from him and revising it accordingly. Dawn also seemed to exude a natural eloquence, she was erudite, poetic. She lacked the dull, simplistic sounding drawl that Vernon was certain would further mar his words. A drawl that only got that much more pronounced by coming back to the ranch. Images continually flashed through his mind as the water bristled through his fur. Images of getting flustered at the altar and flubbing his words, of Dawn reading off the loveliest, most poetic and flattering vow she could muster only to be reduced to tears by how pitiful his own were. 

"Dawn, I love y'a-you." Vernon muttered quietly as the shower droned on. The wolf repeated it over and over, along with several other aborted attempts at a start as his stomach began to twist and gnarl from his nerves. All the while, the wolf consciously tried to dull his drawl back to city side levels. The rising panic had drawn him into a mental black hole so deep that he hadn't realized just how much time he had spent in the shower until a sudden rap at the door snapped him out of his thoughts. The water was frigid now, so much so that the wolf practically stumbled out of the shower and fell to the floor, pulling the curtain down in the process. On the other side of the door, he could hear his mother's voice.

“Vern, are you alright?” Audrey asked.

"Fi-INE!" Vernon barked awkwardly, pulling the fallen curtain off his damp fur before struggling to rise to his feet. The wolf coughed into a paw awkwardly, clearing his throat before replying again. "I'm fine Ma, I'm good." The wolf said in a more confident tone as he kicked some of the curtains off to the side.

“Oh good, I was afraid y'all fell asleep!” He could hear his mother laugh. “It's nearly sundown Puppy, y'all need to get movin'!”

“On it ma!” The wolf was quick to reply, breaking into a short sprint as he ran over to the dryer stall.

“Just tell me when yer back in yer suit!” His mother continued. “We still got a bit more work to do before we can kick this thing off!”

Unlike his shower, the wolf was considerably quicker when it came to drying his fur and redressing. His thoughts temporarily streamlined and focused on simply getting ready for whatever his mother had to do rather than his vows.

Once clean and dry, the wolf slipped back into his suit. And after his mother was given the all clear, the wolfess entered. Audrey crossed her arms, giving the wolf a quick once over before flashing Vernon a soft smile despite the hint of tears in her eyes.

“Oh my Puppy!” Audrey cooed. Her tone something between a cry of excitement and a wail. “You look so grown up!”

The wolf simply rolled his eyes. But before Vernon could open his muzzle to reply, his mother held up the same tie his brothers had used to blindfold him earlier.

“Again?” Vernon objected.

Audrey nodded. “You won't be wearin' it fer more than a minute.” The she-wolf replied. “Last time, I promise!”

Vernon let out a defeated sigh before leaning forward and gesturing for the she-wolf to cover his eyes again.

Admittedly, his mother was true to his word, as they literally had only moved to the room next door before the tie was off again.

From that point, the preparations seemed to narrow as various members of the Hunter's, along with Aunt Abby popped in and out of the bedroom while Audrey worked feverishly to style the wolf's fur and clean his cuts. And while his mother worked to perfect his looks, the wolf went back to work on his vows. Now that he had access to a pen and pad of paper, it was easier to keep his thoughts in line in order to better formulate just what he wanted to say to his mate now that the time had come to truly make her his own. But despite being able to actually see the words on paper, the wolf continued to second-guess himself at every step. Each little scribbled note and rephrasing finding themselves rewritten and crossed out over and over again as the wolf struggled to create something worthy of his Honey Lamb.   
Thankfully his brothers and mother were there to hear his amateurish attempts at something that sounded purposefully deep and meaningful, making suggestions and corrections as the wolf plotted and planned. 

The vows had kept Vernon in his own head-space for most of the final preparations, so much so that he had nearly forgotten how close the actual ceremony was. But with nothing more that he was aware of on his 'mental checklist', he realized that he was more than likely mere minutes away from the ceremony.

The wolf stared blankly at his messy, incomplete attempt at a vow sitting in his lap. A fresh, intense feeling of pressure overtaking him as he weakly mouthed the vague expressions of love and devotion to himself. It wasn't good enough, it wasn't even close. He needed to make sure his vows were just right, to walk down the aisle with just the right amount of confidence, to make sure Dawn knew just how much he loved her by making sure that his part in the ceremony went as perfectly as he could imagine she had dreamed of.

Audrey nearly brought the makeup pad to her eye, presumably to wipe away at her tears with it. However, just shy of making contact the she-wolf quickly withdrew it, letting out a dull chuckle.

“Phew...almost f-fergot.” Audrey sniffled. “Ain't supposed to get any of this stuff near yer eyes.”

The offhanded statement was enough to pull Vernon away from his thoughts. The wolf furrowed his brow, his eyes widening slightly in a mixture of shock and horror as he regarded the she-wolf.

“Ain't supposed ta' use near someone's eyes!?” Vernon barked in a nervous tone.

Audrey shook her head, letting out a sharp chuckle.

“Oh hush, that dab wasn't close enough to yer eyes to do anythin'!” The she-wolf flicked a paw. “I've been doin' this fer years, so would ya just trust me?” Audrey flashed him a knowing glance. “I am yer mother after all.”

Vernon winced involuntarily, which only served to earn an eye-roll from his mother.

"Oh I see how it is." Audrey gave the wolf an overdramatic pout. "You don't trust yer own mother?"

Now it was Vernon's turn to roll his eyes. “Oh, come on ma-.”

“No, no.” Audrey raised her paws defensively. “It's fine...” The she-wolf turned her head away from the wolf, tilting it upward in mock offense. “Don't trust the mammal who gave you life...”

“Ma....” Vernon whined.

“Who raised y'all, and fed y'all!” Despite her hammy performance, the wolf could see a grin fighting its way to the surface of her muzzle. 

“Who only ever wanted what is best fer her boy!” The she-wolf feigned another sniffle. 

“Alright Ma, I'm sorry!” Vernon laughed. “Do what y'all got to do.” The wolf closed his eyes tightly as he leaned his head toward the she-wolf, bracing himself for the next swab. But after a few seconds of silence, the wolf warily opened an eye to find that wolfess hadn't moved.

Audrey flashed the wolf a toothy grin before lazily flicking the applicator across the room.

"Well luckily fer you it looks like we're pretty much done here." The she-wolf giggled as she gingerly reached out a paw to Vernon's face. Audrey thumbed his cheek fur as she inspected her work with a careful eye. The tip of her tongue stuck out of the side of her muzzle as she appraised his final look. She carefully turned his head to one side, then the other, her brown irises tracing Vernon's features intensely. All the while Vernon could see her jovial demeanor slowly slipping away as another stream of tears began to pour from the corners of her eyes. However, this time the she-wolf seemed to be able to keep her composure well enough to prevent herself from breaking into another full-on weep as she released her grip, giving Vernon an affectionate pat on the cheek as her paw slipped away from his face.

Despite the tears, the she-wolf let out a soft chuckle. 

“Y'all remind me of yer father right now.” The she-wolf sighed.

“P-Pa?” Vernon replied.

Audrey smirked. “Yeah just...I mean...seein' y'all like this...” The she-wolf sniffled. “It just...makes it real fer me that yer all grown up.” Audrey shifted her gaze from Vernon's own, her eyes drifting to the floor as she continued. “It was like that with Zach too...I just...” Audrey braced her neck with a paw, rubbing it awkwardly. “When he was all gussied up, I just...I could see yer father in him. Just like it was the day we tithed.” The she-wolf glanced back up at Vernon, grasping his chin gently between two fingers as she gave another quick appraisal. 

“I see him in you too.” Audrey grinned.  
His father. With everything that had transpired, the wolf had given little thought to what had happened after the fight he had with the ol' mam. He had heard enough from Yuri to know that his father wasn't supposed to be involved with the ceremony at all. But what exactly did that mean in regards to the rest of Hunters? What did it mean for his parent's relationship? Despite the fact that Vernon intended to remain firm when it came to his mate, the thought of his parents splitting up over his father's unwillingness to accept the pair seemed completely unreal.

Divorce was not a popular concept among wolves, native or otherwise. After all, 'wolves mated for life', at least when it came to the cultural stance on the issue. And while divorce had become significantly more common among most mammals in modern times, being a divorced wolf still carried with it quite a degree of stigma among even the most 'cultured wolves'. Despite the fact that times had changed since wolves stalked prey and walked on all fours, 'mating for life' was something that is still touted proudly by wolves as being in their D.N.A. Even Vernon swore by the same creed, and he was certain his parents felt the same. But after everything that happened, with how stubborn and pigheaded his father was being, and now this secret wedding, would his mother ever be able to bring the old wolf back around? Or would they both be forced to carry the stigma of a failed marriage over their heads, all because of who Vernon had decided to marry?

"M-Ma..." Vernon murmured softly, reaching out and clasping his mother's paw in his own. The she-wolf tilted her head curiously as his eyes met hers. "A-about Pa..."

Audrey let out a chuckle, placing her other paw on top of Vernon's and giving it a playful pat.

"Oh now don't y'all go worryin' about me and yer father." The she-wolf sighed.

“B-But I mean...” Vernon whimpered. “I don't...” The wolf glanced to the floor, bracing his neck with a paw as he let out an uncomfortable grumble.

“Despite everythin', I don't want y'all to get divorced 'er nothin'.” Vernon murmured. “ If me and Dawn were the cause of that I'd-”

Audrey's sudden burst of laughter cut the wolf off before he could finish his sentence. It was such a bizarre reaction, almost as if the she-wolf hadn't heard him correctly or had chosen to try to laugh off the subject entirely. Vernon quirked a curious brow as the she-wolf tried to stifle her laughter with a paw.

“Ma...”

Audrey waived a paw dismissively toward the wolf, all the while still laughing like a giddy school girl. From a mammal who had been bawling not more than a minute ago, it left Vernon all the more confused and concerned.

“MA, I'm serious!” Vernon asserted, the wolf trying to sound as serious as possible as he struggled to meet the she-wolf's gaze. Audrey let out a few more giggles before she finally managed to calm down enough to actually answer the wolf.

“Oh don't you worry about us Vernon.” Audrey said with a pleasant sigh. “We ain't splittin' up, I'd never leave my dearest Dori.”

Vernon's muzzle scrunched in confusion as he tried to wrap what his mother had said around his mind. It was somewhat of a relief to know that his parents didn't plan on splitting up any time soon, at least according to his mother. But the way she had said it was almost as if his father's behavior during the whole reunion simply hadn't happened. Her reaction was as if Vernon had simply asked an idle question, out of the blue, without having been based on anything that seemed like a suitable prompt for such a heavy ask. 

“I-I don't understand?” Vernon stammered. “I mean, after what he sai- I mean you know what he said to Dawn?” The wolf furrowed his brow. “He...He kicked us off the ranch! When he finds out!-? How can-?”

Audrey held her paw out again, cutting the wolf short mid-sentence.

“Yer Pa will come around, I assure y'all.” Audrey chuckled softly. “Probably sooner than ya think.”

Vernon cocked his head in confusion.

“What's that supposed to mean?” The wolf asked dumbly.

Audrey shook her head.

“Don't worry about it Puppy.” The she-wolf chuckled. “And don't worry about me and yer pa, okay?” Audrey reached out, placing a paw against Vernon's cheek and caressing it softly. “This night is about y'all and Dawn.” 

The wolfess flashed him a warm smirk. “About yer life together, and yer happiness.” Audrey thumbed his cheek affectionately. “Just try to keep yer mind fixed on that, and just enjoy yerselves.”

Vernon smiled softly, placing his paw on his mother's own as he met her thoughtful gaze. “I-I know ma...” Vernon sighed. “I-I ju-...”

A soft, rhythmic knock sounded at the bedroom door, causing his mother's ears to stand on end as it rang through the largely silent bedroom. It was a very specific knock, the percussive pattern sounding something like 'shear and a hoof-clip' that caused Audrey to retract her paw from Vernon's face almost the moment it had concluded.

“OH!” The she-wolf placed her paws to her lips excitedly for a moment before turning to regard the door. 

“Just a second!” Audrey called, before turning her attention back to the confused wolf still seated on the mattress.

“I-Is it?” Vernon muttered. It was all the wolf could manage to stammer out before Audrey had his muzzle in her paw once again, the wolfess shifting his face from side to side for presumably one last quick inspection before the 'show' began. The thought alone forced Vernon's heart into his throat as a renewed surge of panic ran through him.

“It's time!?” Vernon barked awkwardly though his lips were pursed somewhat by his mother's grip. “Now?!”

Audrey let out a soft chuckle as she released the wolf's muzzle from her hold.

"Almost, almost..." Audrey tone was hushed and soothing as smiled weakly back at him. "But we got a special last-minute surprise for y'all before you go out there."

Vernon quirked a brow, one of his ears drooping to the side as he stared up at the she-wolf in confusion.

“S-surprise?” Vernon's voice cracked slightly, and the wolf rubbed at it his neck with a paw in an effort to force the lump that had managed to lodge itself in his throat down. “W-what do you mean surprise?”

The she-wolf simply shook her head dismissively.

“Well, if I told y'all...” Audrey bent down to Vernon's level, placing a paw on his shoulder as she met his gaze. “It wouldn't be a surprise now would it?”

With that, the wolfess placed a gentle kiss on Vernon's forehead, lingering there for a moment before drawing back and meeting his gaze once more. Her deep auburn eyes were once again shimmering with the start of tears as she gave the wolf's shoulder a soft pat.

“I-I'll see you outside son...” Audrey whimpered softly, wiping lamely at her eyes with a paw. 

Her statement had left Vernon in a confused stupor, so much so that the wolfess was halfway out of the room by the time his senses had returned to him. 

“W-wait!” Vernon reached out for his mother with a paw. “W-what about my vows! They ain't up to snuff! I Ne-!”

“Y-you'll be fine Puppy.” Audrey stopped just shy of the door, the sound of quiet sniffling punctuating her words as she struggled to speak. Despite having stopped, the she-wolf kept her back to Vernon as she spoke. “Y-yer like yer Pa...” The wolfess chuckled weakly. “When the time comes, and th-the spotlights on y-you. Y-you'll know just what to say.”

Audrey placed her paw on the doorknob, quietly opening the door before throwing one last tearful glance at the wolf. The steady streams of tears had returned as she flashed the wolf a warm smile.

“I know you will.”

With that, Audrey slipped out of the bedroom, leaving Vernon alone with his thoughts. 

The wolf could feel the sweat starting to permeate through his fur as he scanned the notepad on his lap, the wolf re-reading the lines over and over again. It still seemed so imperfect, the words seeming to fall so short of accurately describing the ewe he loved. Of perfectly explaining to her, and those who would bear witness just how much she meant to the wolf. Every fresh pass over the crude scribbling seemed to further degrade the overall quality. From something somewhat passable, to utterly disappointing, to something not even being worthy of being read aloud, even as a joke. Vernon was certain that whatever vows Dawn had prepared, even if she had only had an afternoon to make them up, would make his look like a third grader had written them. And he knew she deserved something better than he could ever possibly write. 

Vernon let out a sharp hiss before tearing the sheet of paper free of the pad. The wolf packed the paper into his paws, crumpling it into a tight ball before throwing it across the bedroom with all of his might in a burst of sheer frustration. It was enough force to send it sailing across the bedroom, the paper bouncing against the wall with enough power to bounce half-way back to the wolf before hitting the floor and sliding the rest of the distance, coming to a stop just to the side of the wolf's feet. Vernon let out an irritated huff before leaning his head in his paws and letting out a sigh of defeat. 

“I should be lookin' forward to this...” Vernon mumbled. “But if I mess this up all it's gonna be is an embarrassment fer Dawn!”

The wolf let out another huff. "Teeth to tails, what am I gonna-?"

“Son...”

The quiet, yet familiar voice had stopped the wolf cold. He couldn't have heard that voice, there was no way. Not after everything that had happened, not after everything that had been said. There was no way he would be here.

Slowly, warily the wolf's eyes traced up the form that now stood at his side. From the white paws against the hardwood floor, up the well fitted deep grey tuxedo and matching sharp grey tie. His eyes continued to follow the wolf's form until they met those familiar cool, steely grey eyes. The same eyes that had burned so sharply with disdain the night before. A powerful flame that he expected now held no feeling for the wolf as he glanced back down at him.

Yet there was a strange lack coldness in those eyes. And while there was no hint of ire, no trace of the flame that had been burning so brightly the night before, there was a hint of something else. A strained, uncomfortable glare that came off rather similar to the one he had seen Yuri wear mere hours before. 

"P-P-P-....?" Vernon couldn't even manage to speak as the conflicting deluge of thoughts and emotions ran rampant through his mind. There was an overwhelming feeling of anger, a righteous hatred that made Vernon simply want to throttle the mammal standing before him. Yet at the same time that fury was overwhelmed by the utter confusion over his father even being here. It had snuffed out the rising flame and bitter resentment in favor of a myriad of questions all clamoring to be answered at once. Dorian was here, dressed to the nines in a tux of his own. It was clear the wolf had to know what was going on. Yet, why would he dress up for a wedding he swore he would never condone. Vernon couldn't help but worry momentarily that Yuri had lied to him, and Wade's assessment of what was to come had been on the mark. But if that was the case, why would the others perpetuate the lie? Even his own mother has acknowledged that this whole event was, in fact, a surprise wedding, and the wolfess was considerably easier to read in terms of overall earnestness. Unlike in the morning, his mother had shown no semblance of awkwardness or discomfort when discussing it. And considering she had gone so far to take such great care in gussying him up, the wolf sorely doubted the ceremony could possibly be for anyone other than him or Dawn.

“Vernon?”

The sudden shock sent Vernon shooting to his feet, the wolf backing away from his father slightly as he flashed him a wary glance. Vernon had been so lost under the barrage of conflicting emotions and thoughts that he had almost forgotten Dorian was still there, and the sudden reminder was enough to startle him. Vernon bared his teeth as he sneered, but despite his offensive stance, the conflicting thoughts still ruminating in his mind made it hard to keep his expression one of pure anger.

“You...” Vernon growled bitterly.

If Vernon's tone had any effect on his father's demeanor, the icy wolf didn't show it. The wolf had entered wearing a soft frown, and it remained unmoved. Vernon watched as the wolf knelt to the floor briefly, scooping the crumpled paper Vernon had left behind into his paws before standing back up. 

Vernon watched as his father carefully opened the note. All the while Vernon remained silent. Inside, his mind was screaming to object, to simply scream at his father for showing his face again. Yet there was also a sharp pang of embarrassment that filled the wolf, a discomfort that had the wolf desperately wanting to beg his father not to read his pathetic attempt at crafting Dawn a proper vow. 

With those two conflicting impulses gnashing for prominence inside, all the wolf could manage to get out was a quiet, awkward squeak as his father quietly scanned the ruined document.

A smile crossed the wolf's muzzle before he let out a soft chuckle. “Better than anythin' I came up with even at the altar...”

With a sigh, Dorian glanced up from the paper, briefly meeting Vernon's gaze. His father eyes having seemingly softened further as he regarded the wolf.

“You really love that gal, don't ya?” Dorian asked, his tone soft and low as he flashed his son a small, genuine looking smile.

The gesture was enough to send another wave on conflicting emotions through Vernon, and in response, the wolf took another step backward. The wolf's ears splayed sharply against his head as he eyed his father, his teeth once again on display.

“Why are YOU here?” Vernon growled lowly.

Dorian lowered the paper to his side, the wolf glancing at the floor with an uneasy expression as he braced his neck with a free paw.

"Vern...I..."The wolf muttered, his words trailing off as he tilted his head up toward the ceiling and let out a sigh. "I-I wanted to talk..."

Vernon let out an awkward, barking laugh of disbelief. 

"Oh, now you wanna talk!?” The wolf snarled, the word 'you' coming out of his muzzle dripping with bitterness. “What's the matter Pa? Didn't say all you needed to say last night?” Vernon hissed, the wolf crossing his arms defensively. “Y'all got some more to say about me and Da-”

“Vern-!”

“No!” Vernon was quick to cut the white wolf off, the wolf lunging forward slightly as he let out another low growl. “I have no idea why yer here, or what yer playin' at but, but the last thing I need right now is another talk from you!”

The law-wolf seemed to deflate slightly, Dorian's muzzle turning toward the floor again.  
“I ain't gonna let you spoil this fer me!” Vernon spat. “Fer Dawn!”

Dorian made eye contact briefly, his sullen expression managing to make Vernon uneasy and confused enough to momentarily drop his defenses.

“I d-don't want to spoil anthin'.” The wolf muttered, his voice still oddly quiet and somber.

“T-then...”Vernon sputtered before slipping back into a more confident, aggressive stance. “Then I'll ask y'all again! Why are you here!?” The wolf snarled.

“W-Well....son...I-.” He stuttered. His father rarely stumbled over his words.

"If y'all ain't here to spoil anythin' then-!" Vernon took a step forward, continuing his offensive posturing as the ire and confusion welling inside of him duked it out for the dominant spot in his mind. "Th-Then y'all are better off leavin'!" The wolf snapped. "Because otherwise, you'll just spoil it by bein' here!"

The wolf glanced up at him, a glint of what looked like hurt shining in his eyes briefly before he turned his attention back to the floor. Somehow, that had hurt him, and what was worse, it felt good. Vernon made him hurt, and he hated his father for making him enjoy it. 

The white wolf let out a long, drawn-out sigh before turning away from the wolf. For a moment, Vernon was certain he'd simply leave, but as the silence that had crept in around them grew to dominate the room, his father simply continued to stand there with his back to him. A still, uneasy, deafening silence that seemed to linger for what felt like ages.

“I deserve that.” Dorian finally spoke, breaking the noiseless vacuum as he slunk into his shoulders. “I deserve worse, I know it.”

Vernon quirked a brow in confusion, but despite the odd admission by his father, the wolf managed to keep his defenses up. He was channeling his father's own coldness now. Using it to build a wall around his heart in order to protect himself and Dawn from whatever the wolf was trying to pull.

“You damn well do!” Vernon hissed, anger taking the front seat of his emotional inner struggle. “After what you said to Dawn!” The wolf snorted. “To me!”

The wolf crossed his arms. “You called Dawn a monster! But as far as I'm concerned the only damn monster in this house is y'all!”

That statement seemed to cause the white wolf to flinch slightly, and Vernon watched as his ears sagged. Dorian's frame shuddered weakly before Vernon heard the wolf let off another quiet sigh.   
Once again, the room grew silent. The air around the two felt thick, and with Vernon already on edge, that tension in the air was enough to push the wolf to break that unnerving stillness first.

“Is that all y'all got to say!?” Vernon spat, his breathing growing heavy as the wrenching feeling of anger welling inside squeezed his chest. “Huh!?”

Dorian's head seemed to sink deeper into his shoulders, the wolf shoving his paws, along with Vernon's vows into his pants pocket.

“I-I figured I should let y'all get out what ya need to before I...” The wolf glanced over his shoulder at his son, his eyes still surprisingly sorrowful. “Before I try to say what I need to say...”

“What you need to say?!” Vernon let out another loud, odd laugh at the sheer audacity of his father's statement. “What YOU need to say!?” The wolf scoffed, crossing his defensively. “Why should I ev-!?”

“Son please, just hear me out alright?!” The wolf turned around sharply to face Vernon again, holding a paw up as he cut the wolf off. But despite the vigor behind the gesture, his father's words lacked the commanding tone they should have carried with them. His voice trembled, wavering in a way that Vernon wasn't used to. His overall cadence missing the familiar sense of power and authority it usually held. He was begging for his Vernon's attention instead of demanding it, and despite the wolf's best efforts to keep Dorian out, he could feel the barrier around his heart begin to weaken slightly in the face of such a strange, emotional display.

“I came here to try and make things right.” Dorian said softly, his eyes once again shifting to the floor. “To apologize fer how I treated you...” The wolf glanced back at Vernon, his grey eyes shimmering slightly. “How I treated Dawn.”

Vernon opened his muzzle to speak, but the words failed to come as his brain struggled to comprehend what his father just said. There was so much ire, so much anger swirling within him that he had yet to unload on the mammal before him. A righteous indignation that had only managed to deepen since the night before. It had built up inside him under the presumption that his father would never in his wildest dreams admit he was at fault for anything. That today was going to be his last day at the ranch, and he would never so much as see the wolf again. But yet here the wolf stood, and what's more, instead of arguing with Vernon once again as to why he shouldn't take Dawn as his mate, or demanding the now orphaned wolf leave his family's property, he was offering an apology. A simple one, but an apology none the less. And while it wasn't enough on its own to dispel the anger inside, it only served to shake Vernon up that much more as his emotions wrestled one another on just how to handle the situation that was unfolding.

"I know it ain't enough to just apologize. Hell, it's barely enough of a start." Dorian continued as if picking up on the wolf's thoughts. "And I ain't askin' you to just turn around and fergive me for what I said and done..."

The wolf glanced at his feet again, shrugging slightly as he idly kicked at the hardwood floor.

“But I'm hopin'...” The wolf sighed. “You'll at least let me bend yer ear fer a few minutes to try and explain myself.”

“To tell ya the truth, and nothin' but.” Dorian continued, placing a paw against his neck and rubbing it awkwardly. 

“And I know y'all ain't got no reason to listen to this old mutt, but...” The wolf trailed off, bringing his eyes to Vernon's own again as a grim and solemn expression crossed his muzzle. “I'm just askin' fer a chance to start mendin' all this.”

Vernon blinked at the wolf dumbly, the wolf still struggling to find some sort of sign or tell of his father's true intentions as he studied the white wolf pensively. The whole situation felt unreal. As if the wolf were still sleeping, and his troubled mind had desperately tried to come up with a more uplifting dream to offset the stress of what had happened the night before. An outcome that he would have preferred, and would soon awake to the disheartening realization that it was nothing more than a fantasy. Of course, being tackled and trussed up at the start of the day had been more than enough to confirm for the wolf that he was wide awake, let alone everything else that had lead up to this point.

“And after I've said my piece, well...” Dorian sighed, his muzzle turning toward the floor once more as he broke eye contact. “If y'all still want nothin' to do with me I'll walk on out of here.”

The wolf pointed a finger past the wolf. “I'll spend the rest of the evenin' in my study too...”The wolf muttered. “Just so ya ain't got me around to intrude on things...”

The law wolf braced his neck with a paw once again, rubbing it uneasily as his ears sagged. “O'course, if y'all just want nothin' to do with me, I'll understand that too.” The wolf grumbled. “I-I'll respect yer wishes and just...go...” Dorian continued, his muzzle remaining downcast as he spoke. “Now I mean.”

The silence returned as the wolf warily raised his head to meet Vernon's gaze again. The two wolves simply staring one another down as the lingering stillness in the air seemed to carry on for an eternity. Vernon wasn't sure how to respond, or with what. The emotions at war within him still fought to find a single voice with which to unite under as he quietly studied his father's face. 

There was a strange glimmer behind his eyes, perhaps some sort of hopefulness, but the rest of the wolf looked as though he had been through the wringer. He looked so drawn, so much older and more tired that Vernon was used to seeing. It was as if the wolf had managed to age another ten or so years between the night before and now. Perhaps it was his sullen expression that made him look so much older. It was a face Vernon rarely ever saw on his father, and it only seemed to wither more and more as the silence continued on. Even that hopeful glimmer faded away, his expression shifting to something more akin to resignation.

With a quiet sigh, Dorian turned his back to Vernon. The wolf's head slunk into his shoulders once again as the wolf began to stride toward the room's exit. He was nearly at the door when Vernon finally was able to muster a reply.

“Alright fine, you want to talk?”

Dorian froze, the white wolf looking over his shoulder and quirking a brow.

Vernon crossed his arms, turning his glance up and away from the wolf and sneering slightly.

“Well.” Vernon huffed. “Talk.” 

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Dorian's muzzle slowly upturn into a meek smile before he turned around and made his way back into the room. The wolf was oddly cautious as he crossed the hardwood floor, almost as if he seemed to be wary that at any moment Vernon would change his mind. But Vernon remained silent as he watched his father approach him again, the wolf stopping by the edge of the bed Vernon had been sitting on. With a soft groan, the white wolf sat on the edge of the bed, letting out a quiet sigh and leaning his paws on his knees. 

He sat there silently for a moment before turning his attention back up to Vernon, his expression seeming to be an expectant one. It only took a second or two for Vernon to catch on, and with a tired sigh, the grey wolf reluctantly sat down next to him. 

Seemingly satisfied, Dorian looked away from Vernon, his eyes trailing off toward nothing in particular as he stared blankly ahead of him. It was clear the wolf was uncomfortable, although it didn't take any sense of intuition on Vernon's part to pick up on that. The wolf had fallen oddly silent once more as they sat there, his paws nervously shuffling between adjusting his tie, and idly slapping against his knees. Vernon's patience was already well worn thin with his father's behavior, and the longer the wolf danced around whatever he was going to say, the more the fire inside Vernon was rising.

The grey wolf opened his mouth to shout, to ask his father when exactly he was planning to start this 'talk' of his. But almost as soon as he had, Dorian sharply cleared his throat.

“I was wrong Vern.” Dorian finally broke the maddening silence, letting out a somber sigh. “I was wrong about everythin'. I know that now.” The wolf ran a shaky paw through his head fur. “Hell, I knew it even then.” The wolf uttered, shaking his head dismissively. “Every damn word, every slur or statement I made I regretted it the moment it left my muzzle.” The wolf leaned his head into his paws. “I just kept diggin' myself in deeper and deeper because...” The wolf trailed off.

“Because why Pa?” Vernon asked, trying to sound firm. But his voice betrayed him, breaking half-way through his reply. The anger was giving way to the hurt buried deep behind it. For all the wounds Yuri had dealt, for Aster's and his henchrams brutality or the numerous fights he had ended up on the wrong side of over the course of his life. None of the pain, even collectively compared to the memories of his father's biting dismissal of both him and Dawn. The things his father had said, about him, about her, it had cut the wolf so deeply that even thinking about that night for a mere moment alone made his heart feel as though it had been flayed open. 

So if his father was set on giving him a reason, some sort of justification as to why he had treated the pair the way he had, Vernon wasn't going to accept anything less than a damn good one.

“I...” Dorian shook his head. “I-I've...” The wolf glanced back at his son, his steely grey eyes shimmering with what looked like the start of tears as he spoke. 

“Have you ever been afraid son?” The wolf asked tentatively.

Vernon cocked his head curiously. It was an odd question coming from his father. Obviously, the wolf had been afraid many times in his life, and surely it must have been obvious to his old mam'.

"W-well o'course I have?" Vernon muttered. "But what's that got to do with..." The wolf trailed off as it became apparent as to where Dorian was leading him with his strange question. "Y-you mean you-?" The wolf shook his head, stopping himself short of completing the rather thoughtless rebuttal.

Of course his father had fears. All mammals did. But there was something about the idea that Vernon couldn't quite accept. This was Dorian Everette Hunter. The best Sheriff the North Meadowlands had ever seen. If Vernon had been the type to subscribe himself to the pack structures of the native wolves, his father would have been the undisputed alpha of the Hunter pack. Maybe even out of all the wolves living in the meadowlands. Perhaps it was the puppy in him that still looked up to his father as an unshakable pillar of strength and confidence. A wolf who kept cool in every situation. In essence, a wolf that feared nothing. But the adult part of him, the part that Yuri had done well to remind him didn't simply stop existing because they were home again that afternoon knew that there were no fearless mammals. And those that struggled to maintain such an image often harbored the deepest insecurities of all.

“I was afraid Vernon.” Dorian sighed. “Sweet sawgrass I was petrified!”

The wolf lifted his head slightly, shaking it for a moment before slipping his face back into his paws.

“Everythin' I did, everythin' I said was because I was so damn afraid!” Dorian spat, the wolf's voice growing louder. “ So afraid of makin' the wrong call that I refused to make a call at all!”

Vernon quirked a curious brow. He wasn't sure where the white wolf was going with this, but the way his body seemed to tense with each breath showed the wolf that he was struggling to work through his admission.

“I just...”Dorian shuddered. “I already screwed up once before. I didn't...” The wolf sighed. “I couldn't risk makin' a decision that might hurt this family, not after last time.”

The ire inside the wolf that had been gradually fading began to flare up once again as Vernon began to grasp what his father was saying. He had already heard this excuse more times than he cared to count, and after how easily he had seen through it the first time, he was appalled that his father would try it again.

“ Again!?” Vernon spat, the wolf bearing his teeth at the crumpled mammal sitting next to him. “Seriously!?”

Dorian jumped slightly, seemingly startled as he looked to Vernon with confusion on his face. The wolf quirked an eyebrow questioningly. It was clear he was playing dumb, which only served to infuriate Vernon further.

“Are you honestly gonna try to make this about Zach's accident all over again!?” Vernon sneered. “After how many times I called you on-”

“No, no Vernon! That ain't what I mean.” Dorian interjected, raising his paws up defensively. “This ain't about Zach's accident! I swear.” The wolf ran a trembling paw through his hair, letting out a tired sigh as leaned his head into his paws once more. “It never was...”

“T-Then what is it!?” Vernon was confused, but still much too angry for his reply to sound like anything less than a command. “What is this all about?”

Dorian glanced back at his son, his grey eyes shimmering slightly as he spoke. “It's a long story. And...it's difficult to talk about.” The wolf muttered. “I ain't even really supposed to tell anyone till the investigation is over but...”

“Investigation?” Vernon asked, the anger starting to fade as his curiosity grew.

“And I'll get to it.” Dorian added, giving the wolf a meek nod. “But I just want y'all to listen...” The wolf placed a paw on his neck, his muzzle turning toward the ceiling as he looked away from Vernon in clear discomfort. “It'll be easier for me to get it all out if y-y'all don't interrupt.” The wolf muttered. “At least, not till the end.”

Vernon let out a tired sigh. He had already agreed to hear the wolf out, so holding his tongue for a while shouldn't have been that much of a stretch. As long as the older wolf was truly attempting to be honest with him, and didn't try to put the blame solely on Dawn's presence, Vernon was certain he could bite his tongue long enough to hear out the wolf's yarn of a tale.

“Alright.” Vernon muttered, placing a paw to his muzzle and letting out an awkward cough. “I...I'll try.”

The law wolf offered him a meek smile before turning to once again stare off at the wall, or rather beyond it, and with a slow, deliberate breath, he began.

At the start, Vernon had almost broken his word. The fact that Dorian had started his retelling of events with 'Zootopia's Last Night' made Vernon feel as though the wolf was nearly a sentence or two away from leveling the ultimate blame at Dawn. But as his father continued, and it became clear that Dawn's involvement was well and far removed from the actual situation at paw, the wolf's ire faded in favor of intrigue. Vernon had never really given much thought to exactly how Aster's plan had involved the Meadowlands. He had only vaguely heard about such things from Dawn whenever the ewe had heard something new involving the ongoing investigation. He hadn't heard the full laundry list of Aster's backers, his secret supports, and worst of all his planted agents. Those mammals hiding in plain sight, waiting for their orders to aid the grizzled old ram and make sure his plan had gone off without a hitch. And when Dorian went on to explain that he had two officers in his department that had been secretly in league with the ram, two mammals that had been his father's long-term friends, the wolf had nearly stumbled off the bed from the sheer shock over the startling revelation.

Vernon had remembered them, albeit vaguely. While Alan Merino and Debrah McCria weren't exactly close with the Hunter family at large, they did occasionally show up for his father's monthly poker game. The general impression they had given off the one or two times he had met them during his adolescence had been nothing but sincere and friendly much like Damon Ruddy who was also a long time friend of the family. And they had always spoken highly of his father even if Vernon didn't always agree. And yet these mammals were the ones that turned on his father?

It was at that point in the conversation, that Dorian's rather tenuous grasp at keeping a stoic demeanor seemed to crumble away completely. Even mentioning his ex-friends and fellow officer's names seemed to physically hurt the wolf. And to hear the mournful whines that slipped from his father's muzzle as he struggled to continue with his story was almost terrifying to Vernon. It was a sound he had never heard before, short of a joke. Something his father would do in response to being playfully scolded by his mother. But now his father was whimpering out of genuine pain, and it only worsened as he went on to explain their part in the whole scheme, and what they had intended to do to him, Zach and Vanna once Aster's plan had kicked off in earnest. Had Aster not been stopped by Dawn and himself, there was a good chance that almost half the Hunter clan would have met their end on that very day. And it had been a part of the story so hard for the wolf to deliver, that he had to pause before it long enough to steal a small swig from a flask he had been hiding in his breast pocket. A shot of courage to power through discussing the very idea of Zach and Vanna dying along with him due to his own perceived incompetence.

In the perfect scenario, without Dawn there to poison the old ram and his henchrams, and without Nick and Judy to warn everyone should the investigation had been the only lead into discovering the plot, Vernon and his brother Wade would have presumably met their ends in the first wave of the attack. In Vernon's case, with no one to warn him, he would have most certainly been exposed to the fumes on his way home from work, whereas Wade would have presumably been nabbed on the job.

As for his Father, Zach and Vanna, they would have met their end at the barrel of McCria and Merino's Night Howler pistols. Leaving the feral officers to tear the others caught in the confusion to shreds while those traitors ran with their tails between their legs. Five Hunters, four blood relatives, and one mate, all snuffed out in less than twenty-four hours. How would his brothers have taken something like that? Dawn? Or by the gods, his mother. All most of which would have been lost at the hooves of trusted friends. Mammals his father knew. Prey he believed to be his friends. It made Vernon sick to think about, all the pain and ire that had been seated in his chest now dropping into his stomach as he felt the overwhelming urge to gag.

With all that off the old wolf's chest, a picture was starting to become much clearer for Vernon, the haze around just what had caused such extreme behavior from his old Mam'. But it still didn't fully connect as the reasoning behind why he so staunchly denied bringing Dawn into the pack. After all, he had only mentioned the ewe in passing when talking about Asters plan, the focus had largely been on his co-conspirators. But taking the old wolf at his word, he let the old mammal continue, hoping that he would bring Vernon up to speed on why he had spurned the pair if it wasn't over Dawn being tangentially tied to Aster's plans.

McCria and Merino's arrest was, by his father's own admission, the moment he began to buckle. Sworn to secrecy over the whole affair, labeling their departure to an 'early retirement', the wolf had started drinking that night. But it was as the days progressed that would see him completely fall apart, and it was at this point he admitted to Vernon what the crux of everything had been about.

The wolf had lost his faith in his own judgment, in his ability to make any sort of important decisions and go by his gut. In essence, he had lost his faith in the Hunter family intuition, something the old wolf had relied upon longer than Vernon had been alive. It was a bombshell, something that nearly forced Vernon to speak, merely to ask the wolf to repeat himself. But his father was into the worst of it now, the confession pouring out of him like a deluge as he neurotically ran a paw through his hair again and again in an effort to get a hold of himself. His rambling and shuddering reaching a scale that reminded Vernon largely of Ulric's general demeanor when defending his most fervently believed theories. 

Over the next few weeks he had pulled back a bulk of his role at the station, sticking mostly to paperwork and administrative duties, and as his condition worsened he found himself unable to make even the simplest decisions without second-guessing himself. All because he was terrified. Horrified by the idea of another false friend among his officers. Petrified that somehow the next bad decision or call could mean the death of his family in some way, even if the circumstances made little to no sense. All the while the wolf couldn't tell a soul, not just because of the investigation, and the secrecy surrounding it, but because of his status in the community. Because of what he represented to the mammals of the North Meadowlands, and most importantly, his family.

It was almost too much for Vernon to take. So much information, so much emotion from his father of all mammals. Vernon was reeling as he struggled to take it all in. To parse it with the emotions that still fought to contradict one another inside his heart. He was still angry, albeit less so after all his father had said. But his father and the state he was in had done well to chip through his defenses and earn genuine sympathy. There was a great deal of truth in what his father said. Not just in his admission, but what he had said about how others perceived him, how Vernon perceived him. Since Vernon had been a puppy up until their falling out he had seen his father as a mammal worth looking up to. A kind, albeit sometimes stubborn wolf who spent his life looking out for everyone else. No matter what happened to the Hunters, as long as Dorian stood cool-headed and resolute, the rest of the family knew they were fine. But Vernon had never considered just how heavy that crown had weighed.

Concluding his tale, the wolf dabbed at the corner of his eyes. He hadn't truly burst into tears. The most that had happened was the hint of moisture forming at the corners of his eyes. But that was what Vernon had come to expect of the ol' mam. He was a wolf that rarely teared up any more than glossy eyes. Vernon always knew when it came to crying, he had inherited his mother's genes almost exclusively. But still, after all of that explanation, all of the opening up, the wolf still couldn't quite make the connection to exactly why Dorian had been so against Dawn, and so against the idea of the two being tithed. And seeing as how the wolf had grown quiet, Vernon felt now was the time to speak.

“But why Pa?” Vernon muttered softly.

Dorian pawed at his eye as he glanced Vernon's way. “Why what son?”

“Why were y'all so hard on Dawn?” Vernon asked. “On me?”

The white wolf let out a tired sigh, hunching slightly as he stared off and away from the wolf.

“Well....part of the reason was because...” The wolf scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “You gettin' tithed was a call I had to make.”

Vernon eyes widened slightly as the last of the dots connected in his mind.

"A-and-" Vernon muttered shakily. "And you were afraid?"

The wolf gave a slow, reluctant nod.

“Afraid that giving us the okay to get tithed would somehow hurt the family?” Vernon continued. “As in the reputation?”

Dorian snorted, shaking his head dismissively.

“I don't care about the reputation!” The wolf muttered. “Even if that gal hadn't done what she did to stop her pa, and was just recoverin' from bein' in jail I still wouldn't have cared about her comin' into the family!' But...” Dorian shook his head again. “I couldn't trust her after what happened!”

Vernon quirked a brow. “After what happened?” The wolf let out a slight scoff. “But Pa, you said yerse-”

“I know what I said!” Dorian snapped back, turning to face the wolf so quickly it startled Vernon. But almost as soon as he had, the wolf quickly backed down, seemingly ashamed of what he had done. Dorian leaned into a paw, covering his eyes.

“I couldn't trust my intuition Vern!” The wolf spat. “I couldn't trust anythin' anymore...I...”

Dorian ran his claws through his hair again, his paw shaking enough to actually make it messier rather than neater.

“Ya'll come in here expectin' me to make this big decision!” Dorian gestured a paw at Vernon. “Not that y'all could have known what was goin' on, but...” The wolf flopped his arm to his side, letting out a sigh. “And knowin' who she was, who her father was, I just-”

“Pa-.”

“I know it was wrong, I knew it the whole time!” The wolf continued. “My gut was tellin' me she was earnest, hell she damn well earned her right to tithe when she stepped into my office and fought fer ya'll!” 

The wolf turned away from his son once more, leaning into his paws has he hunched deeper into his shoulders.

“But If I was wrong, and she hurt you...” The wolf whimpered softly. “I'd n-never forgive myself Vern.”

Vernon felt the last of his emotional barrier give way as he reached a paw over to his father, placing it gingerly on his shoulder in an effort to comfort the old wolf. The anger was still there somewhere, muted, buried and desperately trying to remind Vernon of all the hateful words he had said. But it was no match for his more sympathetic side. Clearly another gift he could blame his mother for.

“I know it doesn't make any sense.” The wolf continued, whimpering softly. “I knew she had done her time, and even saved the city from her ol' 'mam. But...” The wolf mumbled. “Not only was it a risky call that fell to me, but she was related to Aster by blood, and she seemed so sincere...so trustworthy...just like they did...”

The wolf slowly raised his head, meeting Vernon's concerned gaze with glimmering eyes.

“It was easier and safer to deny it.” The wolf shuddered. “To just push it away and wait till I sorted things out on my own.” Dorian pawed at the corner of his eye, trying desperately to chase away the start of tears. 

“I was afraid Vernon.” The wolf sniffled. “Afraid to admit I was afraid.” Dorian's shuddered. “Afraid that somehow, if I made that call, you'd get hurt. And I just....couldn't do it.”

Vernon offered the wolf a small smile. His father's reasoning finally made clear and perfect sense, and ironically it was partially due to what Yuri had discussed with him earlier that really made it hit home for the wolf. Just like he and his brothers fell into roles when they came back to the ranch, his father had his own role that he never truly left. It was comfortable to the rest of the family, familiar. That stoic wolf, that pillar of the family who kept things in line and looked at every situation with a cool head. It was what he and his brothers had come to expect from him by default, and in that way they had forgotten that he was a mammal just like any other, a mammal just like them. But unlike Yuri, Dorian was too afraid to let that image slip out of his grasp. To afraid to admit he was afraid, and so he lashed out at the mammals who were inadvertently poking at him with a stick.

“But yer Ma, she was right.” The wolf suddenly spoke.

Vernon blinked dumbly at the wolf, tilting his head slightly to the side in confusion. His father seemed to catch his expression out of the corner of his eye, letting out another tired sigh.

“Yer an adult Vern, all of you boys are.” The wolf sighed. “And like you even said yesterday, my jurisdiction over what y'all do with yerself ended years ago.” The wolf shook his head softly.

“Whether or not you want to tithe Dawn, it's yer call to make, not mine.” The wolf placed a paw on Vernon's shoulder, giving the wolf a soft pat as he stared back at him.

“Y'all trust her, and that's the only mammal who's trust really counts.” The wolf sighed softly as he placed his paw back to his side. “And I should have respected that.”

Vernon smiled widely. “Do you mean that Pa?”

Dorian chuckled. “O'course I do!” The wolf gave his son another pat on the shoulder. A sharper, more playful swat. “Me givin' my approval is suppose'ta be more of a formality as it is.” The wolf looked down slightly, a look of shame crossing his muzzle.

“And while I may be havin' trouble trustin' myself, I should have realized I should be able to trust ya'll.” The wolf chuckled softly. “And yer ma.”

Vernon snickered slightly. “I take it ma gave y'all quite a time?”

The wolf scoffed, slapping a paw against his knee. “Are y'all kiddin'? I was hopin' to get a little more mercy points from y'all considerin' yer ma practically tore my ear off about what I had done!”

That earned a loud laugh from Vernon, and Dorian was quick to share in the chuckle as the two sat beside one another.  
“Still...” Dorian said, letting out a pleasant sigh as his laughter trailed away. “She was right.”

“Ma usually is.” Vernon replied with a snicker.

“Well don't tell her I said that.” Dorian chuckled. “She don't need an even bigger ego on her than she has! I get to decide little enough as it is outside my precinct!”

The pair shared another hearty chuckle, complete with the older white wolf slapping Vernon on the back a little to sharply before the laughter began to die down. Vernon let out a long, amused sigh as his father continued to chuckle before the pair ultimately grew quiet. He was glad his father had seen the error of his ways, more or less. And while what happened was still a sore spot for Vernon, that would most likely still require some time to heal. His father apologizing so soon, and in person was a great start when it came to mending that relationship. Still, there was something the law wolf had said that had stayed with the wolf. An unfinished sentence, or presumably unfinished that lead Vernon to believe there was still more behind his father's behavior toward him.

“Pa?” Vernon asked.

“Hmm?' The wolf replied.

“When y'all were explaining why you were so dead set against me and Dawn gettin' together...” The wolf trailed off, tapping his fingers together idly. “Ya'll said somethin' like 'part of the reason y'all acted that was way because of bein' afraid?”

The wolf gave a slow, reluctant nod, which was enough to encourage Vernon to continue.

“Well...er...” Vernon scratched the back of his head awkwardly, averting his gaze from the older wolf. “What was the other reason?”

Dorian let out a long, tired sigh as he leaned on his knees.

“Vernon, we don't....” The wolf muttered, placing a paw over his eyes. “We don't speak much these days.” The wolf huffed quietly. “We haven't since...since...” The wolf couldn't seem to muster finishing his statement.

“Since I left for college?” Vernon interjected.

The wolf gave a slow, decisive nod.

“We used to be so close, you and me...” Dorian muttered. “Then y'all went through that phase.”

“I remember...” Vernon groaned. It was still embarrassing and uncomfortable to think about. The reaction managed to earn a chuckle out of his father.

"So do I." The wolf continued. " But y'all came back around. And the two of us were right back to bein' best friends again." The wolf chuckled, a smile forming across his muzzle as if he were recalling the rather fond memories.

“But after you left to become a carpenter-”

“Architect.”

“Right. Well either way...” The wolf continued, scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably. “Things never sorta...mended right.”

“Well...” Vernon murmured. “ I mean, you never cared for what I chose to do.” The wolf replied bluntly. “It was bound to put a strain on things.”

“I know.” Dorian sighed, raising his head to rest it on a paw and glancing at Vernon out of the corner of his eye. 

“I was selfish.” The wolf admitted. “I just...I wanted what I thought was the best fer y'all.”

“I figured.” Vernon said bluntly. His father's reasoning wasn't exactly a surprise. He knew that despite the coldness, and how little they talked, the ultimate reason behind his behavior was that he thought Vernon should have been a cop just as he was.

“I know that sounds dumb but...”The wolf chuckled. “I didn't want it to be that way, ya know?” The wolf asked.

Vernon simply quirked a brow.

"Yer Grandpa had browbeat me so hard over bein' a farmer." The wolf chuckled softly. "And I promised myself the day yer older brothers were born I'd never be like that."

Dorian glanced back to his son, his ears sagging slightly behind his head. “And I didn't push it! I really tried not to!”

Vernon rolled his eyes, letting out a scoff at his father's bald-faced lie.

“I mean that! I do!” The wolf protested, gesturing at the wolf to listen.

“I taught y'all police stuff growin' up because I thought it would help y'all through life.” The wolf sighed. “To try and instill a good moral compass in y'all.”

“With take-down exercises?” Vernon smirked.

Dorian rolled his eyes. “It worked fer you didn't it?” The wolf smirked. “If them reports from before yer bad years were anythin' to go by.” Dorian let out a soft chuckle. “Hell, it's how you met little Dawn the first time weren't it?”

Vernon scoffed, crossing his arms defensively. “It's not exactly like I won that fight myself.” Vernon muttered. “Zach helped me.”

“But y'all were always like that.” Dorian sighed warmly. “Since you started crawlin' you just...you had this...”The wolf paused, seemingly struggling to choose his next words. “You had this sense about y'all, this determination.”

Vernon raised an eyebrow curiously.

“And as you grew that little light just shown more and more.” The wolf chuckled. “And that day you saved yer little friend Dawn, well...It just reminded me so much of myself.”

“Huh?” Vernon asked, his ears skewing in differing directions.

“How do y'all think I met Dawn's mother?” Dorian smirked. “Bein' picked on runs in that family, and as a pup I wasn't the type to tolerate that.”

Vernon's eyes widened slightly in surprise. “W-wait, are you sayin' you had a thing fer-?”

Dorian let out a loud laugh, the wolf giving his knee a swat as he tried to keep from doubling over with laughter. It took his father several seconds to get a hold of himself, the white wolf trying to fight back the lingering urge to laugh as he wiped a tear from his eye. 

“O' course not!” The wolf let out a few more snickers. “I'm strictly a pred mammal, no offense.” The wolf let out a pleasant sigh. “But we were pretty tight as far as friendships go.”

It was a silly question, after all Clover had told Vernon much the same story when they had first met in the hospital. But on the off chance it was a possibility that perhaps his father had unrequited feelings for the ewe that she didn't share, it wasn't entirely off base. 

The wolf ran a paw through his mane of hair as he turned his gaze back to the wolf.

“But the point I'm tryin' to make is that it was like history repeatin' itself.” The wolf continued. “And it set in stone my little inklin' that you had the most potential out of all yer brothers when it came to becomin' an officer like yer old mam'.”

The wolf leaned on a paw, glancing back at Vernon from the corner of his eye.

"Of course, you growin' up to be the biggest and strongest out of the rest of yer brothers, as well as the rest of them goin' into law made me even more hopeful that you'd shine like the sun as a cop." Dorian laughed weakly. "I even imagined y'all bein' the chief of precinct one, someday. Blowin' well past this little district and showin' Zootopia what a Hunter can do."

Dorian let out a sigh as he leaned himself back up, taking a moment to straighten his tie before glancing back to his son.

"Of course, at some point, I went from encouragin' you right into demandin' you to do what I wanted." Dorian sighed. "I kept tellin' myself you were just resistin' workin' in a career like mine because you were afraid of hurtin' mammals after yer little time 'bein' bad'. But at a certain point I just became blind to the life y'all wanted for yerself." The wolf chuckled softly. "I fell right into the same trap my Pa did, and I was too stubborn to admit it to y'all."

With that, the wolf placed a paw on Vernon's shoulder, his steely grey eyes glimmering slightly as he regarded his son.

“I just saw such a potential in you, and I...” The wolf sighed. “I couldn't let go.”

The wolf rolled his eyes. “And then you bein' by yerself in Zootopia, strugglin' to make ends meet and doin' the gods know what just had me frettin' for ya.” The wolf chuckled weakly. “But It ain't like I was gonna tell y'all that.”

Vernon opened his muzzle to reply, only for Dorian to continue talking over him. 

“All that did was make me more paranoid.” The wolf continued. “And then y'all gettin' close to Dawn so quick with what happened, and comin' round to ask-”

“Okay, okay.” Vernon cut the wolf off, trying his best to stifle the laughter as he stared back at the concerned looking wolf. Dorian was starting to remind him a bit more of his mother now, and it was making him question just whose traits he had truly inherited when it came to being emotional.

“I understand Pa, I understand.” Vernon answered.

Dorian responded with a relieved sigh, giving the wolf a soft pat on the shoulder.

“But yer Ma is still right.” Dorian added. “It's yer life, and as long as whatever yer doin' makes you happy, then I'll be happy too.”

Vernon flashed his father a genuine smile, only for the older wolf to do the same in kind. With another firm pat, the older wolf rose to his feet, taking a moment to dust off his pant legs before turning to face Vernon once again.

“Welp, I think we've kept 'em waiting long enough, don't y'all think?” The wolf said, gesturing to the bedroom door.

“Wha-?” Vernon froze, suddenly remembering the point of the whole evening, of the tux he was now clad in. In an instant, the wolf shot to his feet, nearly falling forward due to the sudden surge of adrenaline that was now running through his veins.

"RIGHT!" Vernon barked, his voice breaking slightly as he pulled at his collar. "Right, yeah!" The wolf murmured, swaying slightly. He was light-headed, perhaps from jumping to his feet too quickly, or his nerves, or some combination of the two, but it was enough to force the wolf to clasp his father's shoulder for support momentarily. Dorian gripped Vernon back, keeping the wolf steady until he managed the shake off the feeling, at least to some degree.

Dorian let out a hoarse laugh, the white wolf shaking his head at his son's display.

“Damn it boy, y'all really got to stop actin' like me so much.” the wolf snickered.

Vernon furrowed his brow, letting out a scoff before attempting to walk past the old 'mam, but he had barely made it a step before Dorian placed a paw out to stop him. 

“Easy boy, easy.” The wolf chuckled, bring his paws to the wolf's tie and straightening it for him. Dorian gently pat the tie, then dusted Vernon's jacket before placing a paw to his chin and giving Vernon a quick once over.

Seemingly satisfied, the wolf stepped aside, gesturing for his son to move forward.

“There.” Dorian remarked. “Now yer fit to be tithed.”

“Tithed?” Vernon asked.

Dorian chuckled. “I figured it was implied by now but...” The wolf tapped at his chin, flashing Vernon a rather sly smirk. “Just who do y'all think really set this thing up?”

Vernon could feel the tears forming in his eyes as he stared at the old wolf standing next to him. This was what his mother had been talking about when it came to the 'big surprise'. His father had been in on it all along. 

“Y-you mean y-y-you-?” Vernon could barely finish his sentence as the tears began to stream from his eyes. 

Dorian placed a paw behind his head, scratching it uncomfortably as he let out a soft chuckle.

“I-I figured well...” Dorian murmured. “ Look, I don't expect you to just pretend like nothin' happened.” The wolf sighed. “To forgive me after everythin' with little more than just an apology.” Dorian winced slightly as he glanced back at his son, his steely grey eyes meeting Vernon's waterlogged green ones. “I need to earn that trust back, to show y'all that I mean what I say.”

“So I figured...” The wolf gave a weak shrug. “While this doesn't exactly absolve this ol' wolf of his sins...” The wolf rolled his eyes slightly, flashing his teeth as he winced uneasily. “At the very least, maybe y'all can consider this a good start?”

The wolf had barely finished his sentence before Vernon wrapped his arms around him, giving the old white wolf the tightest bear hug he could muster as he continued to weep into his father's shoulder. It took a moment for the wolf to return the hug, patting Vernon's back gently as he met the bear hug with equal fervor.

They stood like that for a while before Dorian broke the hug, the white wolf pawing at his eyes in an effort to hide the now very visible stream of tears that were flowing down his fur as he averted his gaze from Vernon's own.

“A-Alright, alright.” The wolf sniffled. “Try to pull it together son, or else you'll ruin yer mom's makeup.”

Vernon wiped a paw across his snout, sniffling as sharply as he could in order to suck back the tears.

"R-right, right." Vernon shuddered. "It's time to Alpha up." The grey wolf sniffled again, taking a moment to pat down his deep green tux again. "I'm gettin' mar-OH!"

With that, the wolf felt at his pockets frantically, before turning his attention to his father. After the emotional roller-coaster that was his father's confession, he had not only almost forgotten the wedding all-together, but also his unfinished vows.

“Pa, I need those vows!” The wolf said, reaching a paw out and flicking his fingers frantically.

Dorian chuckled as he reached into his pocket, pulling out the crumpled page and placing it in Vernon's palm.

“Personally I don't think you need 'em.” Dorian said with a smirk. 

Vernon re-read the scribbled notes again and again. It was still subpar, but it was all he had.

“These vows are already leagues ahead o' what I came up with fer my tithe, and I didn't even end up usin' anthin' I wrote down in the end.” The wolf concluded. “When I was standin' there, lookin' into yer mother's eyes.” The wolf sighed pleasantly. “All that love starin' back at me just....the words just came.”

Dorian flashed the wolf a confident smile. “And I have a feelin' they'll come to you all the same when yer standin' up there with Dawn.”

Vernon stared back at his father dubiously as he folded the paper up and placed it into his breast pocket.

“I thought y'all told me to stop actin' so much like you?” Vernon replied, raising a brow curiously.

Dorian chuckled softly.

“Well, I'll let it slide just this once.”

Dorian leaned forward slightly, bowing his head and gesturing with a paw for his son to begin to walk forward. However, just shy a passing by the white wolf, Vernon felt a paw suddenly grip at right wrist. 

Turning to meet his father's gaze once more, the white wolf pulled his arm upward, holding it up in Vernon's eyeline as he inspected the tribal bracelet Yuri had given him just hours earlier with a keen eye. Dorian studied it for a moment, a frown forming on his muzzle as he turned his attention back to Vernon.

“Not the best night to borrow trouble from yer brother don't y'all thing?” Dorian asked.

Vernon quirked a curious brow, one of his ears skewing off to the side slightly.

Dorian tapped the bracelet with a claw. "You'd best put this somewhere Yuri might have figured he left it by accident er' somethin' before he spots it on you." The wolf shook his head. "I ain't never seen that boy take that thing off fer anythin'."

Vernon offered his father a bemused smile.

“Anything?” The wolf asked. “Really?

Dorian chuckled. “Last time they were out here, and I asked about it, Ada told me the boy showered with it on.” Dorian smirked. “I can't tell ya how happy it made that gal when I told her that was the boys way of tellin' her she really meant somethin' to him.”  
Vernon's smile grew wider, flashing his teeth slightly as it grew into something more genuine.

“I wouldn't worry about it Pa.” Vernon replied as the old wolf released his grip on Vernon's wrist, offering the wolf a confused expression of his own. “It ain't like that, trust me...”

Dorian shook his head, the seemingly confused wolf letting out a tired sigh before offering a the wolf a small smirk.

“I trust you.” Dorian replied.

Vernon smiled back. “Thanks Pa.”

And with that, the old law wolf lead Vernon out of the bedroom, closing the door behind them as Vernon marched toward his future.


	49. Fit to be Tithed

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Forty-Nine: Fit to be Tithed

Vernon could feel his pulse begin to quicken as his father led him out onto the empty enclosed porch. It was darker than usual, the dingy, rather weak porch light seemingly unable to stretch the slightest bit beyond the where the screen window should have been. Of course, it only took the wolf a moment to realize this was due to the fact that someone had taken the time to draw each of the weather protection flaps down over them, effectively turning the porch into little more than a slightly draftier room of the house. The weatherized, thick vinyl sheeting was something the Hunter family generally held off putting in place until the first reports of snow began to crop up amid the local forecast. However, despite the fact that the North Meadowlands usually saw snow earlier than other areas of North Mammalia, largely due to being so close to the Canidean Ridge Mountain Range, the first week of October was never quite cold enough to see even the faintest of a dusting. It made it clear to the wolf that the weather covers were tied down presumably as a last-ditch measure to keep some degree of surprise for him in place. An over-sized blindfold to make sure that wherever the staging was set-up, the wolf would be forced to 'take it in all at once' as his 'Aunt' had put it. And while it had for the moment succeeded in hiding the staging from the wolf, the added level of darkness coupled with the strange stillness that seemed to permeate the porch left the wolf feeling all the more nervous. The plastic sheet wasn't that thick, yet the porch was oddly quiet, with little more than the gentle autumn breeze fluttering against the fabric making any describable noise. Was the staging area close by? Was it around the house? On top of his other worries, the wolf's mind was now mulling over those questions.

Vernon could feel his throat starting to dry out as his father walked over to the porch door leading outside, the white wolf placing a gentle paw on the knob before turning his attention back to his son.

“Ready?” Dorian asked, flashing the wolf a concerned expression.

“I-It's right outside?" Vernon asked, his voice breaking slightly as he warily approached the door. Just like the rest of the porch, the weatherized flap draped the panel of the screen.

His father gave a simple, soft nod.

Vernon took a long, slow breath, the wolf's fingers clenching into his paws and out again in spasm a few times as he tried to calm himself. His increasingly dry throat was giving way to a large, scratchy lump forming inside his gullet, one that was growing increasingly difficult to swallow no matter how much he tried to force it down.

The wolf shuddered as he let out a shaky, drawn-out exhale. But for all his efforts to calm himself, the breathing exercises and internal mantras, it had done very little in the way of easing any tension. His mind was still drought with an unshakable panic, centered around the crumpled, meandering scribbling that sat in his breast pocket. And so far it was keeping what should have been a truly perfect, once in a lifetime moment of bliss from feeling nearly as good as it should have. 

Letting out another shuddering sigh, the wolf seemed to jerk slightly from his own jumpy nerves before managing a quiet nod of approval at his father.

Dorian reached out, placing his other paw on Vernon's shoulder and patting it gently.

“Y'all will be fine son.” Dorian said with a confident smile. Vernon could hear the latch click as his father twisted the knob in his paw. The law wolf let out a soft chuckle. “I'd tell y'all to make me proud but...well...” The wolf shook his head. “Ya already have.”

The comment was enough to bring a small, nervous smile to Vernon's muzzle.

“T-thanks Pa.” The wolf muttered softly.

Dorian exchanged a final smile before Vernon heard the telltale creak that forced his attention to snap forward. The space between the door and frame was widening rapidly giving Vernon only a precious few seconds to steal one last nervous breath as moonlight spilled into the porch. 

But just as quickly as Vernon had drawn that breath, the air had left him in one great his eyes fell upon the world beyond the porch. So many lights, so many vibrant colors, what seemed like so many mammals suddenly staring in his direction with warm smiles and varying looks of excitement and anticipation. All of it hit him like an emotionally charged shock-wave so stirring the wolf braced a paw against the door frame as he struggled to take it all in. On top of the wolves already wracked nerves, the effect was practically dizzying. But thankfully his father had seemed to pick up on it, tightening his grip on Vernon's shoulder in kind as Vernon clasped a paw over his for support. 

Laid out in the back meadow, basking under the glow of the bright autumn moon stood a shimmering white archway wrapped in a myriad of flower garlands. Purple and orange mums, and some sort of wildflower the wolf had seen, but couldn't recall the name of, strewn about the structure and extending down to pillars standing off to either side. The colors of the strands were made even that much more vibrant by the strings of flickering golden and lavender holiday lighting tangled into the floral garlands like faint strands of vine, the bulbs shimmering against the petals and leaves like the twinkling stars above.

Even more of the flowers flanked either side of the altar, bound onto the backs of the pawful of fold-out chairs on either side of the aisle where the various members of his family sat. He had easily spotted most of his brothers, still dressed up in the tuxes they had been fitted for along with himself, as well as their mates clad in vaguely matching lavender tithes-maiden outfits among the faces looking up to him expectantly. Some wore broad, encouraging smiles, while others seemed filled to the brim with glee. Qali in particular, who despite her small size was very visible by the way she was jumping up and down on her seat like an excited pup while Trenton kept his arm trained around the edge of the seat as if ready to catch the vixen should she lose her footing. Even Yuri seemed to be able to manage a semi-satisfied smirk as he and Ada watched from their chairs. The sea of faces exuded an energy, a sense of warmth within the wolves chest, but also an overwhelming sense of collective anticipation. The pointed gaze, the expectation behind the eyes. They were all looking at him, patiently waiting for the mammal of the hour to make the next move.

And that's when Vernon noticed it. The deep purple guiding rug for the aisle splitting the rows of chairs down the center had been rolled up to the very lip of the porch steps. They were looking to him not only because he had just arrived on the scene, but the wolf now stood at the very head of the aisle. They had been waiting on him, the whole ceremony had, and the moment he took the short walk off the two small steps down to the base of the rug, the tithing ritual would begin in earnest. It seemed as though unlike Zach and Vanna's tithe, there was going to be no last minute outdoor mingling with family members before everything got started. And without that, any last minute hope of getting any last bit advice on his vows from any of his family members. The wolf was well and truly on his own now.

Vernon swallowed sharply, although the lump in his throat continued to persist as he awkwardly scanned the small crowd of mammals looking up at him expectantly. Suddenly it felt as though there were far too many guests at this wedding, far too many eyes in the crowd that would be there to bear witness to him stumbling awkwardly through his vows. And all it did was add to the growing pressure that was sure to make him to hackle it all up that much worse.

The wolf could feel sweat starting to permeate through his fur as a stray cough broke the growing uneasy silence. He wanted to try to move. To say something, anything. But the wolf found himself frozen in sheer stage fright as his eyes darted around the scene over and over again. Though the smiles remained, along with reassuring thumbs up from a few of his brothers in the crowd, Vernon knew they could smell his growing fear. The wolf was already blowing the whole ceremony and it hadn't even begun. His mind was now furiously barking orders at him. A multitude of commands and plans, some contradicting with each other, but ultimately all falling on deaf ears. The radio was broken, and no matter how much the tower screamed at him to pull up, all Vernon could do was stare at the rapidly approaching crash that lie ahead in terrified silence. He could only hope that Dawn wasn't outside at the moment, or at the very least couldn't see him from wherever she was.

Forward. Vernon was moving suddenly forward. The wolf nearly tripping off the steps as his feet came down firmly on the rug at the bottom of the stairs. For a moment he thought that somehow, as if Freyja had heard his prayers, his body had actually responded to the flurry of desperate pleas and commands coming from his brain to get his body to do something. But glancing over his shoulder he caught the briefest glimpse of his father's paw still hanging out of the door slightly from the ginger push it had given him before the wolf stepped into frame behind him. Dorian flashing his son a quick thumbs up before gesturing the wolf to keep moving.

While it was somewhat disheartening to know that Vernon hadn't powered through his little episode on his own, at the very least his father had given him enough of a push, both figuratively and literally, to get his mind and body moving in sync once again. Turning back to face the head of the aisle, the wolf took a slow deep breath, adjusting his tie for a moment before letting the air out in a long, slow exhale.

“Pa's right.” The wolf thought. “You got this.” Vernon muttered to himself under his breath. “You'll know what to say once she-”

Vernon couldn't help but flinch slightly as the music began to play from somewhere near the front of the aisle. It was an old song, familiar in tune although not in name to the wolf. A classical piece that he remembered had been played at Zach's and Vanna's tithe to mark that the service had begun. But unlike Zach and Vanna's tithe, it was a simple recording rather than a live band. The soft, pleasant melody played from small speakers situated atop the pillars flanking the altar. The sounds dancing across the gentle autumn breeze and into the wolf's ears.

Vernon cleared his throat softly, taking one last glance at the mammals around him before offering a meek smile as his confidence began to return. The time had come to stop thinking, and start doing.

The first step was slow, methodical. But as Vernon continued down the aisle, his stride incrementally increased in speed and stability. Each step marking a meeting of the various members of his family on either side that quickened his pace and boosted his self-confidence. A goofy grin from his brother Wade, and a soft applause from Giselle. He could only assume she was smiling too, but the wolf hadn't had the time to look up at her as he kept moving. On his other side Ulric and his Aunt Abby, the little armadillo patting the dark-furred wolf gingerly on the knee as he chewed at his claws nervously. A little faster and Vernon was passing by Trenton and Qali. The white wolf grinning softly up at his brother while resting his paws on the shoulders of his diminutive mate in an effort to keep her from springing out of her seat. However, that restriction must have forced all the energy up to the little vixen's smile, as the fox beamed up and Vernon so excitedly that the wolf couldn't help but chuckle. 

Behind the pair Vernon spotted Ada and Yuri, the large hyeness holding her mate from behind as she regarded Vernon with a smirk. Yuri had his arms crossed, the dark wolf initially looking away from Vernon as if he were trying to appear disinterested. But looking directly at the wolf revealed that he was watching Vernon from the corner of his eyes. His yellow irises fixed on his brother as he flashed the wolf a subtle smirk. And though it was dark, the wolf could barely make out a flicker of slow motion by the wolf's side. A gentle, swishing form Vernon could only assume was his brother's tail wagging slightly against the seat.

Xavier and Malcolm sat on the other side of the aisle, the heavyset russet wolf leaning his head on his mate's shoulder as they both smiled up at him. Xavier raised his paw slightly, revealing Malcolm's tightly gripped with his as they gently waived their intertwined paws toward Vernon encouragingly. While Xavier seemed to remain his naturally stoic self, Malcolm already had a tissue clasped up against his snout, seemingly in preparation for the tears he was about to shed.

But that was nothing compared to Audrey as Vernon passed by the final row of chairs. His mother sat on the seat closest to the aisle, her eyes already glimmering with tears as she clasped a tissue over her mouth with a paw. Her other arm practically strangling the box of tissues she was clasping as she pulled it tightly against her chest. His mother was smiling, at least as far as Vernon could tell by the corners of her muzzle he could see behind the tissue pressed tightly against her snout. But as he passed closely he could hear her faintly whining. The starting sparks of a wail she was clearly trying to hold back until the ceremony reached its zenith.

Next to Audrey sat Dawn's mother, the older ewe matching his mother's tone and demeanor in almost every respect, right down to tightly clutching her own box of tissues to her breast as she silently wept. However, the wolf was certain that compared to his mother, there were several more emotional heartstrings within her being pulled all at once. Like Audrey, Clover was about to bear witness to her own child 'growing up', but unlike his mother, the ewe was most likely grappling with a sense of pride and joy that she must have thought she would have never got a chance to experience. With Dawn's past, and the rocky relationship they had once had, Clover must have once surely thought that chances were slim her daughter would ever get married, and slimmer still that she would be allowed to witness it. Vernon flashed the ewe a comforting smile, which seemed to push the ewe into a quiet, joyful sob. Still clutching her tissues, Audrey wrapped a comforting arm around the petite lamb, the wolfess whispering quiet comforts to her as they both leaned on one another for strength.

On the other side, Vernon could see his brother Zach along with Vanna. The cock-sure red tipped furred wolf giving Vernon two thumbs up as Vanna, much like his mother and Audrey held a tissue to her muzzle despite the lack of visible tears. But behind her irises, Vernon could see the faintest glimmer of emotion. Like water hiding at the bottom of a deep, dark well, waiting to rise along with the torrent of rain from Audrey, Clover, and the others members of the family's flood of tears and hoping to hide amongst the overflow.

"Ow! Dags!" It was a quiet exclamation, but enough to draw the wolf's attention away from his relatives and back to the front of the aisle to find himself standing at the front of the altar. Somehow, despite freezing up at the start, Vernon had managed to complete the journey through the sea of excited faces without tripping over himself along the way. It would have been a moment to give the wolf a reassuring pause. But Vernon had barely gotten out a semi-relieved sigh before the podium in front of him shuddered, the speakers letting out an ear-splitting crackle almost in concert with the vibration.

Vernon watched curiously as a single, slightly curled horn rose from behind the podium, a black cable coiled around it as the mammal attached to it tried to pull it away with a frantic hoof. On the other side of his head where a matching horn should have been, there was a mound of gauze fastened to the white fur with medical tape. 

With another yank, the mammal was fully revealed. The young billy goat leaning partially on the podium with an arm as he continued to pull at the cord still wrapped tightly around his horn. 

“Damn aux cable! Why do these cords always-!?” 

“Gus?”Vernon cocked his ears slightly at the sight of the familiar billy standing behind the podium. Gus jumped slightly, the goat clutching the edge of the podium for a moment as he turned his attention to the confused wolf standing in front of him. 

“Vernon!” The goat flashed him a nervous grin. “Hey buddy, you uh...?” The billy laughed weakly. “You got down that aisle faster than I expected.”

Vernon quirked a curious brow.

“G-Gus...?” Vernon repeated. It wasn't really a question so much as it was the wolf trying to confirm to himself that his friend was really there. “Is that really you!?” Vernon asked, his tone rising hopefully as a surprised smile overtook his muzzle.

Gus' smile grew to match Vernon's, shaking off the apparent nervousness it had been carrying earlier as the billy leaned a little further on to the podium.

“Yep, it's me.” The goat rolled his eyes slightly before gesturing to the wad of gauze flanking the left side of his head. “Well ninety-five-ish percent of me anyway.”

Vernon opened his muzzle, stammering slightly as Gus' presence truly began to sink in. It was Gus alright, even with his old broken horn removed, there was no mistaking his best friend and former Bug Burga boss for any other old goat. The geeky goat was dressed in a powder blue tuxedo topped off with a black bow-tie. An outfit that looked like the last time it had seen the sunlight was at their Senior prom. Of course, Vernon knew better than that. Neither he nor Gus had ever gone to prom, instead electing to hide out with the other members of Hunter friend flock in the ranch basement playing Beasts and Battlefields all night. 

“W-What are y'all doin' out here!?” Vernon sputtered.

“What?” Gus replied with a chuckle. “You think I-?” The goat stopped briefly, turning his attention back to the cable still strung up on his horn and untangling it with his hooves before continuing. The speakers let out another noisy crackle before the wire finally slipped free.

With a satisfied sigh, Gus turned back to the wolf.

“You think I would miss this?” Gus asked with a smirk. “My best friend's tithe?”

Vernon let out a loud, barking laugh, the wolf reaching an arm over the podium and pulling the goat into something that looked more like a headlock than a hug. Vernon ruffled the little billy's hair with a paw, only for the goat to playfully swat back at him, making a halfhearted attempt squirm free of the wolf's grasp. The nerdy goat was definitely a sight for sore eyes. Between the fear over the wolf's lack of vows, and just how formal and prestigious the wolf's surroundings felt adding to the overwhelming sense of gravity, the presence of his best friend provided a sort of grounding that put the wolf a little more at ease, even more so than his family. After all, at this point, Gus probably knew him better than most of his brothers did. And while not in his solepads, the goat most likely had a better idea of the pressures the wolf was currently feeling, and could offer the kind of advice and levity that could actually stand to do him some good.

After some degree of struggling, Gus finally managed to wriggle free of Vernon's grip. The goat quickly straightening his stance as he began to gingerly pat down his now mussed up tuft of hair with a hoof. 

“C'mon Vern, I got enough of that treatment from your brothers already!” The goat chuckled. “It's hard enough to keep my cowlick down without you guys ruffling my hair.” The goat let out a soft, irritated scoff. “Let alone Yuri trying to scare me every five minutes to try and get me to faint!”

Vernon heard the wolf in question let out a laughing snort from somewhere behind him, only for it to be interrupted mid-way through with a sharp yelp. Glancing over his shoulder, Vernon caught sight of Yuri holding his head as Ada's paw glanced his scalp, the large hyeness that had previously been cuddling up to the dark-furred wolf now scowling at him in disapproval.

Vernon chuckled softly. “You didn't faint, did y-?”

"No, I didn't faint!" The goat's reply was sharp and defensive, as if Vernon had touched a nerve.

"I should be asking you if you're gonna faint?" The goat retorted with a laugh. "I mean you are looking a little pale under the fur. Of course, I would be too if I was standing where you were." Gus snickered.

Vernon stared back at the goat dully. “Har har har...” The wolf rolled his eyes slightly as he attempted to play off the goats assessment. But his expression betrayed his true unease, his ears sagging slightly as he offered the mammal a soft frown. “W-well, I'd be lyin' if I said I wasn't a little nervous.”

Gus chuckled. "Tell me about it, I'm running three different jobs tonight!" The goat shook his head. "Deejay, officiator and best mammal!" The goat gestured to the speaker momentarily before turning his attention back to the wolf. "That's a lot of weight hanging off my horns..." The goat stopped himself momentarily, his eyes tracing up to the wad of gauze where his fragmented stump of a horn used to be. "Er...horn..." The goat corrected himself. "Lot of pressure on me to make sure everything goes smoothly, don't you think?"

“Best mammal?” Vernon asked, slightly confused.

The nervous expression Gus had been wearing earlier returned as the goat glanced down at his hooves, the billy tapping his digits together anxiously as he spoke.

“I mean...y'know, if you haven't picked someone already.” Gus chuckled weakly. “I mean I know you have a lot of brothers to choose from...so I mean if-”

“Aw, Gus.” Vernon laughed. “O'course y'all can be my Best Mam'.”

In all honesty, with everything that had been going on regarding the wolf's vows, and the general preparation, Vernon hadn't even given a moments thought to whom among the assembled Hunter brood would have fit the role of 'best mam''. Of course, it was rather strange that not a single one of his brothers brought it up at any point during the day. Perhaps they knew that given the choice, Vernon would have preferred Gus, or more than likely, they knew Gus was on his way, and had assumed the goat would be chosen to take the role. Either way, with no brother promised the lofty position, and with his best friend actually there to take it, Vernon didn't hesitate to assign Gus the part.

Gus flashed a nervous smile, his muzzle twitching slightly before the goat tried to hide it behind a seemingly calmer, cool demeanor. The one-horned billy cleared his throat loudly as he adjusted his bow-tie.

“W-well damn.” The goat chuckled. “If ya had said 'no' I could have just buggered off. No reason for me to be here otherwise.” It was the goat's usual sense of humor, and to Vernon the joke was a fairly transparent attempt by his friend to hide just how touched he was by the wolf's offer, even without stumbling over his words to deliver it.  
Vernon stared back at his friend knowingly, a wry smile forming on his muzzle. It didn't take long for Gus' facade to give way, the goat letting out a meek chuckle before letting out a sigh.

“B-but seriously, t-thanks Vern.” Gus smirked. “I-I mean the others told me I'd probably be the best mam', but I wanted to be sure, y'know?” Gus smirked. “Didn't want to be stepping on any paws.”

Vernon braced his neck with an arm as he let out a chuckle.

“I imagine if any one of my brothers were vyin' fer the role, they would have been fightin' each other over it.” The wolf sighed, glancing back at some of the other Hunters out of the corner of his eye. “Or at the very least fightin' you for it.”

“Maybe Yuri was, considering how hard he was trying to get me to faint.” The goat said with a laugh. Vernon could hear Yuri let out another dismissive snort over the music. Like most jokes directed at him, it was clear Yuri didn't care for it. Of course, knowing what Vernon knew now, perhaps there was a part of Yuri that would have actually wanted to stand in for Gus had he not been able to make it. But even if he had come out and asked, Vernon would have probably ended up going with Trenton. After all, just because they had started working on their relationship, didn't mean they had suddenly become best friends. At most, Yuri could at least stand at the same level of eligibility as Ulric in terms of possibly endangering the ceremony somehow. Perhaps slightly higher, consider one couldn't quite predict when Ully might go into one of his episodes, but the fact that he was marrying a sheep would have made the chances of an Ulric 'freakout' fairly high. However, the thought process alone had brought Vernon back to the goat standing before him, and the general curiosity behind the fact that he was even there for the ceremony.

“But seriously Gus...” Vernon continued. “How on Animalia did you get here?” The wolf said with a laugh. “I mean, who even told y'all-?”

The goat leaned forward on the podium slightly, raising a hoof and idly gesturing in the air.

“Well, 'somebody' told one of their brothers that I was a 'licensed caprid pastor.'” Gus said, flashing the wolf a smirk for a moment before continuing. “And that wolf told your mother, and of course she had my mother on speed dial.”

Vernon's smile widened. “So yer ma...?”

"Six-o'clock in the morning and my cell starts rattling off the nightstand." Gus laughed. "Consider yourself lucky Melly didn't end up smashing it to bits before I could get my hooves on it." The goat raised a brow, flashing the wolf a knowing smile. "You know how Melly can be in the morning."

"Oh, gonna throw me under the bus just like that huh?" Came a somewhat snarky sounding rebuttal from Vernon's side. Glancing back in the direction of Zach and Vanna, the wolf could now see a significantly smaller mammal poking out from behind them. It was another goat, a nanny that Vernon instantly recognized as Gus' long-term mate, Melanie Gessenay. 

For the most part, the she-goat looked just as she always did. Her long hair pulled into a tight ponytail, and her deep green eyes hidden behind the glare of her thick-rimmed black oval glasses. But unlike her mate, she was at least dressed in something that most mammals would have considered far more fashionable for a tithe. The rather simple, strapless yellow tithe-maid's dress, although not matching the lavender color scheme worn by most of the Hunter girls, felt considerably more fitting than Gus' choice. The hornless nanny rose to her feet, taking a step around Vanna before crossing her arms and cocking her hips as she regarded her mate from ground level with a raised brow. 

"You were just as close as I was to throwing that thing against the bedroom wall until you actually read the text." The she-goat said as she crossed her arms. "In fact, I was the one who said it could important."

Gus raised a single finger, closing his eyes as he spoke. "Actually you said 'It 'better' be important.” The billy retorted, moving his finger to punctuate his words. “There's a difference.”

Melanie simply rolled her eyes, the she-goat adjusting her large, black oval glasses slightly. “Well....that's just quibbling over intent-.”

“If I recall, my dear little Mellowmar,” Gus continued, cutting the nanny off. “You then followed up with 'Because I swear to Hornunnos if someone isn't dead or dying I'm going to snap that Carrot Phone in half.” The billy retorted, moving his finger to punctuate his words.

“Well, I mean there is a difference between saying you are going to do something, and actuall-.”

“How much would you miss your phone Gus?” The billy continued with a smirk. “Because it has a date with the garbage disposal.” The goat stopped briefly to adjust his tie, all the while his eyes remaining closed as he spoke back to the nanny in a 'matter-o'fact' tone. “Hell, you woke me the rest of the way up because you were banging the phone against the desk, and I had the wrestle it awa-”

“Alright, alright!” Melanie balled her fists tightly as she let out an indignant huff. “We're here aren't we? That's what matters!”

Gus rolled his eyes, doing his best to stifle his chuckle as the nanny warily strolled her way up to Vernon's side. The heated air around her and her rather defensive posture fading quickly in favor of something unusually timid and ashamed. It was a strange sight, considering she was a largely unapologetic mammal. Her anger was quick to flare in a way that reminded him a great deal of his mother, especially when it came to her billy, and in that way her passionate nature seemed to balance out his best friend's generally calm and largely passive nature. But it was considerably rare to see her try to walk back, or explain herself without some sort of directing prompting from Gus. 

“I w-wouldn't have made such a fuss if I knew...” Melanie glanced up at the large wolf, offering him a broad smile as she dabbed at her eye with a hoof. “I'm so happy for you big guy. Really I am.”

Vernon knelt down, allowing the little nanny to walk into his arms and wrap her hooves around his neck in a soft hug.

“I know Melly, I know.” Vernon chuckled. “I'm just happy to see y'all.” The wolf replied, glancing back up at his friend. “Both of y'all.”

"Well, when my mom told me what your ma and pa were planning, and how they were hoping I could do them the favor, well..." Gus held his hooves up, a mock expression of surprise overtaking his face as he continued to rattle of his tale. "Honestly, first I was like 'is this a prank'?” Gus said with a chuckle. “I never took your mother the be the type to encourage a 'Yuri prank' before, but still..." The goat highlighted the phrase by making air quotes with his hooves.

Vernon couldn't help but laugh as he released his grasp around the little nanny goat and rose to his feet, taking a moment to dust off his pant legs before giving the goat his full attention.

“But then, I was like...” Gus continued, running a hoof through his slicked back hair. “Vernon and Dawn are getting tithed? It's only been like six months...” The bill raised his hooves slightly. “Three officially, right?”

Vernon nodded softly. The 'dating period' really hadn't been very long. But of all the things the wolf was worried about, that simply hadn't been one of them. Tithing Dawn was something the wolf was one-hundred percent certain of.

“So finally, after all that, I was like...'I'll be up there A.S.A.P.!” The goat said with a broad grin. The goat shrugged. “It wasn't even a question mam', I had to be here!”

Vernon smiled broadly, the wolf flashing his teeth. “Aw Gus...”

“Me and Melly were practically on the first train out to the Meadowlands!” The goat continued excitedly, slamming a balled hoof down on the podium so sharply it made the wolf flinch. But the goat was on a roll now, the rising nervousness in his tone feeding into his rambling account of his days events. Vernon knew better than to try and stop him.

Gus leaned forward slightly as he continued, the goat raising an idle hoof and gesturing it in small circles."I say practically because we had to make a bunch of last minute preparations to be ready in time for this whole thing." The billy rolled his eyes. "We were hopping all over downtown like a pair of rabbits after drinking espressos!"

Vernon had to stifle a snicker at Gus' remark. The wolf taking a moment to glance over his shoulder, briefly scanning the crowd on the off chance that somehow his family had pulled another miracle and managed to drag Dawn's friend Judy up all the way from her Bunny Burrow vacation. From what Officer Wilde had told him, the rabbit didn't take too kindly to 'species humor'. But thankfully, at least in terms of actually hearing Gus' remark, the rabbit appeared to be absent. However, the wolf did manage to catch his brother Yuri mouthing what he could only assume was the word 'nerd', in a long, drawn out manner. Although, it may have been loud enough for Ada to hear, as the large hyeness seemed to press one of her mate's shoulders down tightly in response, as if to keep the dark furred wolf from adding anymore than a hushed whisper to the scene. The sight alone was enough the chuckle he had been holding down out of him.

“We were running ourselves ragged trying to get everything we needed and still hit all the right trains to get us here in time!” The goat shook his head briskly. “ Naturally we had to cut a few corners along the way, bu-”

“Is that how you ended up in that?” Vernon smirked, gesturing to the billy's tacky attire. The wolf couldn't help himself, the more he watched the goat excitedly tell his tale, the more distracted he was by the eye-catching nature of his extremely retro attire. The ruffles of the dress shirt swishing flamboyantly with each arm movement, demanding the attention of everyone within eye-shot, begging to be addressed. Melanie didn't seem to be doing any better at keeping her cool, the nanny visibly struggling to stifle a giggle of her own at the wolf's remark.

“It's not like I hoof-picked this thing!” Gus whined, crossing his arms defensively. “None of the shops had anything for a goat in my size!”

Vernon could barely contain his snickering at Gus' rather impassioned attempt to justify himself. And looking to Melly for any sort of support was simply not an option. He could tell by the sound of her choked, strangled half-giggles that simply looking her way would cause the both of them to bust out into full cackles. But regardless, their reactions only seemed to further incise Gus'.

“We already stopped at two different tux rental places!” Gus continued. “It was either try a third place and risk not getting a tux at all, or stopping at my parents on the way up and borrowing one from my dad!” Gus huffed.

Now the relic of a tux made all the more sense to the wolf, as he was certain there wasn't a self-respecting tailor in all of Zootopia who would still be selling a suit like that as anything other than an elaborate gag.

“Naw, n-naw...” Vernon held a balled paw in front of his muzzle. It was doing a poor job of hiding his wide smile, but for the moment it was keeping the laughter in. “I-It...” The wolf coughed awkwardly. “Y-ya look fine...really.”

The goat ran a rough hoof through his hair, letting out a snort in irritation. But despite his clear annoyance, Gus seemed to be fighting back a smile of his own.

“It's your fault for deciding to have a tithe on one of the biggest wedding weekends of the year!” The goat laughed, leaning his head into his hoof. “Now I have to spend the evening wearing my dad's old senior prom get-up!”

Vernon was somewhat surprised he had hit the nail on the head when it came to just what the old suit was supposed to be for. Then again, perhaps he vaguely remembered it despite the fact that neither of them had gone to prom. In fact, the more Vernon ruminated on it, the more he was certain Gus had shown him the old get-up when they were younger, saying something to the effect of 'even if I had a date, there is no way I'm getting caught dead in this thing!'”

That was all Melanie seemed to be able to take, as the she-goat let out a loud, snorting laugh. Vernon glanced over to find her practically howling at the moon above, her glasses lifted slightly to allow her hoof to rest gently over her eyes while the other braced her stomach.

“It's true!” The nanny laughed aloud. “I-It was his o-old mam's, pft!” Melanie placed a hoof on her knee to keep herself steady as she struggled to get a hold of her laughter. From somewhere behind him, Vernon heard a distinctly hyena-sounding cackle. Although whether Ada was laughing along with them, or it was simply her nerves acting up, the wolf wasn't sure.

“ Yes...” Gus let out a tired sigh. “It was in fashion during the North Meadowland's 'Discow' senior prom of '87.” The goat shook his head. “Bu-”

“Mister Hornsley w-was so proud of it!” Melanie cut the billy off, her added insult to injury coming out in a semi-hissed statement through parted teeth. The she-goat pawed at one of her eyes weakly, wiping away the stray tears that had began to form.

“A-And when Gus asked about h-his real tux, he said 'if it was good enough for me, it will be more than enough for you!'” Melly hissed.

“'Good enough for me' my hoof.” Gus said bitterly, the goat flashing his friend and exhausted expression. “He wouldn't give me his good tux because they had another wedding they had to go to.”

“Oh.” Vernon replied. His laughter little more than a few stray snickers now.

“They wanted to be here.” Gus grimaced softly. “But y'know, the short notice and everything...”

“I figured.” Vernon replied.

“They do send their love though.” Melanie interjected, letting out a pleasant sigh as her laughter died away. “And Misses Hornsley says she owes you both a wedding gift.”

“That makes my parents, and us...” Gus said uneasily, the billy rubbing at his neck with a hoof. “Picking out a wedding gift requires actual time and thought, which...er...” The goat muttered. “We didn't exactly have.”

Vernon chuckled softly. “It's alright, I'm just glad yer both here.”

The goat grasped at his tuxedo with a hoof, tugging at it slightly while gesturing at it with his other hoof. "That's why I was willing to put up with wearing this hideous thing for the evening!" With a final terse tug, the goat released his grip on the material, slapping his hoof against the podium as he let out an exasperated sigh.

"I wasn't going to take a chance of being late and letting you and Dawn down." The goat said, with a small smile. "If not as the deejay, or the pastor, or even your best mam'." The goat's smile grew slightly, revealing his teeth despite his expression looking somewhat uncomfortable. "But y'know..." The goat shrugged. "Your best friend."

Vernon smiled widely, the wolf once again reaching over the podium to pull the little billy into a hug. Unlike last time, this was more of a genuine hug, lacking the playful hair-tussling as the wolf reached an arm around the billy and pat his back affectionately. Gus' did the same in kind, the goat doing his best to work a hoof around the wolf as he returned the gesture with as tight a squeeze as he could muster.

“I really can't...” Vernon chuckled. “I really just can't tell ya'll how glad I am to see y'all both.” Vernon's voice broke slightly as he pat the goat on the back. “I've been frettin' so badly over this whole thing over the last few hours.” 

With a final pat, the goat drew back from the hug, taking a moment to straighten his bow-tie before eyeing the wolf curiously. 

“Really?” Gus asked. “I know you said you were nervous, but that bad?” The billy continued. 

Vernon watched as Gus' irises darted from side to side, the goat seemingly scanning the crowd before leaning toward the wolf. Gus placed a hoof against the side of his muzzle, presumably in an attempt to better hide whatever he was going to say from prying eyes and ears.

"You aren't getting cold feet are you?" Gus whispered in a serious, concerned-sounding tone. 

“Naw.” Vernon shook his head briskly. “That ain't it.”

The goat looked immediately relieved, as if he had narrowly avoided a conversation he wasn't entirely sure he was suited for. 

“Then what's the problem?” The billy asked curiously.

This time it was the wolf's turn to lean in close, the large mammal placing a paw aside his snout as he spoke in a hushed tone.

“I'm tearin' my fur out over these vows.” Vernon whispered. “ I can't get anythin' good down, and I'm purty much out of time!”

Gus drew back slightly, the goat tugging at his own collar in clear discomfort. It was a gesture that did little to ease the wolf's fears. Seeming the realize this, the goat attempted to hide his unease by putting on a shaky smile. 

"I uh...er.." Gus scratched the gauze on his head before placing the hoof to his chin, the billy stroking his beard in thought. "I'll be honest Vern..." The goat's poor attempt at a smile faltered. "I want to have advice for you, but-" Gus shook his head. "This sort of thing isn't really my strong suit."

Vernon's ears flattened against his head as he let out a soft whine.

"Y'all ain't got nothin' that isn't canned advice?" The wolf pleaded, gesturing to the mammals behind him. "C'mon mam', you're the one who wrote all those B and B campaigns!" The wolf whispered in a strained tone.

“Yeah, but that's about killing monsters and fighting ancient evils!” Gus replied. “It's not the type of writing that calls for a lot of prose and flowery language!”

The goat continued to stroke his beard thoughtfully. “If only Broomie was here.” He sighed. “He's great with poetry, that's why he always play a bard.”

Vernon let out a tired groan. Dylan Broomie, another member of their beast and battlefields sessions and friend from college would probably have had decent advice. The pudgy little sheep took great pride in writing poems and lyrics for his characters to recite, and was probably the wordiest mammal Vernon knew aside from Dawn. 

With that, Gus leaned around the podium, gesturing Melanie to join the impromptu huddle. Melanie carefully leaned up on her hooves to join the pair.

“Melly, Vernon's having trouble with his vows.” Gus whispered.

“Ooh.” Melanie retracted sharply, as if she had been jabbed with a pin. “Really?”

Just like Gus, Melly's candid demeanor was doing little to instill confidence in the wolf.

“Yes.” Vernon muttered. “Really.”

Melanie glanced back to her mate. “Like...how so?”

“Like I ain't got nothin' written down here good enough fer Dawn that's what!” Vernon hissed. “It's a mess, and I'm out o' time!” The wolf whined. “Please tell me y'all got some advice that doesn't boil down to 'just say what feels right'!”

Melanie bit her lip uneasily.

“H-Honestly that was the advice I was going to give.” Melanie's replied weakly. The she-goat nibbled at her hoof nervously for a moment, before seemingly realizing she was eating at her own hoof polish and stopping herself.

Vernon let out an exasperated sigh before thumping his against the podium, the wolf's stance slackening as he allowed his head to rest there.

“Honey! D-Don't press y-yer face down l-like that!” It was his mother's voice, the warbling tone was choked with the sound of tears as she called out. “You'll m-mess y-yer make-u-up up!”

Vernon let out a beleaguered groan.

“I mean, he looked nervous, but I figured that was just pre-tithing jitters.” That had come for Melanie. She had spoken in a hushed whisper, though it had failed to be hushed enough for Vernon's ears to be unable to pick up.

The wolf let out a tired sigh, bringing his head up enough to furrow his brow at the goat couple.

“I'll remember this when y'all get tithed, or wedded, or whatever goats do.” Vernon huffed softly.

Gus seemed to freeze at that remark, the discomfort and unease over the idea visibly etched into his features as he glared back to the wolf. Melanie however, seemed undaunted by Gus' apparent horror at such a notion, flashing the goat a wry smile.

“Goats get married just like sheep do.” Melanie said, briefly regarding the wolf as she spoke. “It's why Gus' can even perform Dawn's part of the ceremony.” The nanny raised a curious brow as she leaned in slightly closer to her mate. “And just when is our wedding coming along Gussy?”

Gus groaned, his muzzle tightening around clenched teeth. But Melanie continued undeterred.

“Six years is a long time to make a girl wait.” Melanie flashed the goat a wide grin before turning her attention back to the wolf slumped over the podium. “Don't you think so Vernon?”

Gus rolled his eyes, gesturing a hoof to his mate as he glared down at Vernon.

“Thanks for getting her started.” The goat lamented.

The wolf offered his friend a meek smile. “Hey, what are friends for?”

Gus rolled his eyes, letting out a derisive snort before opening his muzzle. But before the billy had a chance to deliver whatever sort of comeback he had come up with, a sudden, loud, but all too familiar 'clack' sounded out over the relatively quiet procession. The startling sound caused Vernon to jolt to his feet, his ears standing sharp and alert as his heart forced it's way back up into his throat. There was no mistaking the sound of the old, creaky porch door slamming back into its frame, and considering that Vernon had seen the majority of his family and friends already waiting outside, there seemed to be only one possible mammal left inside that could have been the cause for the noise. He knew that once he turned to look back toward the top of the aisle, he would see his mate standing there waiting for him. Looking back at him with those enchanting green eyes and glowing smile, looking to him with an adoration he was certain some other mammal with proper vows was more deserving of.

With that realization, the wolf's throat suddenly felt very dry. The lump that had rapidly formed in his gullet seeming impossible to swallow as the sweat began to pool on his brow. All the while, that frighteningly familiar sense of paralyzation had started to creep back into his muscles, forcing the wolf stock still as his lungs struggled to expand against his frozen chest. The sense of stage fright was coming back in full swing, and Vernon could barely fight back against the tide of emotions and thoughts that were now flashing through his mind at light speed. A series of frightening scenarios playing out like film strips in his head, showing the wolf every possible way he could ruin the ceremony for himself and his mate in horrifying clarity. Whether flubbing his lines, or stumbling over the podium somehow, each scene came to a conclusion with his 'Honey Lamb' in tears thanks to his ineptitude or clumsiness. 

But running counter to the overwhelming fear of hackling the tithe up was the other parts of the wolf's mind that were once again screaming at him to move. To simply turn and face the music. He could hear his the various members of his families in his head, recalling their reassurances to him that everything would go smoothly. His mother, his father, his brothers and sisters, hell even Yuri. He could hear the collective advice of each mammal as they had spoken to him throughout the day, and picture them as they were when he first strode nervously down the aisle. The confident gestures and encouraging smiles battling back the tide of fear and uncertainty that was lapping at the wolf's courage. But what managed to break the dam of fear, and spur the wolf into action was the memory of Dawn's smiling, tearful face when he had brought up the idea of marrying her on the train ride just three days earlier. That beautiful face, and those lovely green eyes glimmering with such hope and joy. Much like Gus had been afraid of letting Vernon and Dawn down by simply not being there, Vernon was more afraid of letting his Honey Lamb down by being too afraid to try.

Balling his fists, the wolf drew in a sharp breath, taking a moment to put on a braver face before turning to face his future. But all his effort to rally his courage gave way to momentary confusion when he became aware of Gus and Melanie's curious expressions. Gus in particular didn't seem fazed or spurred to get his notes together and straighten his stance. Instead, he seemed rather bemused by whatever was going on behind the wolf, the billy wearing a smug grin more befitting of someone like Officer Wilde than the dorky mammal that stood before him. And Melanie, while not as smug, seemed to be trying to stifle a giggle or two at the sight behind the wolf. It was most definitely the kind of reaction that one would expect came with the gravity or importance that the bride's arrival.

“Ah, there's Mister back-up plan.” Gus said with a chuckle.

The off the cuff, albeit rather curious statement, was enough to get the wolf to turn around without hesitation. And while he hadn't been sure exactly what to expect based on Gus' comment, he still could barely wrap his head around just who he was seeing.

At the end of the aisle, and closing in fast was a small, distinctly familiar ram. The older mammal dressed in a fine green suit and matching top hat, which he kept clutched to his head with a hoof as he rushed toward the altar. His horns neatly polished, and his wool finely maintained much as the wolf had remembered it being from the fair two days prior. And his expression almost as equally as constipated looking as when the diminutive sheep had led an angry mob to his mother's stand with the intention of running them out of the fair entirely. There was no mistaking it, the mammal currently heading Vernon's way was none other than the North Meadowland's representative, Damon Ruddy.

The wolf couldn't even begin to fathom why he was there, or why he was currently barreling down the aisle as fast as his stubby little legs could carry him. For a moment he assumed the worst, that the little ram had gone out of his way to personally try and shut down the couple's tithe for some spurious reason. Perhaps he had somehow caught wind of the whole affair and dug around to find some ancient law on the books to use to as a means to shut down the wedding. But the fact that Gus had referred to him as the 'back-up' had piqued the wolf's curiously enough to keep from taking a more defensive posture as the ram finally arrived at the front of the aisle.

Damon Ruddy leaned a hoof against the altar, the little ram gasping for air as he drew his other hoof across his brow. Apparently, the short sprint had taken a lot out of him.

“Damon Ruddy...” Vernon grumbled. The wolf couldn't help but sneer at the tiny ram after everything he put he and his mate through, let alone his family. 

The little neatly dressed lamb glanced up at Vernon with a somewhat pathetic expression. He held a finger up as if he was going to speak, but his labored breathing prevented little more than a few stuttered and incomplete words from slipping out of his muzzle between gasps.

“Vernon, this guy was gonna be the back-up 'caprid officiate' if I wasn't able to make it on time.” Gus interjected, seemingly speaking for the winded ram.

Vernon quickly turned back to his friend, his eyes widening in surprise.

“Ruddy?” Vernon asked in a bewildered tone. “Y'all mean he was gonna...?”

“Y-your father...” Damon wheezed, drawing the wolf's attention to the ram doubled over to his side.

“H-He asked me p-personally if I could f-fill in.” The ram gasped. “A-And after what happened I-I...”The ram shook his head briskly, his hat nearly slipping off his head in the process. “I knew I had to help...I had to m-make it up to everyone.” The ram panted, shifting his hat back in place with a hoof.

“To your family, to you and your mate.” The ram straightened himself up slightly as his breathing seemed to ease. “I-I shouldn't have stood by and let what happened well...happen.”

Vernon crossed his arms, furrowing his brow dubiously at the little ram. “Didn't seem too broke up about it at the time.” The wolf muttered. “Only thing you seemed worried about is pleasin' the mob.” Vernon snorted. “Gotta look good fer re-election right?”

Damon Ruddy let out a sad sigh as he took a moment to straighten his own bow-tie, dusting off the fringe of his jacket with an idle hoof.

“I'll be honest with you young Hunter.” Ruddy murmured uneasily. “I had no idea that crowd was bandying about your family until they lead me to the stand.” The ram scoffed. “Practically dragged me there with that she-wolf egging them on.” The little sheep took a moment to adjust his hat once more, carefully aligning the rim with the edge of his head wool in an attempt to hide his receding wool line. “I'll admit it's a rather poor excuse, but...well...I panicked.” The ram lamented. “I just slipped into public relations mode, and promptly shoved both hooves in my mouth at every turn.”

Vernon let out a derisive snort, turning his snout up and away from the ram.

“It was wrong of me.” The ram muttered. “Even if I didn't know your family personally, it was still morally reprehensible.” The diminutive ram sighed. “But that said...while I may be a government official.” Ruddy continued. “I was your mother and father's friend long before I took this job.” The ram chuckled weakly. “And I realized a little too late that I may have let my political aspirations get in the way of the loyalty to the mammals who helped get me where I am now when they needed me most.”

The ram glanced over at Audrey, offering the she-wolf a meek smile.

"For as long as I can remember ol' Dori has always been there to save my mutton." The ram chuckled. "Even way back in kitnergarden, that ol' law-dog was always keeping me out of harm's way, even at the cost of his own safety." The diminutive ram shook his head. "And I'm well overdue on repaying the favor."

The she-wolf smiled through the wad of tissues she had clamped against her snout, blowing into the paper so sharply it pricked up a few ears in the crowd before the she-wolf switched over to a fresh tissue. 

“I may get a few angry phone calls come Monday if the tithe makes the local papers.” Ruddy continued. “But it's a price I'm more than willing to pay.”

“I don-.' Vernon mouthed in confusion. “I don't think I fully understand.” The wolf was dumbstruck. Surely the ram even being here was a major risk to his image in the eyes of the North Meadowlands population. Yet here he was, prepared, or at least, he had been prepared to take Gus' place at the altar should the goat had failed to show. Vernon was stunned, so much so he could barely muster a response. 

"I me-mean Gus...?" Vernon finally managed, glancing back to his friend. "I mean he's here...?" Vernon pointed a claw back at the one-horned goat. 

Ruddy nodded briskly. “Thankfully so.” The sheep offered a meek smile. “I was worried I would come off a bit more...eh... impersonal had I been up there.” The diminutive ram rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. “It probably would have been awkward for both you and Miss Bellwether.”

Vernon furrowed his brow in confusion. 

“Then yer just here for what?” The wolf asked. “To give yer blessin'? Apologize? Both?” Vernon said with a huff.

“Well...” The sheep said, clearing his throat sharply as he pulled open his jacket. Reaching into his breast pocket, the ram extracted a folded piece of paper, and with a few flicks of his wrist the document fell open. “While I'm sure Mister Hornsley will do a fine job as your minister, I'm afraid I'm the only one among us who can certify a partnership license for the both of you on such short notice.” The ram concluded, holding the paper up toward the wolf. “Although...I would be lying if I said I didn't find it fortuitous, as it....well...” The ram paused, seemingly slightly uncomfortable. “It gives me something I can help provide the both of you with after all the trouble I've caused.”

Vernon grasped the edge of the page, leaning down slightly in order to better make out the writing. A cursory glance was enough to tell the wolf it was indeed a partnership license, something the wolf had almost entirely forgotten about since he and Dawn had discussed it on the train ride up to the North Meadowlands. Indeed, it had been little more than an afterthought at the time, something the pair would have to wait until they returned from the holiday to start the process of certifying, but its importance could not be understated. While the tithe or wedding held a symbolic importance to the couple, as well as their families, it was the 'partnership license' that acted as the legally binding announcement to Animalia as a whole that Dawn and himself were a real couple, and a permanent one. 

“Y-You mean...yer gonna-?” Vernon quirked a brow at the ram curiously. 

Ruddy gently pulled the document free of Vernon's paw before gingerly folding the paper back up and carefully placing it back into his breast pocket, giving the pocket a pat with his hoof as he flashed the wolf a small smile.

“You two can sign it right after the service.” The ram's smile broadened. “And I can guarantee you I will have it processed first thing tomorrow morning!” Ruddy tapped his thumb and forefinger together sharply, an attempt to imitate a 'snap' that those without hooves could more easily perform. “Won't even take my first sip of morning coffee till it's processed.”

The ram closed his eyes, letting out a chuckle as he pulled at the edges of his jacket. “Your partnership license may be registered in the Meadowlands, but as you probably already know it doesn't matter where you have it filed in order for it to be considered valid in the city.” Ruddy shook his head. “And It won't take nearly as long either, I can assure you.” The ram stated proudly.

Ruddy was right, of course. Vernon had known the risks when proposing the idea to Dawn on the train ride up. Even if they had promptly filled out the application, and submitted it the day they returned to Zootopia, there was no chance the license would have been certified the same day, let alone the same week for a number of reasons. The largest of which was that, for whatever reason, perhaps in the name of mammal inclusion, or because such jobs were already not ones that were associated with speed, most lower level civil service positions were held by sloths. That fact alone assured that the license would have taken weeks, if not months to be processed and actually make it to the desk of a mammal who could actually sign off on it. And that was barring the document didn't go 'missing' at the hooves or claws of some moral busybody who had a personal vendetta against pred/prey relationships. Needless to say, in Zootopia their partnership license would have realistically taken months to process even if they filed it tomorrow.

But here was Mister Ruddy, a mammal who knew the circumstances but was willing to guarantee them a license by tomorrow morning, fully certified and legalized, perhaps even at the cost of his political standing. The ram taking it upon himself to clear the last barrier he and Dawn would have been faced with upon returning to Zootopia, and thus allowing the two to simply relax and enjoy the ceremony without having to worry about that extra step.

"Mr. Ruddy...I..." Vernon muttered, running a paw through his scalp before placing it on the ram's shoulder. "I....I don't even know how to begin to thank ya'll..."

“Don't thank me young Hunter.” Ruddy frowned slightly. “It really isn't enough to truly make amends for how I acted the other day.” The older ram sighed. “But at the very least, it gives me some form of help I can offer.”

Vernon smiled softly at the ram, patting his shoulder gently.

“I think it's more than enough Mister Ruddy.” Vernon replied, “And I'm willin' to fergive you.” The wolf knelt slightly, extending a paw to the diminutive ram for a pawshake. Damon flashed the wolf a genuine smile, taking the wolf's paw in his both hooves and shaking it with vigor.

“Thank you Vernon.” Ruddy replied. “Thank you for giving me a chance.”

Vernon smiled broadly. “And thank y'all for doin' this service fer us.” The wolf glanced over his shoulder, gesturing his head with a slight bob toward the porch at the head of the aisle.

“I'm sure Dawn would want to tell ya the sa-”

“Miss Bellwether!” The ram sputtered, his eyes growing wide as he suddenly snapped to attention. With a sudden jerk, the ram had yanked his hooves free of Vernon's grip with such force it nearly caused the wolf to stumble on to him. Taking a moment to steady himself, the wolf opened his mouth to ask the ram just what was wrong, but Ruddy had spun on his heels in a blink. The little sheep spinning quickly to face Gus, he nearly lost his hat in the process.

“Mister Hornsley!” The ram's voice cracked slightly as he straightened his hat with a hoof, Ruddy sharply clearing his throat in an apparent effort to hide the break in tone. “A word please?” Ruddy asked, gesturing the goat to lean down to his level.

The goat gave a soft nod before leaning around the side of the podium and bending downward, carefully lifting one of his rather floppy ears as he turned it toward the diminutive ram. Vernon watched curiously as Ruddy leaned in closer to Gus' ear, holding a hoof up to in a clear move to hide his muzzle from Vernon's line of sight. 

For a moment the wolf debated internally whether it was worthwhile to try and eavesdrop on the muffled conversation Ruddy was having with his friend. On the one paw, he was growing weary of the continued bursts of secrecy regarding the ceremony and almost everything surrounding it. Didn't the wolf know everything at this point? Or at least the largest, most important things regarding the ceremony? But on the other paw, the fact that the two seemed to care enough to speak in hushed whispers right in front of the wolf must have meant there was some degree of importance to it, and perhaps, that it would be revealed before Vernon had time to really question it. 

As if reading the wolf's thoughts, almost as soon as Vernon went to open his muzzle again, Gus' eyes had widened almost as much as Ruddy's had, and the goat quickly drew back to the podium. 

Gus cleared his throat sharply, grasping a few of the notes scattered on the podium in front of him into his hooves and tapping them against the surface in order to straighten them all at once. Glancing back up at Vernon, the goat offered a nervous smile.

“Give me two seconds Vern.” The goat said, holding up two fingers before quickly placing the cards back on the podium and ducking behind it. 

Once again, the podium rattled as the billy shuffled about with things unseen, the speakers letting out another sharp crackle that cut through the melodic song for a brief moment. Another loud crackle, and Vernon had his paws over his ears, his eyes closed tightly in response to the increasingly painful sound.

“Gus! Can y-!?”

“Dags!” He could hear the goat hiss from behind the stand. “Sorry, sorry!”

One more crackle, and the speakers fell silent. In the sudden absence of the music, the quiet fall air briefly filled with the quiet murmurs of the crowd, as well as the faintest chirps of a few stray crickets that had somehow managed to withstand the growing autumn chill.

“Is this part of the-?”

Vernon had turned to ask the ram that had been standing at his side exactly what was happening. But he was already gone, Ruddy having taken a seat at a small desk Vernon had failed to notice on the far left of the altar. The ram offered Vernon a cheerful smile as he waved from his seat.

“You've got this young Hunter!” The older ram called loudly. His voice filled with enthusiasm as he tapped a pen against the desk with his other hoof. “Keep your muzzle held high and you'll do just fine!”

"Hold! O-on!" Gus hissed from backstage as the podium shook again. " I hope it'll be easier to work in the reception area than-Aha! Got it!"

There was one last ear-splitting crackle before another song began to rise over the soft breeze of the evening autumn air. A song that Vernon recognized from the moment the first few keys of the piano drifted lazily out over the loudspeakers. One didn't need to be well versed in any one particular bonding ceremony, whether predator or prey, to recognize the melody. It was played at nearly every single affair, and it signified a very specific moment that was practically universal across all ceremonies respectively. The lovely, enchanting melody that acted as the herald for the bride to make her appearance, and begin her march down the aisle.

Vernon's heart began to beat frantically, well above the tempo of the slow, soothing melody that now surrounded him as it traveled across the cool, crisp night air. He could feel the anxiety returning, the knot within his stomach twisting and gnashing as he tugged uneasily at his collar. That familiar sense of petrification was overtaking him once more, not that it mattered much this time around. At some point, in the confusion and noise created by Ruddy and Gus' antics, he had spun on his heels to look back at his friends and family and gauge their reaction for some sort of clue as to what was going on, and now he found his gaze fixed squarely on the screen door of the back porch. Vernon was sure the expression on his muzzle wasn't all too becoming of an expecting groom. What little he could feel in the creeping numbness that had overtaken his body told him that his eyes were wide, unblinking, as they remained fixed on the door. He could only imagine he looked something like a deer in headlights, something he had always been largely certain was strictly a cervine problem based on the name, at least up until this very moment. A sudden surge of surprise and shock so powerful it left his mind blank, simply staring into the oblivion of the last thing that had drawn his attention. 

Well, blank save for one small reassuring thought. That at the very least the wolf could take some solace, however small, in the fact that what was to come didn't require any more movement on his part. He was where he should have been, and facing the right way.

His breathing hitched in his throat as the screen door slowly began to open. The wolf's mind firing off a final smattering of panicked thoughts regarding his vows as if they were flares being fired from a rapidly sinking ship. Words, fragments of poetic statements rapidly shuffling about his mind in a last ditch attempt to pull a vow worthy of his mate mixing with the rising panic that continued to ramp up as each paltry attempt was cast aside as quickly as it was formed together. For a brief moment, as the cacophony of conflicting, arguing thoughts seemed to reach a zenith, the wolf felt as though he was going to faint from the pressure. But as the door gave way to what awaited beyond, the bells, the whistles, the warning flares, all of them were snuffed out in an instant. Hushed and eased into a comforting silence by the sight of the mammal that now stood in the open doorway.

Dawn Bellwether, Floofy, his Honey Lamb. The wolf found himself at a loss for words as his previously hitched breath simply left him. The air pulled from his lungs by the sheer, overwhelming sense of awe that rippled through him like an aftershock. But despite his wordless state, the wolf felt no fear, no sense of anxiety or feelings of panic. It had all left him despite the fact that he simply could scarcely conceive of any word, or words that could do Dawn justice. Surely there were hundreds of words he knew that he could have used, ones he had in fact used to describe her countless times before. And there were even more that he was certain she would have known, but even so, he was sure they would have all fallen short of even beginning to describe the ewe who stood at the top of the aisle. Vernon was convinced there was not a single word in the entire Animanglish language that could properly encapsulate his Honey Lamb in that moment, as well as just how he felt about her. And though it ran completely contrary to all the fear and anxiety that had preceded it over the wolf's desperate struggle to create the perfect set of vows, Vernon felt oddly serene. He was satisfied, even somehow relieved. He had no words capable of describing the beauty of his mate, and yet he felt as if it was the only natural response.

In that moment all the fear, all the doubts that lingered on the edge of his mind simply fell away. As did the aisles, the lights, and faces, everything around him as he stared back at his blushing bride. All the emotional weight that had at one point felt like a crushing boulder simply withering and drifting away like the few stray autumn leaves that littered the meadow in the face of the elegant ewe that began to glide down the aisle. His eyes struggling to take in every facet of the angel that was slowly striding toward him. His best friend and the love of his life, his Dawn.

Her head wool was styled, her trademarked tall spherical poof styled into a lazy 'peek-a-boo' drape over the lens of her right eye. Her traditional tortoiseshell frames swapped out for a pair of lavender cat-eye specs, encrusted with rhinestones on the top ends of the frame. The gemstones twinkled in the low moonlight but paled in comparison to the ewe's own tears as they streamed from her brilliant lime green eyes. Eyes that glimmered with a sense of hope and overwhelming joy as they stared up into his own, never leaving his gaze as she grew closer still. 

And her smile...by the gods her smile...The ewe had tried to partially hide it behind the bouquet full of purple, yellow and auburn flowers she clutched tightly to her chest, Perhaps it was modesty or bashfulness that made her seek to hide that warm, inviting smile. Yet even being eclipsed by the floral assortment did little to diminish the effect it had on the wolf. His former numbness now flushed away, and replaced with a surge of warmth and excitement as a smile of his own forced its way from ear to ear. 

The gown that clung to her curvy, petite form was simple, but elegant. The pale white fabric appearing to glow slightly under the pale moonlight. The edges of the fabric fading into a dusty-colored lilac at the fringes where cloth met the ewe's soft, peach colored skin. The rather cool tones creating a delightful, enticing contrast to the warm flesh kissed by blushes of pink on her shoulders, cheeks, and snout. 

She was glowing, beaming. The light of her radiance exuding from her in waves so powerful that, had there been any lingering fear left in the wolf, it would have collapsed under the sheer intensity of the smile it had drawn out of him, and the joyful tears it had drawn to his eyes. 

It was a light the wolf had always known was there. Something he knew had been browbeaten into submission over the course of the little ewe's life by the likes her father, Lionheart, Doug, and various other cruel and twisted mammals. But slowly, over the course of their time together she had been learning to let that light shine more and more each day, and the wolf savored every little glimmer she willingly shared with him as though it were a treasure more precious than gold.

It was there in the way she smiled at him, in the way she said his name. The light glimmering in her laugh and radiating warmth every time his lips met hers. It was in her soft, comfortable sighs and errant bleats as she nuzzled deeply into his pelt while she slept, her head nestled right up against his heart. A light and heat that would swell to an all-consuming, blinding inferno during their most intimate moments, and smoldered lazily in the afterglow as they lay there curled up with one another, talking until the sun rose the next day. It was Dawn, the real Dawn. In her most pure form. The Dawn he always knew was she was, the way he had always seen her. And that light. That bright, shining, inviting, all-encompassing warm light that came from his ewe, his Dawn. It was glowing for him, because of him. And now, the rest of those closest to him could see his Honey Lamb just as he did.

Vernon wasn't sure how much time had passed watching Dawn march toward him, although it mattered little to the wolf at this point. The only desire he had at the moment was simply to live in it forever. To simply spend an eternity drinking in the majesty and beauty of the love of his life as she drew closer and closer to him. But at some point, the ewe finally arrived, coming to a stop a mere few inches from the wolf. Dawn's smile grew meek, the ewe blushing intensely as she shifted the bouquet further in front of her face coyly.

“H-Hi...” Dawn stuttered softly, the blush across her muzzle intensify as spoke.

“Howdy.” Vernon's smile widened to reveal his fangs as he gazed down at the shy little ewe. 

Dawn giggled nervously in response, shrinking a little more behind the bouquet of mums and wildflowers clutched tightly in her hooves.

"What's wrong Darlin'?" Vernon asked in an amused tone. He wanted to hug her right then and there, to scoop her into his arms and snuggle up to her cheek, the overwhelming adoration he felt for the ewe only amplified by her adorable behavior. But he had to hold out, at least long enough to get through the ceremony. The wolf watched his mate squirming slightly, the blush never leaving her face as she shyly looked down to the bottom fringe of her dress.

“P-Puppy...I-I-.” Dawn murmured, the ewe's voice trembling with what sounded like a mixture of nervousness and excitement. “The way y-you're looking at me...”

“Don't like it?” Vernon asked in concern.

“No!” Dawn's reply was quick and loud, the ewe popping her head up from behind her bouquet to rebuff the wolfs claim so loudly that she seemed startled by her own voice. His bride's blush returned, and she quickly shrank behind the barrier of flowers clutched to the chest once more in embarrassment. Hidden behind the apparent safety of her bouquet, the ewe shuddered before letting out a nervous laugh.”I mean I do! Of course I do!” Dawn added. The ewe's tone was significantly quieter, the ewe trying to sound more casual despite the clear nervousness in her voice.

“Like it, I mean...” 

Dawn averted her gaze downward. “Oh mutton chops.” The timid little lamb murmured.

Vernon chuckled softly. His mate was already painfully cute, and the fact that she was flustered only made her that much cuter.

“Of course y-you're looking at me. I'm the bride, I-.” Dawn muttered, seemingly thinking out loud rather than talking directly to her mate. The ewe let out a shuddering, slow sigh, shaking her head as though she was trying to get a hold of herself. “I really am, I'm getting married...” The ewe said wistfully, a dreamy look overtaking her for a moment as she stared back up at the wolf. Vernon watched as a goofy grin crawled across her muzzle. “Oh...Vernon...” The murmured softly. “This is really happening isn't it?”

Vernon chuckled softly. “It sure is Darlin'.”

The ewe's blush returned, her muzzle flushing crimson as she shrank back into her shoulders.

“I-I'm sorry Puppy, I-I'm-” The ewe buried her muzzle deeper into her bouquet as she grew increasingly flustered.

“I-I'm just a little nervous is all...” Dawn glanced up at her mate, her awkward smile shifting periodically to reveal her teeth. “And excited! But nervous too!” The ewe stammered weakly. “Is that okay? Is it okay to be nervous?”

Vernon let out a soft chuckle, the wolf bending down on one knee in order to meet his bride at eye level, or at least as close as he could get before placing a reassuring paw on her shoulder.

“You feel however y'all want Honey Lamb.” Vernon cooed. “It's yer day.”

Dawn had practically buried her muzzle into the bouquet itself by this point, her voice presumably muffled by the flowers as she spoke. “I-It's our day.”

Vernon smiled broadly, nodding in agreement. “It is our day.”

“I j-just.” The ewe averted her gaze slightly. “Everything happened so fast, and I-, I mean-.” The ewe glanced back at the wolf uneasily. “I mean I'm so excited, b-but I just...” Dawn shook her head briskly.

“What is it Darlin'?” Vernon asked.

The ewe's eyes shifted away from his again, a pout forming on her muzzle as she slunk back into her bouquet.

“I wanted to-to-.” Dawn stammered. “I mean I couldn't-.”

With another shudder, the ewe suddenly straightened her stance. Letting out a slow, deliberate sigh. Dawn lowered the bouquet before setting her gaze back on the wolf.

“I couldn't come up with any good vows.” Dawn whimpered sadly. “I've been wracking my brain all day and I just...” Dawn shook her head briskly. “Nothing I came up with seemed good e-enough for-!” The ewe's lip quivered slightly, the start of a fresh wave of tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

“Hey, hey...” The wolf cooed softly, caressing Dawn's cheek with a paw. There was a part of the wolf that wanted to laugh at the irony of the whole situation. To know that his mate had been fretting and fussing as badly if not worse than he had over his vows. But just the sight of those tears was enough to cause the wolf's heart to drop. Tears of joy were one thing, but to see his Honey Lamb so broken up over what felt like a trifle now on the most important night of their lives was simply criminal, and the wolf was going to do everything in his power to keep her smiling.

Dawn gently clasped his paw with her hoof, pressing it deeper into her face and leaning into it affectionately. 

“Everything I came up w-with just...It just felt like...” Dawn sniffled slightly. “It felt like it wasn't good enough, you know?” The ewe asked. “It wasn't good enough for you.” Dawn shuddered slightly. “Maybe I'm not-.”

“Hey.” Vernon cut Dawn off by placing a finger to her muzzle before shifting it under her chin to keep her eyes on his own. 

“Don't y'all even finish that sentence.” Vernon said softly, offering his Honey Lamb a warm, gentle smile. “You know it ain't true.”

Dawn lifted her lenses, swabbing at her eye lamely with a hoof. “B-But-”

“You ain't alone Darlin'.” Vernon said, offering the ewe a meek smile. “Before you stepped out of that door I was losin' my mind over my own vows fer the same reason.”

The diminutive ewe quirked a brow dubiously.

“Really?” Dawn asked.

Vernon smirked. “Is it so hard to believe?” 

Dawn gave a weak, shuddering shrug, her apparent nervousness causing her to twitch slightly. “I do-.” The ewe murmured. “I mean you...I-” The ewe let out an awkward chuckle. “I just...I mean, you're always so much more confident than I am, so I figured...” The ewe slunk back into her bouquet slightly.

“Darlin'.” Vernon cooed. “I wanted what I had to say about you to be as perfect as I know y'all are.” The wolf continued. “Anythin' less would have been a disservice.”

“That's how I felt!” The ewe blurted out, perking up briefly before slinking her muzzle back into her bouquet. The blush on her face returning as her gaze shifted from Vernon once again. “I-I mean...I didn't want to...I was afraid...”

“That's you'd embarrass me?” Vernon asked, flashing the ewe an uneasy smirk. “Er' disappoint me?”

Dawn nodded briskly, her grip around the bouquet of mums and wildflowers visibly tightening as she did.

Vernon placed his paw back on the ewe's cheek, gingerly thumbing away a stray tear as he lovingly regarded his mate.

“You were too, weren't you?” Dawn asked, pressing her hoof over his paw tightly as she looked up at him.

The wolf nodded, letting out a soft sigh.

“Frettin' over the same thing.” Vernon chuckled. “What a pair we are, huh Floofs?” The wolf continued, bobbing his eyebrows playfully.” Guess we are made fer each other after all.”

Dawn giggled softly, kissing the wolf's palm as she continued to nuzzle into his paw. 

“You could never disappoint me Vernon.” Dawn said, her voice was warm and affectionate, her adoring eyes shimmering back at the wolf as she gave his paw a squeeze. “Y-You know that.”

The wolf chuckled softly. “I feel the same way about you Darlin'.” The wolf shook his head softly. “Though it does make me wish we'd been able to talk to each other about this earlier today.” The wolf continued, bracing his neck with a paw and rubbing it awkwardly. “Would of saved us a lot of worryin'.”

Dawn let out a snorting giggle as she withdrew from the wolf's touch, keeping her hoof wrapped around his paw and flashing the wolf an amused smirk.

"Well, they say it is bad luck to see the bride before the wedding." The ewe replied. "Would you want to risk breaking that time-honored tradition over a little vow related jitters?"

Vernon quirked a brow, a wry smile crossing his muzzle. “'Time-honored tradition'?” The wolf laughed, pulling the ewe closer to him. “Who said that? Is that a caprid thing?”

Dawn let out a giggle as the wolf leaned his head on top of her, nuzzling into her styled poof affectionately.

“I read about tithes!” Dawn retorted. “So don't you try to tell me that wolves don't have the same tradition.”

With that, the ewe drew back from his grip, holding the bouquet up to create a floral barrier between himself and the giggling ewe.

“Even so...” The ewe let out a pleasant sigh as she threw a glance toward the crowd of Hunters seated nearby. “The girls were there to help me for the most part...”

“Oh?” Vernon asked.

Dawn blushed slightly, her shy smile returning as she glanced to the rug once more. "I mean, they did their best to help me, but..." Dawn rolled her eyes. "I wasn't really listening to them." The ewe laughed weakly. "Everything I wrote down just seemed terrible regardless of whose advice I took."

Vernon smirked. "I know the feelin'." The wolf replied, eliciting another soft giggle from his diminutive mate. "I asked fer advice, then thought I knew better than the advice they were givin'." Vernon said with a sigh. "Even with Pa."

The wolf paused, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he thought back to his father's words. “Well, maybe he was right after all...” The wolf mused, turning his attention to his lovely little lamb.

The ewe quirked a brow curiously.

“W-what did he say?” Dawn seemed genuinely curious. Vernon could only assume Dawn already knew what his father had done for them to make amends. She probably had the benefit of knowing as much earlier than he had. But he was sure that if he had given the ewe any advice, it hadn't been the same as the advice he had given him. That was something Dorian would have most likely felt was not his place to advise on, it was a task more suited to Audrey, or Dawn's mother.

“That I'd know what to say when the time came.” Vernon sighed. “Because I'd feel it.”

Dawn smiled warmly up at the wolf, reaching a hoof up to caress his cheek thoughtfully.

“Audrey told me the same thing...” Dawn replied, her smile warm and inviting as she looked deep into his eyes. “She told me...” The ewe murmured. “If I spoke from the heart, then my vow couldn't help but be perfect.”

“I think they were both right all along.” Vernon smiled. He could feel tears starting to well in his eyes as he leaned his forehead against hers. “This, right here...it's already perfect.” The wolf cooed. “Anything we have to say will only add to it.”

"O-Oh Puppy." Dawn's lips were mere inches away from his, calling out to the wolf's own to meet them. But just shy of completing the connection, a sudden, loud cough drew the pair's attention back to the mammal standing behind the altar.

“Uh guys...” It had come from Gus, the master of ceremonies, his expression a mixture of reluctance and discomfort. “Look, I hate to break this up but I mean, we're burning moonlight here.” The goat pointed a finger toward the night sky as if to emphasize his point.

Gus' interjection was enough to break the bubble the wolf had found himself in since the moment Dawn had stepped out of the house. The world at large now pulling back into view as he became aware of just how many mammals were now staring at them. They were watching intently, the various members of the Hunter brood wearing expressions of awe and adoration aside from his mother. He was certain she was watching as well, but the clump of tissues she was holding up to her face had grown so large it was hard to make out her expression.

Glancing back to his mate he could tell by just how sharply she was blushing that Gus had made her come to the same realization. They had been in their own little world right up until that moment, forgetting the decorum in favor of simply basking in each other's love. 

With a jerk, the two almost simultaneously drew back from one another, the wolf quickly rising to his feet as they both turned to face the altar. Vernon did his best to force down the blush he was certain had lit up his muzzle, but it wasn't as easy a task as forcing down tears. At the very least the wolf was thankful he was facing away from his family for the moment.

“S-sorry Gus.” Vernon mumbled, tugging at his collar slightly.

“S-sorry.” Dawn echoed the wolf's sentiment.

The goat simply smiled warmly in response, letting out a soft chuckle as he eyed his friends.

"Naw, I'm sorry guys..." The goat laughed. "I mean I know this is a big night for you both, but if you start smooching now we'll never get to the actual rites."

“We ain't that bad.” Vernon muttered.

The goat rolled his eyes. “Tell that to all the Beast and Battlefield games you guys have derailed with your 'romantic character interactions'”. The billy chuckled. “Even me and Melly ain't that bad.”

The wolf blushed intensely at the off-pawed comment, shrinking into his shoulders in embarrassment, and while he wasn't looking at his mate, he could practically feel her do the same. 

“Anyway, let's get to it shall we...” 

“W-wait...wait.” Dawn interjected, drawing the wolf's attention back on his glowing bride. “Puppy?”

The wolf quirked a curious brow. “What is it Darlin'?”

The ewe blushed slightly, averting her gaze from the wolf's own as she shifted her bouquet into a single hoof.

“D-Do I look okay?” The ewe asked, grasping her dress with her free hoof and spreading it as she glanced over her shoulder and down the length of her gown. “I mean, it's a little old but I just, I've always loved this dress and I've-”

“Honey Lamb.” The ewe's nervous tone was enough to tell the wolf she was just shy of working herself into another ramble. “You look as beautiful as the day I met you.”

Dawn blushed sharply, the ewe cowing behind her bouquet one again.

"W-was that the day I was covered in dust and dirt, struggling to get my glasses back and you came to my rescue?" The ewe offered a wry smile. "Or in my oversized hoodie and gaudy Bug Burga uniform?"

Vernon smirked. "Darlin', you could be wearin' an old sac, and to me you'd still be the most gorgeous mammal on two legs." 

Dawn practically buried her face in her bouquet at the remark, The ewe's face flushed so crimson it was practically glowing as let out a meek, stammering mutter of incomprehensible words. 

“H-handsome.” Was the only word Vernon managed to make out.

“What was that Darlin'?” The wolf asked with a smirk. Vernon raised a paw to his ear, leaning slightly toward his mate in an effort to better hear her.

“Y-You look so handsome!” The ewe awkwardly blurted out before shirking back into her bouquet, the ewe giggling like a schoolgirl who had received a compliment from her crush. 

The large wolf felt the heat of a blush forming under his muzzle fur as a smile curled across his muzzle. Vernon cleared his throat awkwardly. It was an attempt to ensure his reply wouldn't come with a voice crack somewhere in the middle of it, but the cough already sounded more uncomfortable than any break in his voice probably would have been.

“T-thank ya Darlin'.” The wolf croaked.

“Lamb Sakes...” Dawn muttered, letting out another shuddering sigh as she seemingly struggled to compose herself. “I t-think I agree with your father Puppy Love.”

The wolf quirked a curious brow. “What do ya mean?”

Dawn shook her head softly. “I t-think you'll be fine when the vows come up. But after that display, I'm pretty sure I'm hopeless.” The ewe let out a weak chuckle.

“That makes three of us here...” Gus' off-hoofed comment had been loud enough for the couple to hear, but far too low for it to reach those beyond the altar.

Cobbling up his note cards once again, the goat shuffled them between his hooves before tapping them against the podium a few more times. Glancing down at his cards, the billy mouthed something to himself. A series of words, totally inaudible to Vern, but the wolf presumed it was the first few lines of the rite. He watched the goat repeat the same silent muttering to himself a few times before his nostrils flared with a long, drawn-out sigh.

Reaching below the podium, the goat pulled out a small microphone before gingerly setting it up on the table. Gus gave the receiver a few gentle taps with a hoof, causing the speakers to resonate in time with each percussive thud.

"Testing, one two..." The goat's voice carried out over the amplifier, dulling the music that had already been playing from the moment Dawn had left the house.

"Alright....let me just." Placing his notes down momentarily, Gus once again disappeared behind the stand. The wolf braced himself for another ear-splitting crackle from the speakers, but it never came. Instead, the music simply faded away, and once it had gone silent, the goat returned to his post, scooping the note-cards back into his hooves.

"Something goes right for once...about time..."The goat muttered under his breath. It was a statement that was clearly meant to stay between himself, and the bride and groom. But with the microphone now in place, it easily carried over the speakers well enough that Vernon was sure the first row or two of mammals could hear it. However, Gus seemed unaware, simply pressing onward with his planned speech as he pulled the microphone free of its plastic stand with a hoof and raised it to his muzzle.

“AH-HEH-hem!” The billy cleared his throat harshly. It was a clear effort to draw all attention forward. But glancing over his shoulder, Vernon could see that the Hunters were already focused on the billy, probably since as far back as his sound check.

Seemingly picking up on this, the goat tugged uneasily at his own collar. His eyes briefly scanning the crowd before he began.

"O-okay so..." Gus murmured nervously, tapping the note-cards in his other hoof against the podium idly. "I er...I'd like to start out by saying that I've...well..." The billy rubbed the back of his neck uneasily as he tried press onward.

“I've only ever 'officiated' one 'caprid wedding'.” The goat winced. “It was my cousin's.”

“That's alright Gus.” Vernon was quick to reassure his friend. 

Gus offered him a wary smile, the clearly nervous mammal struggling to keep up a calm demeanor in the face of Vernon's vote of confidence.

“I m-mean I did a good job.” Gus continued. “At least that's what everyone told me anyway.” The billy muttered quietly to himself as he glanced down at his notes. Gus was mouthing the rites again, the goat repeating them inaudibly to himself once more before turning his attention back to the mic.

“Still, that is about as much experience as I've had with something like this, let alone a tithing ceremony.” The goat continued, flashing the crowd an awkward smile. “ To top it off, there was no...er...” The goat winced slightly, seemingly struggling to choose his words. “Hard information on how to do something like this, so I sorta...had to make it up myself here...” The billy tugged at his collar once more, all the while the color under his hide growing paler and paler as he nervously explained himself.

“We're sure it' will be fine Gus.” That had come from Dawn. The ewe offering a confident, supportive smile of her own to the shrinking billy behind the podium. 

“I can't tell you how difficult it was merging a bunch of different rites together and making it sound cohesive.” The goat pressed a hoof to his forehead, pressing the cue cards into his scalp. “I started working on it on the train ride up, and have been refining it up until a few minutes ago...so...er...” Gus rubbed at the back of his neck again before glancing back at the crowd. “Pl-please just bear with me...and hopefully this will go as well as when I was rehearsing it.”

Glancing over his shoulder, the wolf could see that if his family had any doubts about Gus' capability, they certainly weren't showing it. The sea of encouraging, confident smiles had remained largely unchanged since the wolf had first walked down the aisle. Although whether that put less or more pressure on the goat, Vernon was uncertain. 

Looking to his blushing bride to be, the ewe was smiling as well. The wolf could see her hooves squeezing tightly around the base of her bouquet in anticipation.

“Ok....Okay...” Gus cleared his throat once more. “So...let's...Uh...You guys ready?”

Vernon rolled his eyes. “Yes Gus, were ready.”

“Y-you can start.” Came Dawn's reply. 

Gus let out a shaky sigh, giving his notes a final tap against the podium before glancing down at the small bundle of papers.

“Okay, then let's begin.”


	50. Under the Harvest Moon

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Fifty: Under the Harvest Moon

Butterflies. That was part of the term anyway. 'To have butterflies in one's stomach'. It was a phrase the ewe had heard and used many times throughout her life, especially within her own romantic writings. And as for feeling the sensation herself, well she was no stranger to it, especially when it came to her interactions with the tall, handsome wolf standing by her side. But at the moment, it felt only half accurate in describing just how she was feeling. The all-encompassing tingling that had swelled within her core before spreading over every inch of her was so much bigger than just 'butterflies'. Perhaps a flock of butterflies would have been apt? Or a swarm considering they were considered a form of insect. Maybe even 'pack' would have been a better turn of phrase when it came to describing the fluttering feeling that was overwhelming her considering who was at fault. A swirling torrent of elation and giddiness swallowing her entirely as she stared into the inviting deep green eyes of her smiling mate. Vernon's broad, fanged smile causing her heart to skip a beat as he offered his paw. 

She could feel her muzzle involuntarily dipping into her bouquet as she offered a coy hoof up to her Puppy. A mixture of bashfulness, and a nervous impulse to start grazing on the flowers she had been clutching so tightly to her chest making her feel that much more shy. Her mother had already scolded her for nibbling at the bouquet during the preparations, warning her that if she kept at it there would be little more than stems left to toss at the ceremonies conclusion. But the way Vernon was looking at her, those forest green eyes filled with such admiration, for her of all mammals. She couldn't help but shrink under the sheer intensity of it. It was like basking in the warmest, purest light; so powerful it made her excited and nervous at the same time. And that hint of nervousness, while no longer related to her vows but rather the anticipation of what was to come, made the unconscious grazing that much harder to catch herself in and correct.

As she felt the wolf's paw overtake her hoof she could taste the savory sweetness of bell heather's filling her mouth. The flower had been her favorite since she had been a little lamb for a multitude of reasons, the least of which being that it was named by one of her very own ancestors. It was for that reason the flower found its way to North Mammalia, and why her family often cultivated it in some form or another. Like her mother before her, she had been exposed to the flower as a lamb because it always managed to find its way into the Bellwether home. And in her case, she had learned about the flower because her mother kept it in her garden. But that love of the deep purple, bell-like flowers was deeper than simply how it tied into her family history. Aside from being her favorite color, and tasting particularly good, it reminded the ewe of some of the happier moments in her younger years. Those times spent working in the garden with her mother, a shared moment of warmth and normalcy without her father around to ruin it. It represented a rare comfort from her past, a feeling of joy, of contentedness. And it was for that reason that it had earned its place in her bouquet, as well as the decorations. 

Because this night, this ceremony was all that it represented. Joy, contentedness, comfort, It was what her Puppy Love had brought back to her life, and the bell heather was a mere echo of that all-encompassing, overwhelming feeling. 

Vernon clutched her hoof gingerly, caressing it with a thumb as he looked into her eyes.

“I love you Dawn.” Vernon spoke softly. His low, throaty tone sending shivers down the ewe's spine.

“I love you too Vernon...” Dawn cooed, struggling to hold back the tears of joy trying to force their way to the surface. She knew she had to hold on, the ceremony hadn't even started yet.

"Dawnie!" Piercing the warm, lovely aura that had enveloped the pair, the ewe could hear her mother's voice. It was enough to snap her out of her haze, as well as make her aware that she hadn't simply been imagining the taste of the bell heathers. The sweetness of the flowers had a weight, a mass, and she was chewing it. The flavor of them mixing with the slightly bitter taste of the mums in her muzzle. 

Glancing to the side of her mate, she could see that her mother had taken a place beside the altar, along with Vernon's father. The older ewe dabbed behind her lenses with a tissue as she gestured for her daughter to lower the bouquet. 

“Stop nibbling!” The older ewe warned quietly. “Remember that bouquet is still needed!”

Dawn immediately retracted her muzzle, blushing sharply as she forced down what little of the flowers were in her mouth. With a swift motion, the bouquet was by her waist, the ewe hugging it tightly against herself in an effort to keep it from drifting back up within grazing range.

She could hear Vernon chuckling. The wolf had probably found her nervous grazing cute, but for her the involuntary action was mortifying. Mindless munching and bleating were things reserved for ancient, uncivilized sheep. Yet here she was, chewing and grinding down her own flowers like some sort of primitive, stone age ewe. And on her wedding day? A day she had spent her whole life dreaming of? The ewe couldn't help but curse herself for failing to keep her primitive urges in check.

At the very least the ewe could take some comfort in the fact that she wasn't the only one whose 'natural tendencies' were slipping out. For as cool and collected as Vernon now seemed, the wolf's posture and stance reflective of just how seriously he was taking the 'formal decorum' aspect of the ceremony, the wolf was betrayed by rapid swishing of his grey and cream colored tail as it whipped through the chilly night air. The swift movements steadily adding wrinkle after wrinkle to the backside of his finely pressed formal pants. It was amusing and endearing, so much so that it had her own stubby little tail twitching along with it for a few moments before that creeping discomfort returned. Was wagging her own tail uncivilized? For a wolf it was somewhat expected, but for a ewe...? 

But as if to answer her internal scolding, the ewe felt her mate's grip tighten around her hoof slightly. The ginger gesture seemingly an attempt to reassure the ewe that everything was fine. Dawn glanced up at her mate, the wolf flashing her a warm, comforting smile as he rubbed the top of her hoof with his thumb as if to confirm what she was already thinking. And while it did well to chase away the momentary dark cloud her little munching incident had created in her mind, in its place returned a bashfulness so intense it forced the ewe quickly avert her gaze, raising the bouquet in her other hoof to hide her muzzle once more, but this time well and far away from her actual snout. 

“Alright...” Gus' rather quiet, weak voice drew Dawn's attention forward tentatively. His voice had been so hushed the ewe had barely heard it

Dawn watched the goat's rectangular pupils dart uneasily from side to side as he seemingly scanned the notes in his possession, the billy chewing his lip momentarily before glancing back up at the larger assembly of mammals that surrounded them. Placing a hoof on his muzzle, Gus awkwardly attempted to clear his throat. The little performance dragged on quite a bit longer than the ewe had expected, the sharp series of phlegmy coughs meandering as the goat continued to scan the crowd. She knew he was nervous, that much was evident from the brief chat they had before the ceremony began. But Gus' condition had only seemed to worsen now that all eyes were on him. In fact, she was certain that during his trilling stanza of coughs the goat had in inadvertently bleated somewhere within the noise, a sure sign that much like her, the billy's nerves were starting to tug on dormant caprid instincts. But eventually, the seemingly endless cough came to a close as the goat allowed his hoof to trail down his beard before turning his attention back to the cue cards.

“I um...” The goat shook his head slightly, letting off a nervous chuckle as he cast his glance down at Dawn and Vernon.

“I don't suppose you guys are doing the whole dowry thing?” The goat chuckled weakly. “Looking to put in that down payment?”

Dawn smirked slightly, more of an attempt to put their mutual friend at ease than infectious mirth.

“No.” Dawn replied.

“I'm afraid that hasn't been done for a millennia mister Hornsley.” The reply had come from off to Dawn's side, the tone distinctly her mother's own. Clover chuckled as weakly as the old billy had, the ewe sniffling slightly as she dabbed the corner of her eyes with a tissue.

“I was trying...I uh...” Gus braced his neck with a hoof, rubbing it uneasily as he shifted his attention back to the card. “A little...caprid humor...” The goat grimaced, tapping his cards against the altar sharply as he let the air out of his muzzle. “Stupid, stupid...” The billy whispered to himself, although Dawn had just barely been able to make it out.

“It's alright Gus.” Her mate reassured the goat. “Just keep goin'.”

"Pushing through..." The goat nodded, his attention fixed on the cards in his hooves. "We're pushing through..." Dawn could see his nostrils flare as Gus let out a sharp, shaky exhale. 

Gus let out another sharp cough, but thankfully for everyone's sake, this one was mercifully shorter. 

“Okay, so...” Gus mumbled, the goat taking a visibly deep breath before turning his attention to the crowd once more.

"Blessings and Merry we meet to you mammals of many pelts. To those who bear horns or fangs. To those who bear hooves or claws." The goat's voice wavered slightly as he tugged at his collar with a hoof. "We are gathered here to witnesses the union, both in the traditions of predator and prey and under their respective gods, of two souls." Dawn could see Gus' grip on the cards in his hooves tighten slightly, the sweat that had begun to permeate his fur gleaming in the warm lighting of the altar. 

“Ahem...” The goat coughed again, shuddering slightly. For a moment Dawn could see him silently mouthing something to himself, a short phrase or series of words he seemed to repeat over and over, although she couldn't decipher them.

“You won't faint buddy.” Vernon whispered, drawing the ewe's attention to the handsome wolf standing by her side. Unlike their mutual friend, her mate was looking significantly more relieved. “You got this.”

For a moment, the goat looked as if he was going to rebuff the wolf's assessment. But instead, Gus gave Vernon a timid nod before shifting his attention back to the cards in his hoof.

"T-They shall be bound by their love, by their strength, by their joy, and by their sorrows." Gus' continued, his voice breaking slightly at the start.“The souls which inhabit these mammals will be forever connected, and even in death and beyond they shall always return to one another.”

“And I humbly ask that the gods, Freyja, Oldwynn, Hornunnus and Cervidwen, to bless their union, and to watch over and protect the couple who stands before me.” Gus' tone began to stabilize as he read onward, the nervousness fading as the billy seemed to find his footing. Dawn could see the nervous smile on his muzzle growing into something resembling a rising confidence as he turned his attention back to the pair.

“Ah-heh-hem.” The goat's cough was dramatic, delivered with the hint of a flourish.

“Noble Vernon Hunter and Lady Dawn Bellwether have asked for you to share in their joy, and to declare the depths of their love for one another before you all. To be blessed by both those among us, and those above as they embark on this journey together.” 

Dawn's smile began to widen as the goat read aloud the more familiar passage, even if it was slightly modernized. So much of her day had felt like a dream, so much so that she had willing pinched herself multiple times to reassure herself that she wasn't still asleep. Still curled up next to her Puppy Love in an unfamiliar and unwelcoming bed, in a home where they no longer found themselves welcome. The fact alone that Dorian had pulled a majority of the strings to make all of this happen on such short notice almost had the ewe asking Audrey just who was this wolf that had suddenly replaced her mate? But now that she was standing at the altar, under the glow of the brilliant orange harvest moon as Gus recited aloud the caprid wedding rites, the reality was truly setting in.

A lifetime of dreaming, of refining that fantasy over and over in her head, of putting it to paper and planning out every little aspect of just how she imagined it would go. So often she had found herself injecting elements from it into her own creative works, and when grinding through the doldrums of school and her eventual career, her dreams would spill into the margins of various essay and proposal drafts by way of little notes and doodles. But much like those rough drafts and essays, her dream was reluctantly and regrettably tossed aside under the belief that it was out of her reach when she found herself on the inside of a cage of her own making. A dream she didn't deserve, yet it had somehow found her. He had found her. 

Despite her best efforts, Dawn could feel hot tears begin to seep out of the corners of her eyes, an unwavering smile forming on her muzzle as she swabbed behind her lenses with the side of her arm. 'So much for holding it in until the end...' The ewe thought to herself. 

“Alright, so....” Gus, flipped his note card over, taking a moment to straighten them before leveling his gaze at the wolf to her side.

"Vernon Hunter, do you love Dawn? Is there a hint of doubt or hesitance within you?" Gus asked, squinting slightly as though he were scanning the wolf for some sort of obvious tell or bluff. 

Vernon glanced over to the ewe, that warm, inviting smile returning to his muzzle as his deep green eyes seemed to swell with love.

“I ain't never had a moments doubt.” Vernon replied confidently. “I love her...” The wolf continued, smiling softly. “I reckon I always have.”

Dawn wanted to turn away again. To hide the hot flash of crimson that she could feel had overtaken her cheeks and muzzle. Her skin tingled with excitement, and the ewe had to suppress the urge to giggle as he kept her eyes locked on to her own. 

One thing she hadn't accounted for in all of her fantasies, was how to get through the whole affair without becoming a swooning mess of a ewe. Well that, and the species of the groom. But now that she stood there, looking at the striking wolf standing at her side, with his warm inviting smile and gently wagging tail, Dawn found it hard to think clearly over the overwhelming swirling of emotion that wracked her tiny frame. 

She had only had to hear him say 'I love you' to become putty in his paw, in heart and mind. Vernon had always had that effect on her to some degree, whether he was fully aware of it or not. But at the moment, that same declaration he had made so many times before felt that much more powerful, more amplified. It reverberated through the ewe, her heart fluttering inside her chest as she squeezed his paw as tightly as she could. The tingling in her skin felt like little lighting strikes as she tried desperately to suppress the urge to giggle like a little school ewe and further embarrass herself. 

“Dawn, remember!” The chilver whispered from across the way, placing a hoof over her mouth and shaking her head before gesturing to the ewe's bouquet.

Glancing down, Dawn noticed that her bouquet had once again drifted back up to her muzzle, her mouth just shy of biting into another clump of flowers. In her efforts to keep from giggling, she had once again slipped into grazing mode.

“Dags!” Dawn hissed under her breath, before jerking the bouquet back down against her chest. Taking a moment to shake off yet another small embarrassment, the ewe fixed her gaze back up on the smiling wolf to her side, fighting through the overwhelming urge to look away and hide her growing blush. 

She had to keep it together, if no other reason than to make sure that Vernon heard her as clearly as she had heard him. That was what mattered. Not her nerves, or the fact that she kept gnawing on her bouquet, not even the wedding itself. And she wasn't going to let anything get in the way of that.

"Well, there's a surprise." Gus chuckled softly before turning his attention to the diminutive ewe. The billy cleared his throat, eyeing the ewe curiously before speaking. 

“Dawn Bellwether, do you love Vernon? Is there a hint of doubt or hesitance within you?” Gus rephrased, directing the same question at the ewe.

Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Dawn looked deep into Vernon's adoring eyes and smiled warmly.

“Of course I love him.” Dawn cooed, tears continuing to seep from the corners of her eyes. “With all my heart and soul, always.”

To the ewe's surprise, it was the wolf who broke eye contact this time. His lovely green eyes shifting down, the grin on his face became rather goofy looking as a blush permeated his fur. His tail began wagging so sharply that the ewe could feel the breeze it created from where she stood as the wolf squeezed her hoof tightly.

Seemingly satisfied, Gus leaned back slightly, his attention turning back to the crowd of mammals as he shifted to his next card.

“You may no-” The goat suddenly stopped, looking at his cards again before cursing under his breath and sharply shuffling them around. Dawn stifled a giggle as she caught Vernon rolling his eyes. From behind her, the ewe could hear a few of the other Hunters chuckling at the goat's error.

“Sorry, little premature there.” The goat announced uneasily. “Must have got....shuffled around...anywho...” Tapping his cards against the altar once again, Gus squinted at the text before clearing his throat again.

"With the permission of the er...head member of each family, the rite shall commence." Gus concluded, turning his attention to the older mammals standing to the side of the altar. 

Dorian, dressed in his rather sharp grey tuxedo was the first to step forward. The older, icy white wolf taking a moment to dust his lapel before glancing over to his son with a kind smile. 

The ewe couldn't help but hold her breath as the law wolf gesture to the pair's interlocked hands, his ears skewing at different angles as if to ask his son's permission to inspect his mate. 

She could feel the reluctance in Vernon's paw as his grip slowly softened, and she shared in it for a multitude of reasons. Despite knowing what Dorian had done for them, all the planning along with Audrey and Clover, he had spoken very little with Dawn throughout the entire day's events. The most she had seen of him in the hours leading up to the ceremony was when the wolf would occasionally poke his head in the girl's bedroom to check Clover's progress with her and to make sure things were still on schedule. It was only after Vernon was already outside, that Dorian would come to spend a somewhat extended period of time with her, the white wolf having led her to the same porch he had presumably lead Vernon to just moments before. 

It was on that porch, awaiting the call of the bridal march that the wolf would finally speak directly to her, instead of talking around her. 

“Dawn...” The wolf spoke, drawing the timid and trembling ewe's attention away from the screen door to the wolf at her side. His steely gaze remained fixed on the wall, as if he were trying to peer through the plastic flap covering the screen door to the ceremony beyond, his body shuddering slightly with each breath.

She could recall his soft, mournful whine. He had tried to cover it quickly with his words, but never the less she had managed to catch it before he spoke. A somber, regretful whimper that told her whatever he was about to say seemed to trouble him terribly.

“I was wrong Dawn.” Dorian sighed. “About you.” The wolf sighed. “About everythin'.”

“Mister Hunter, I-” The ewe tried to speak, but the older wolf cut her off.

“We don't have a lot of time.” The wolf sighed. “And this talk deserves more time, it needs it.” Dorian muttered.

She could remember the wolf running a paw through his head fur, dragging it sharply from front to back as he kept his gaze away from hers.

“I'm sorry fer all I said to you. It weren't right.” The wolf continued. “None of it.”

Dorian shook his head. “It was un-mammalian the way I treated you.” The wolf's nostrils flared sharply as he sighed. “It would have been bad enough if I treated a stranger like that, let alone the mammal my boy loves.”

Dawn could still recall the way Dorian's lip quivered as he spoke, the wolf seemingly so ashamed that it physically hurt him to talk about it.

“I could make excuses, but at the end of the day...” The wolf murmured. “It doesn't excuse takin' my problems out on others.” The wolf let out a long, drawn-out sigh. “No matter how I tried to justify it to myself.”

The ewe stood silently as she watched the older wolf, Dorian leaning an arm against the wall as he rested his head against it.

“You don't have to fergive me Dawn.” The wolf said somberly. “I don't deserve it.”

Turning his head slightly, Dawn was surprised to see the glimmer of tears in the wolf's eyes as he finally made eye contact with her. The weak lighting causing the moisture to shimmer over his steely grey irises as his ears sagged sharply behind his head.

“But you and my boy...”The wolf whimpered. “You deserve to be happy.”

Dorian quickly wiped the gleam from his eye with a paw, flicking the moisture into the dark of the porch.

“Even if ya'll don't see fit to want me to be a part of that happiness fer all I done.” The wolf's voice broke slightly, and he rubbed his neck with a paw uneasily in response. “Okay?”

She never got her chance to answer him. To tell her soon to be father-in-law whether she was willing to forgive him after all he had said and done. Before she could open her muzzle, the soothing melody of the bridal march began to filter through the seams in the porch, effectively blanking her mind of any thoughts save for what was to come. And Dorian didn't seem to be waiting to hear her answer, for as soon as the music began to play, the wolf had thrown the porch door open in one swift motion. A movement that was so sharp, so sudden, it made it seem as though he might have been afraid to hear the answer she may have had for him.

She still didn't know why he had done it, whether it had to do with her personal history or something deeper. She wanted to know what 'excuses' he felt failed to justify his treatment of her, even if he had seen them as paltry upon reflection. More than anything, she just wanted to understand her father-in-law to be. After all, she knew what it was like to be in that terrible place, albeit that much worse and for entirely different reasons. She had lashed out at so many mammals, even if it hadn't been face to face. Mammals who had never wronged her, directly or indirectly, and had somehow managed to convince herself through an elaborate series of mental gymnastics that it was somehow justified. Simple justice for all prey at best, and revenge at worst. But she also knew that overwhelming, gut-wrenching feeling of disgust and regret when you can't lie to yourself anymore. When you're faced with that mirror into your soul, your sins laid bare to be seen without filter, without any flowery words and flimsy reasoning to obscure the truth. To see what you had really done, and be forced to live with it. Unable to undo it, only to pray for the chance for any opportunity to try and make up for it, and reaching out to others to give you that chance. And if he was willing to reach out to her now, to do all of this for her and Vernon out of a genuine feeling of remorse, well... 

“Everyone deserves a second chance, especially if they are trying." Vernon had said those words to her shortly after they had reconnected. His reason for helping her, for trusting her after what she had done. And Dorian was clearly trying. She may not have been a Hunter, at least not yet, but she didn't need the family intuition to be able to tell that the wolf truly felt remorse.

Dawn's hoof slipped free of her mate's as it returned to gripping the base of her bouquet, the ewe standing as tall and proud as she could as Dorian turned his full attention to her. 

Crossing his arms, the white wolf scanned the diminutive lamb from head to toe and back again before scratching his chin. The older wolf wore a rather curious expression, a twisted grin and pouted lips crossing his muzzle while he squinted down at her. For a moment she wasn't sure if he was being serious, or if it was to give the impression to the rest of the family that he was intensely studying her despite the fact that it was rather obvious what his final decision was going to be. Perhaps the wolf , like Gus, had a penchant for theatrics. 

But it was when the older wolf crouched down to her level, leaning over her slightly before taking a deep inhale near the top of her head that took the ewe aback. The wolf took a single, deep whiff of the air around her, presumably trying to take in her scent. 

Dawn had read about such things taking place at a tithe, but hadn't considered Dorian would go as far as to smell her considering that she wasn't a wolf. The strange action had caused the ewe to stiffen up slightly, her grip tightening around her bouquet as the wolf took another, more nuanced sniff. 

Opening his eyes, the wolf smiled back at the ewe warmly.

“No need to be so tense Darlin'.” The wolf whispered. “Merely a tradition.”

The ewe gave a weak nod, smiling meekly at her father-in-law to be. 

“”I-I know...” Dawn murmured softly in reply.

Dorian leaned in once more, taking a smaller whiff of the air around the ewe before drawing back and letting out a soft chuckle.

“And hold off on 'that'...” The wolf grinned, bobbing his eyebrows playfully. “Until yer both back home, we only planned to accommodate howls of a more family-friendly kinda joy here." 

If Dorian had wanted to make the ewe less tense, the off-hoofed comment had only served to cause her to freeze up that much more. She couldn't believe the wolf's nose was powerful enough to pick up on that. Her 'remnant estrus' had only started to creep back in a few hours ago, and in a much more tolerably mild capacity. Yet somehow, the vague scent of her pheromones, even masked by the scent of her favorite perfume, was enough for the law-wolf to easily sniff out. 

Dawn's muzzle flushed crimson as she began to slink back into her bouquet, her mind awash with a flurry of embarrassing thoughts. "Could Vernon smell it too? Could everyone? Had the girls picked up on it at all during the preparations? If so, why had no one mentioned it?" 

“Dawnie de-!”

“I KNOW MOM!” Dawn barked as her head sprung back out of her bouquet, a few stray flowers tumbling from her muzzle before she turned her terribly embarrassed gaze back to the floor. Out of the corner of her eye she could see some of the mammals in the crowd, their faces still awash with warm smiles. She was certain she could hear a few stray chuckles among them, which only caused her to shrink further into her shoulders. They could only be laughing at her outburst, at least, that's how it seemed. 

“Well Mister Hunter?” Gus asked, the goat leaning over the podium as the white wolf rose to his feet. Out of the corner of her eye, the ewe could see Dorian's eyes shift from her to Vernon and back again as he flashed the pair an amused grin.

Placing a paw to his muzzle, the white wolf cleared his throat sharply.

“After the way that gal stood toe to toe with me without even blinkin'?” Dorian said with a smirk. “That gal has more than earned the right to call herself a Hunter.”

Dawn looked back up at the large white wolf, a fresh wave of hot tears forcing themselves to the surface as he smiled warmly back at her. Despite her best efforts to hold herself together, the wolf's declaration made it impossible to stop herself from letting out a stray sob of relief. Lifting her glasses, the ewe held an arm over her eyes as she forced herself to suppress the urge to keep sobbing aloud. After everything the wolf had said, the slurs, the accusations, the ultimate denial to allow her a place within her mate's family. To hear him say she had 'earned the right to call herself a Hunter' made her heart ache with joy. 

“Hell, I'd say she's more of a Hunter than me.” The wolf added. 

The statement earned another gasping sob from the ewe as she fought to compose herself. The urge to crumple to the ground was suddenly overwhelming, to simply fall to her knees and weep like a lamb after being rocked with such a powerful wave of emotional relief. So many emotions, so many desires running through her mind at once as she struggled to keep herself together. She wanted to hug her mate, to bury her muzzle into his chest and simply cry it out. It was only by sheer willpower was the ewe able to hold steady, dialing back her tears to little more than a soft trickle as she watched the white-furred wolf turn to face his son, offering the grey wolf the same warm smile he had shown her. 

Dorian approached Vernon, gingerly bracing his son's shoulder's with his paws as he looked into his eyes.

"You treat that girl the way she deserves to be treated son..." Dorian said. His voice was quiet but powerful, his cadence trembling slightly as he spoke to his son. "And I'll always be proud of you." 

Just as Dorian had forced tears to her eyes in an instant, the wolf had managed to do the same to his son. Vernon's forest green eyes glimmered with fresh tears, the wolf letting out a soft, barely audible sob of his own before sniffling sharply in an effort to hide it. 

“I-I will Pa.” Vernon stuttered softly, flashing the wolf a broad fanged smiled. 

Dorian chuckled warmly, patting his son's shoulder softly before drawing back from him, the wolf simply backing into his previous place at the side of the altar. Dawn watched as the older wolf looked up slightly, wiping at the corner of his eyes with his sleeve before turning his attention to Dawn's mother. 

“Alright, alright...” The wolf sniffled softly. With his attention on now on Clover, the wolf gestured a paw toward his son. “After you my dear.” Dorian spoke quietly, his eyes shifting from the older ewe to Vernon.

Clover had apparently been just as wrapped up in the moment as everyone else had, the ewe letting out a sharp sniffle before turning her attention to the wolf at her side in surprise. The ewe quirked a curious brow as she glanced up at Vernon's father, seemingly baffled as to just what the white wolf was asking of her. 

“I-I'm sorry?” Dawn could hear her mother whimper, the older lamb adjusting her glasses slightly.

Dorian gestured to Vernon again, nodding his head softly as he did. 

Clover's stare shifted over to Vernon for a moment, the ewe tilting her head slightly as she appeared to mull over just what Dorian was instructing her to do. The chilver blinked dumbly in Vernon's direction for a few moments, a puzzled look on her face as she tried to make the connection. 

For a moment, Dawn was equally as confused. But it didn't take very long for the ewe to catch on as she quickly mulled through the stages of a tithing rite through her head. A tithing ritual wasn't just two mammals being joined as one couple, and having it acknowledged by both respective 'packs'. They were also undergoing approval to be considered part of the other family pack.

Dorian had inspected Dawn, and given his approval to not only tithe Vernon, but to call herself a Hunter, even going so far as to sniff the ewe all for the sake of tradition. And if that was the case, then the older wolf must have been implying that it was Clover's turn to do the same. 

Clover's eyes widened suddenly, the same realization seemingly coming to her as she turned sharply back to Dorian with a surprised look on her muzzle. 

“Y-you mean you want me to...?” Clover asked, her expression a mixture of shock and slight amusement despite her tears. “Really?”

“It's tradition.” Dorian replied quietly. “Us Hunters got to know if my boy is 'Bellwether material'.”

Clover chuckled weakly, shaking her head in an apparent effort to chase away the hint of amusement in her voice. “Dorian, of course he's 'Bellwether material'.” The ewe stated, placing air quotes around the term as she spoke. “It should be obvious to-.”

Dorian gestured to Vernon once again, this time with a more commanding paw.

“Then tell my boy.” Dorian said with a laugh. “My pack needs to know.”

Clover tilted her head slightly, her general body language once again seemingly asking the older wolf if his request was legitimate. Her jade green eyes shifted back to Vernon for a moment as an awkward, uncomfortable grin crawled across her muzzle. 

“Do I need to...sniff him too?” Clover asked, glancing back up at Dorian out of the corner of her eye. “Because I don't think I'm going to pick up an-.”

Dorian laughed heartily. “Darlin', I wasn't sniffin' fer anythin' specific either.” The wolf laughed. “It's just how we do things.”

The petite older ewe drew a hoof to her muzzle, nibbling at it uneasily as she turned her attention back to Vernon. 

“Mom.” Dawn whispered, stifling a giggle of her own as she watched her mother succumb to the same nervous instincts she had. “Your hooves! You'll ruin your polish!” The ewe hissed, flashing the older chilver a smug smile.

Clover glanced at her hoof before jerking it away from her muzzle, pressing the offending arm under the other as if to restrain herself from giving in to the urge to graze. Dawn could see the blush forming on her muzzle as her mother threw her a sheepish grin.

“L-Like mother like daughter I suppose...” Clover chuckled weakly, earning another giggle from Dawn. “I should be glad I'm not holding flowers.”

“Y'all will both fit in just fine in this pack if that's how y'all act when ya get nervous.” Dorian interjected with a laugh. “The gods know y'all can tell how stressed my Auddey is by how many hairs she's harvested from her own tail.”

"Doooooriiii!" Dawn could hear Audrey whine from behind her. The whimpering call stifled slightly between her choked sobs. From off to the couple's side, the ewe caught sight of a white clump of material fly toward Dorian, clearly a wad of the she-wolf's spent tissues. However, it fell well short of it's intended target, rolling to a stop at the old law-wolf's feet. Dorian simply snickered in response. 

With a nervous sigh, Dawn watched her mother warily close the gap between herself and Vernon, stopping just a few inches away from the towering wolf before looking up to him. Clover struck a similar stance to the one Dorian had, her petite form giving the air of appraisal and intrigue as her jade green eyes traced Vernon's form from top to bottom. Clover placed a hoof to her chin, rubbing it thoughtfully as she chewed on her lower lip in contemplation. It seemed she was putting on her best performance just as Dorian had, but unlike the white wolf it didn't last nearly as long. She was barely done with her second pass before letting out a satisfied sigh.

“I-I think it goes without saying Vernon will make a fine Bellwether.” The sheep announced with a warm smile. 

Dawn watched her mate's smile widen, his toothy grin returning.

“T-thank you Miss Bellwether.” Vernon stammered slightly as he spoke. Dawn could see the hint of a blush forming under his muzzle fur.

Clover's smile grew to match Vernon's own, the older ewe practically beaming up at her soon to be son-in-law.

“Well...” Clover replied warmly. “I think family tradition dictates that you can call me 'mom' now..." The ewe flashed him a wary smile, throwing a glance around the wolf, presumably Audrey's way. To Dawn, it appeared as though she was checking with the she-wolf to see if the title was 'appropriate', perhaps worried that Audrey wasn't keen on sharing it. But soon enough Clover returned her attention to Vernon, her smile renewed and beaming.

Vernon let out another quiet, short sob, the wolf quickly placing a paw to his muzzle in a clear attempt to hide it. There were no tears this time, but the wolf's emotions were betrayed once more by the way his tail whipped frantically against the chilly autumn air. 

By the time the wolf lowered his paw, his grin was stretching from ear to ear. Vernon opened his muzzle for a moment, the wolf seemingly trying to speak, but all that managed to escape his lips were a few strained, awkward whimpers before the wolf reluctantly closed it. 

Clover chuckled softly, taking a moment to adjust her frames before gesturing the wolf closer.

“C'mon now son.” Clover cooed. “ Let's get a good....whiff of you.” The ewe said with a bemused smirk.

With a soft laugh, Vernon carefully knelt down to the ewe's level, opening his arms slightly and inviting the chilver to come closer to him. With a soft giggle, Clover coyly approached the large mammal. 

“I'm sorry Vernon” The ewe struggled to stifle a laugh. “Forgive me for laughing I just...I'm nervous is all.” The ewe shook her head dismissively. “I-I'm not used to this sort of thing.”

The wolf smiled broadly, revealing his fangs.

“It's okay...m-mom.” Vernon replied, his voice faltering slightly as he spoke. 

Clover drew slightly closer, looking somewhat nervous as she rubbed her upper arm with a hoof.

"Vernon....I er..." The ewe murmured quietly. "I don't have to sniff under your tail do I?" The older, more pallid ewe's features flushed slightly as her eyes shifted down to the floor. 

“We never w-went over this...I didn't have a lot of time to prepare otherwise and...”

“We haven't done that fer thousands of years either.” The reply had come from Dorian. “Ain't exactly....civilized.”

Dawn watched as her mother's face turned hot crimson, the ewe's hoof immediately jumping to her muzzle as she began to gnaw on her fingers. 

“M-mutton chops!” The chilver stuttered. “I-I'm so sorry, that m-must have come off as so culturally insensitive, and I didn't me-!”

Before the ewe could continue to dig herself a deeper hole, Vernon simply wrapped his arms around her, pulling the older lamb into a gentle hug. For a moment Dawn could see her mother tense up, most likely due to the surprise gesture. But just as quickly Clover gave into the hug, wrapping her arms as far around the strapping wolf as they could go, and burying her head into his shoulder.

“Yer alright Mom...” Vernon cooed sweetly. “Ain't nothin' to fret over, ain't no one's upset.”

Dawn watched her mother's eyes swell with a renewed wave of tears as she buried her face deeper into the wolf's shoulder.

“T-thank you...” The ewe whimpered softly. “Thank you so much Vernon...” Clover lifted her glasses, swabbing at her tears with a hoof as her moist green eyes drifted over to Dawn. 

“T-thank you for being there for my d-daughter...” The ewe whimpered softly. “F-for helping her b-become who I a-always knew she was...”

Dawn could feel her own tears starting to build as her mother offered her a meek smile before drawing back from the wolf, her hooves bracing his shoulders as she looked into his eyes.

“I don't think there's a mother of a-any species who wouldn't be proud to have you as their son-in-law.” The ewe sniffled, swabbing under her lenses with an arm. “And I'm thankful you allowed me to be yours.”

Leaning in slightly, the ewe took a short sniff of the air around Vernon releasing her grip on his shoulders. Wiping her eyes once more, the ewe turned to face the altar, a look of determination overtaking her features as she looked back up to Dorian.

“I approve.” Clover said, her voice wavering slightly as she tried to force back her tears with a harsh sniffle. “The B-Bellwether flock is proud to have him.”

Dorian smiled broadly at the little ewe, placing his paws on his hips.

“Now there's the ol' Cotton I remember.” Dorian chuckled. “See, yer a natural!”

Despite her tears, Clover managed to roll her eyes sarcastically as she took her place next to the older wolf once more.

“Oh hush, Frosty.” Clover snicked between sobs. “That nickname was retired years ago.”

Dawn was surprised. Had she heard her mother right? Cotton? Frosty? She and Dorian had nicknames for one another just as she and Vernon had? The ewe glanced over to her mate, only to find the wolf glancing back at her with the same expression of confusion and bemusement. It appeared nicknames ran in both their families bloodlines. 

“All right, all right...” Gus spoke up, drawing the ewe's attention back on the goat behind the altar. Unlike before, the goat had drawn the cards up to his face, obscuring his eyes and muzzle from Dawn's view. But the slight warble in his voice, combined with the goat's quick, sneaky hoof motion that Dawn was certain was an attempt to wipe stray tears from his eyes told her that her mother and Vernon's exchanged had touched him to some degree.

“Ah-hem...” The goat cleared his throat again before lowering his cue cards. “Now for the...tense part...” The goat muttered quietly, unfortunately not low enough for the ewe not to pick up on it. She had a feeling she knew what the goat was about to announce, and while it was unlikely that any of the mammals here would take him up on the 'advice' in the rites, it didn't make her feel any less uneasy.

Her muzzle was inches away from her bouquet when she heard Vernon's voice.

"Hey, Honey Lamb...." The wolf whispered, drawing her attention back to him. That warm smile, those loving and inviting eyes. On their own, it was enough to dull the discomfort as she looked up at her darling Puppy. But once again the wolf was reaching out to her, rolling his fingers softly against his paw and inviting her hoof. 

Dawn gingerly placed her hoof back into his paw, gripping it tightly and letting the tension out of her body in a slow, deliberate exhale. Everything was going to be all right. She knew it would be. As long as her Vernon was by her side, everything would go perfectly.

“If there is anyone among either pack” The goat continued, wiping his brow with a free hoof.”Family or friend among those assembled here tonight who can show just cause why these two mammals shouldn't be joined...” The goat looked uneasy, his brow furrowing slightly as his eyes scanned the crowd once more.

“Then please speak now, or forever hold your peace.”

Dawn felt frozen as the evening around them fell silent. There was no sound save for the gentle whisper of the autumn breeze as it blustered across the meadow. It was only a few moments, probably less than ten seconds in total. But to the ewe, it felt like an eternity as she waited for someone to speak up. Would it be Ulric with an accusatory claw pointed her way, claiming her to be some unspeakable creature from beyond the stars? Yuri looking to make a scene for his own pleasure? Maybe even Dorian or Mister Ruddy, even if it made no sense at all for either of them to deny her now. Surely it was an irrational fear, but the ewe couldn't help herself as she waited with bated breath for Gus to move forward, squeezing Vernon's paw as tightly as she could to give her the strength to get through it. There was still a part of her that felt she didn't deserve the joy of being married and was certain the fates would do something to steal away her dream from her at the last second in a final act of cruelty. 

“Hey Gus!”

Dawn could feel a weight drop through every chamber in her stomach. She recognized the voice instantly. The deep, somewhat bitter-sounding tone that Vernon's brother Yuri usually spoke in. In that instant the ewe felt as though she was going to faint, her knees starting to tremble as her body prepared to falter underneath the weight of embarrassment that was sure to come from whatever Yuri planned to say. 

“Move on already!” The wolf chuckled. “Ceremony is supposta' end under this full moon, not the next one!” 

Dawn was frozen, her eyes set on the dark-furred wolf seated in the back with his arms crossed defensively as he glared in their direction. But Dawn wasn't the only mammal whose gaze was now fixed on the troublesome wolf. The entirety of the pack was now staring in his direction, wearing a varying degree of expressions along with their pointed gaze. Disapproval, confusion, irritation, just to describe a few of the general reactions from the audience. But there were no mammals save two that exemplified a mixture of all of the listed emotions and then some, Audrey and Ada. 

Audrey's teeth were grit tightly, bared for all to see as she sneered back at her son. Her tears had seemingly dried up instantly, or at the very least her brow had furrowed so sharply the apparent shadow it cast over her eyes had done well to hide them as she stared daggers in Yuri's direction. It was probably the most intense expression the ewe had ever seen grace her usually cheery face, a frighting visage that sent an uncomfortable chill up her spine, and at that moment made her greatly relieved that she had somehow never ended up on the other side of that fearsome glare. 

As for Ada, she had a menacing expression of her own, but it paled in comparison to Audrey's own 'glare'. However, unlike Yuri's mother, Ada was well within easy 'striking distance' in regards to her mate. Her paw hovered high above her mate, apparently ready and waiting for whatever joke Yuri was ready to conclude his outburst with. Yet despite the attention, and the powerful aura of ire aimed at the wolf from all directions, Yuri remained utterly nonplussed. The wolf was seemingly unfazed by anyone's reactions as a silence so powerful one could hear a pin drop fell over the grounds. A quiet that seemed to linger for what felt like a lifetime before Yuri finally spoke once more.

“I mean...” The wolf averted his gaze slightly, suddenly looking surprisingly uneasy despite seemingly unaware of the general mood he had sewn among the assembled family. “The food's gettin' cold.” The wolf snorted, turning his nose up and away from the others. “And there's beer waitin' to be drunk. So get on with it!”

Dawn's jaw felt as though it was simply going to drop out of her skull as she glanced up at her mate, her eyes wide in shock. Vernon looked equally as surprised, the wolf's ears dropping as he presumably watched his brother over his shoulder. Based on the way her mate's teeth were still grit tightly together, she could only imagine he had been wearing a particularly nasty sneer just moments before, and the remnants of it remained on standby as Vernon's mind struggled to accept that Yuri had said something that wasn't meant to stop the ceremony, but spur it forward. 

Despite his strangled, arguably positive message, it did little to stop Ada from connecting her long awaiting paw to the back of his head. The wolf let out a sharp hiss before throwing the hyeness a rueful glare of his own.

Gus laughed awkwardly, drawing the couples attention back to the altar as he tugged nervously at his collar.

"W-well then...uh..." The goat laughed more naturally, letting out a visible sigh of relief as he tapped his cards against the altar. "Okay, okay!" The goat smiled meekly. "Let's keep it going." 

Dawn let out a sigh of relief as the feeling returned to her legs. Yuri had spoken, and somehow, the ceremony seemed to go on. While the trouble-making wolf had caused a 'scene', it wasn't really what the ewe had expected. In fact, it was practically the last possible outcome she had ever considered when thinking of things Yuri could do to interfere with the tithe. It was as if whatever prank the wolf had planned he had actually thought better of. Or perhaps, it could have even been his way of approving of the ceremony himself, in a way that was distinctly his own?

For a moment Dawn glanced to her equally surprised and confused looking mother-in-law. Earlier in the day, Dawn had thought of asking the she-wolf just who had replaced her Dorian, and she now felt compelled to ask the same question of her mate in regards to his brother. Exactly who was this wolf who had seemingly spoken for them, and what had he done with the real Yuri? But Dawn knew there would be time to answer that question later, and the ewe did her best to shake it off as she steeled herself for what remained of the ceremony. With the most difficult part behind them, there was only one little snag that remained, and she knew she needed to be ready for it. Her vows would come from her heart, and it would have to be open and ready to speak for her when the time was right. 

“Once again I ask....” Gus glanced at the cards again, squinting slightly as he scanned over the text and mumbled quietly to himself. The goat drew back from the card for a moment, bobbing his head slightly from side to side as if he were arguing something to himself before letting out a quiet sigh.

“This seems sort of redundant, but it's different enough to keep in.” The goat muttered quietly before clearing his throat.

“Oh gods, caprid and canine, holders of the unforeseen knowledge beyond knowing, we humbly ask you to bless this union.” The goat spoke, pressing a hoof to his throat momentarily before continuing. “To bless their lives with merriment and plenty, and guide them through their trials and sorrows. To bless them with strong, healthy and mirthful...” 

The goat paused, glancing back at Dawn and Vernon uneasily for a moment before chewing on the edge of the note-card in his hoof nervously. “Aw pizzles...”

“W-what's wrong Gus?” Vernon asked, his voice breaking slightly. It was clear whatever had the goat worked up was enough to have Vernon concerned.

"I-It's nothing, I was supposed to toss this part but I left it in." Gus muttered, slapping a hoof to his face. "But if I just take it out now it's going to be weird..." 

Going over the rite in her head, it didn't take long to realize what subject Gus had inadvertently forgotten to omit, and why he had most likely wanted to omit it.

'To bless them with strong, healthy and mirthful lambs to carry on their proud name.' The ewe recalled, her heart sinking slightly as the quote played through her mind.

It was true, the couple would never be able to conceive lambs or pups of their own. And while both her and Vernon had accepted the fact, hearing that particular part of the rite read aloud would have certainly put a damper, however slight, on the service. 

Gus was beginning to grow increasingly pale under the hair as the cue card found its way further and further into his muzzle, and if somebody didn't step in and do something, Dawn was certain the billy would eat the entire card before ultimately passing out. 

“It's about the lambs, right?” Clover interjected quietly. Glancing to her mother, the ewe had sidled up closer to the altar, standing on her tip toes as she gestured for the billy's attention. “About carrying on the name?”

The sweaty goat turned his attention downward in surprise before offering the chilver a meek, shaky nod.

"I didn't mean to leave it in, I just-!" Gus ran a hoof through his head fur. "Hoof rot! I forgot about it and I-!" 

Clover gestured for the billy to come closer, cutting him off in the middle of what Dawn was sure to be a hushed rant. Leaning further down, the goat lifted one of his ears toward her mother, allowing the older ewe to lean in and whisper something. Dawn watched the goats rectangular eyes as they shifted nervously shifted from side to side. Then suddenly, they grew wide in surprise, the goat's frown turning swiftly into a confident smile as he stood straight up. 

"Ah-heh-hem." The dramatic flourish returned, the goat grinning broadly as he tossed the half-eaten card over his shoulder. 

“And to connect these two blessed mammals to lambs or pups that deserve them, that will bring them joy, and wear their family name as a badge of honor.”

Dawn felt her heart skip a beat. The substitution was perfect and easily stoked the warmth and excitement back into her heart as she looked to her mother. The older ewe offered her a warm smile in return. 

“Nice save.” Gus added, smirking at the ewe to his side. “Thanks misses B.”

“You're welcome Mister Hornsley.” The ewe replied, nodding softly at the billy behind the altar.

Tapping his cards against the table, Gus turned his attention back to the mammals standing in front of him. Leaning forward slightly, the goat eyed both of the mammals with a rather serious expression, his eyes shifting from one to the other for a few moments before finally settling on Vernon. Dawn could feel the wolf's grip on her hoof tighten slightly as he did.

“Do you, Vernon James Hunter, take Dawn to be your lawfully wedded wife and mate?” Gus said, his tone cool and even as he spoke.

Dawn glanced back up at her mate, staring into those enchanting forest green eyes that called out to her. She could see the love, the admiration coming off of him in waves, setting her heart aflutter as the swarm of butterflies took hold of her again. She could feel the hot blush on her muzzle, the heat burning so intensely it felt as though sparks were coming off of her skin as she squeezed his paw in time with each tremor of excitement that shuddered through her tiny frame. The ewe held her breath, but it was not a conscious act, her lungs merely refused to function as she waited to hear his words. The words she never thought she'd ever hear. 

“Aye...” Vernon replied, squeezing the ewe's hoof as he spoke. “For our lives, and into the hereafter.”

Dawn felt as though her heart was going to burst as his words washed over her, a giddy smile crawling across her muzzle as she bounced in her step from the overwhelming excitement as the wolf read off the lines she had etched into her memory. Again the ewe suffered from the overwhelming urge to hug her mate. To jump into his arms and kiss every inch of his face she could reach. But once again she was forced to restrain herself, to quell the burning desires within her with strained promises. “Just a little longer.” She thought to herself. “Just a little longer.”

Gus turned his attention to the ewe, tapping the cards in his hooves against the altar once more to draw her attention back to him.

“Ahem.” The goat cleared his throat once more.

"Do you, Dawn Evelynn Bellwether take Vernon to be your lawfully wedded husband and mate?" The goat repeated the same question, rephrased for her. 

"I DO!" Dawn barked without even thinking before summarily burying her muzzle into her bouquet in embarrassment. She had been so over the moon about her mate's perfect recitation that she had simply spoken from the heart. A desperate, blunt desire to claim the wolf simply pouring out of her rather than following the procedure she probably treasured more than he had. Dawn winced slightly as she heard the wolf to her side chuckle. 

“Yer so damn cute...” Vernon whispered softly.

Dawn was blushing furiously, the ewe briefly glaring daggers up at her mate from the security of her tasty flower assortment. It was bad enough she was already quivering like a school ewe, but Vernon's commentary, albeit lighthearted, wasn't doing her any favors in terms of keeping her from melting where she stood into a puddle of pure embarrassment.

Dawn slowly withdrew from her bouquet, shaking off the petals that had stuck to her muzzle as she tried to compose herself. The ewe closed her eyes , letting out a long, slow exhale before speaking again.

“Aye...” Dawn replied coolly. “For our lives, and into the hereafter.”

Gus snickered softly as he flipped the next card over, shaking his head in dismissal.

"So excited." The goat murmured softly between chuckles. "I'd say I was envious of your guy's enthusiasm if the whole idea of marriage didn't terrify me." The goat whispered. 

“I heard that!” Came Melanie's voice from off to Dawn's side.

Gus rolled his eyes, shaking his head dismissively as he let out a tired sigh. With a slight groan, the goat leaned onto the altar, his yellow eyes shifting back to Vernon for a moment as he leaned his note cards down.

"James huh..?" Gus muttered. "Y'know, I actually had to double check with your mom in order to write that in." The goat shook his head, chuckling weakly. "It's been so long since it's come up, I kinda forgot that you even had a middle name." 

“Gus.” Vernon muttered, his eyes shifting from side to side as the wolf presumably eyed the crowd behind him. 

"Some friend I am I guess." The goat rolled his eyes. "Known you since high school and I didn't even remember your middle na-." 

“Gus!” Vernon hissed. Dawn could see the wolf's eyes bug-out slightly as he glared back at the goat.

Gus immediately shrank into his shoulders, offering the wolf a meek smile.

“Right, right...” Gus murmured. “Not the time.”

“Not the time.” Vernon affirmed.

“T-to be fair...” The ewe muttered. “This weekend was the first I've heard your middle name at all.”

Dawn watched her mates ears sag sharply, the wolf glancing back at her with an expression resembling some mixture of guilt and embarrassment. Vernon bit at his lower lip for a moment, the wolf's brow furrowing as he squeezed her hoof affectionately. It was clear from his behavior that the fact that neither of them had really known each other's middle names until just this weekend had suddenly dawned on the wolf. She could barely begin to imagine what the wolf was thinking, but the way his forehead fur seemed to roll as if it were waves on a stormy sea as he crinkled his brow told the ewe that there were a myriad of thoughts going on behind those worried-looking eyes. And it was clearly starting to sew a visible panic into the wolf's features. 

Her comment had been more to reassure Gus rather than dwell on the simple fact that their middle names had never come up before. But the fact seemed to deeply trouble the wolf. Perhaps he had been thinking it was something they both should had known by now, but more than likely he was concerning himself over whether or not she felt that way. That like him, she had only now realized they didn't know each other's middle names, and perhaps that would give her some semblance of second thoughts as to whether or not it was worth postponing the whole affair over. 

The ewe flashed the wolf a reassuring smile, rubbing the side of his paw with her thumb as she stared back up at him. 

“I-I think James is a lovely middle name Vernon...” Dawn murmured quietly into her bouquet. 

Vernon's ears perked up, the ewe's reassuring compliment seemingly erasing any semblance of woe and worry in favor of a fierce blush beneath his muzzle fur. The wolf's tail had begun to wag softly as he offered the ewe a meek smile. 

“T-thanks Honey Lamb.” The wolf murmured, flashing his fangs slightly as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I-I think Evelynn is purty too.” The wolf's accent was coming in thick as he stammered through his words. “Perfect fer the purtiest ewe I've ever met.”

Dawn blushed sharply, which only seemed to cause the wolf's tail to wag that much harder in response. Although the little flirty back and forth was holding up the ceremony, at least the ewe no longer felt alone in terms of turning into a bashful mess at the slightest of compliments from her mate.

“Didn't even know each other's middle names?” Gus glanced upward as he placed a hoof to his forehead in shock. “And getting tithed, sweet sawgrass...”

"No one asked fer yer input 'Tobias'!" Vernon snapped, the wolf's eyes pulsing slightly as he glared back at the one-horned billy in annoyance. 

“Vernon James Hunter!” Audrey's startlingly stern cry caused the wolf standing next to her to freeze instantly, his tail stopping mid-wag before going completely limp. Vernon's eyes widened slightly, a hint of fear flickering behind the lenses as he stood stock still.

"We were havin' a beautiful ceremony!" The she-wolf continued, sniffling softly through wads of tissue paper. "That ain't no way to behave!" 

Vernon grimaced sharply, the wolf's muzzle tilting toward the floor as he slunk into his shoulders. But despite how he tried to hide his face, Dawn could see his blush had only deepened as he clasped a paw to his forehead, pressing tightly against his brow. For a moment the wolf seemed to tense, his muzzle flexing as if he were going to object, to argue with his mother. But instead, his eyes shifted to Dawn, his forest green irises finding her from the corner of his eye before his ears drooped lamely in defeat. 

“S-Sorry everyone.”The wolf made sure his voice was loud enough to hear, although it cracked slightly as he spoke. The pure shame etched into his features that much more powerful than the ewe was certain she had looked while buried muzzle first into her bouquet after her mother had called her out on it.

“A-and Gus.” The wolf whimpered, shifting his attention back her way. His eyes shimmering with slight moisture as he spoke. “And especially to you Darlin'...I-” The wolf shook his head. “I'm hackling this up somethin' fierce aren't I?”

The ewe flashed her mate a warm smile.

“It's perfect.” Dawn replied, pulling the wolf's clasped paw near to her face before nuzzling against it softly.

“B-But this can't be how y'all pictured? How y'all musta drea-?”

“It's better because it's real.” Dawn cut the wolf off. “And it's with you.”

Vernon's tail began to wag once more, a hot crimson flush returning to his muzzle as the wolf averted his gaze. Turning to the altar, the wolf's chest suddenly swelled as her mate seemingly gained a second wind. Or at least, attempted to appear as though he had.

"G-Gus." The wolf coughed sharply, his chest deflating as he spoke, taking his poor attempt at appearing confident along with it in an instant. "C-Can we please-?" 

Turning her attention back to the goat behind the altar, Dawn could see Gus was clearly amused with himself. The one-horned billy covering his muzzle with a hoof in an effort to keep from laughing out loud.

"Maybe we should check with misses Hunter first." The goat whispered with a smirk. "See if that apology was good enough." 

Vernon sneered at the goat, but Gus mere chuckled quietly to himself. It was clear the goat was reveling in his best friend's embarrassment, and no amount of glaring and sneering from Vernon was doing anything to get the goat back on book. Not that Dawn was any more amused than her mate was. This was still a wedding after all. Her wedding, and they had gone so far off script that clearly even the goat had forgotten the decorum the ceremony was supposed to have. The atmosphere was steadily devolving into just another Beasts and Battlefields session.

Vernon looked as though he were about to let out a snarl at the one-horned goat when suddenly a look of absolute terror came over Gus. For a moment the ewe watched his form stiffen up, his eyes widening slightly as he clenched his teeth. The goat swayed for a moment, his body remaining rigid as a board before he seemed to suddenly break free of his trance. Once again aware of his surroundings, and full of palpable fear, the goat quickly shrank into his shoulders as he began to hurriedly adjust his notes. 

“A-Ahem, Sorry everyone.” Gus croaked weakly. “Vernon.” The goat offered his friend a meek smile before casting a worried glance beyond the wolf's shoulder. Dawn couldn't exactly be sure what had suddenly put the fear into Gus, but the knowing smirk that crossed her mate's muzzle gave the ewe the impression that Vernon had almost expected whatever had forced Gus back in line.

“And Dawn...” The goat coughed again.

“That's a good boy Gus.” Audrey spoke from somewhere behind Vernon, the she-wolf's voice stern and motherly. “Ain't the time to be mussin' about like yer both still little high school pups playin' games in mah basement!”

"Y-Yes Ma'am!" Gus straightened his stance, the hint of a blush forming under his muzzle fur. "I m-mean misses Hunter." 

Was it that glare? That same terrifying expression the ewe had seen on Audrey's muzzle just moments ago that had put the fear of the gods into the billy, or was it something even more terrifying that Dawn had yet to see Audrey unleash from her arsenal of motherly scolding techniques? Either way, Dawn wasn't complaining. But the ewe made a mental note that regardless of exactly what Audrey had used to reign Gus in, she had to find out what it was, and if there was some way she could teach it to her.

“Right, right so...” The goat scratched his brow uneasily. “The er...tattoos?”

The goat glanced over to the older wolf standing beside the altar, raising an eyebrow curiously. 

“Do we do that now?” The goat asked.

Dawn bit her lip uneasily. She had remembered the tithing mark portion of the ceremony but hadn't really given much thought to just how the mark would be applied to her hoof with any sort of greater detail. She had never had a tattoo before. After all, the art-form was rarely practiced as most mammals, as those with fur wouldn't have much use for ink patterns printed into their skin. Caprids were some of the few mammals who actually were in a position to show off a tattooed hide, as the consistent shearing and styling of wool left a lot of 'canvas' for the purposes of tattooing. But depending on which ewe you asked, the process could either feel like a slight tickling sensation or like being stung by thousands of angry hornets all at once. And Dawn, having no experience with tattooing, and having neglected to ask Vanna what it felt like, had nothing to go on. 

Dawn swallowed hard, but the lump that had suddenly found its way into her throat refused to move as she squeezed Vernon's paw for strength. Glancing back up to her mate, the wolf flashed her a small, reassuring smile that made her heart flutter. 

She had made it this far, even a million hornets wouldn't stop her now.

“Naw.” Dorian spoke, shaking his head dismissively. “We usually do that durin' the reception.”

Dawn let out a quiet sigh of relief, her grip on the wolf's paw softening enough to earn a chuckle out of her mate in response. 

Placing a paw on the altar, the wolf turned away from the couple, crouching slightly and leaning behind the podium as he continued.

"Between drawin' some blood from both of y'all, and mixin' it with the ink..." Dawn's ears jumped slightly as a clattering noise came from behind the altar. The vibrations shuddering up the post causing Gus to ease up off the podium and take a partial step back from presumably where Dorian had been digging around as he watched the wolf. 

“Let alone doin' each of yer marks.” The wolf said with a grunt, the altar shimmying again as he spoke. “It would take up too much ceremony time.” 

With a sigh, the wolf rose to his feet, taking a moment to dust his lapel with a paw before stepping back out from behind the altar. In his paws, the wolf held a small brass bowl.

“So fer now were just gonna do the powder marks.” The wolf smiled broadly at the couple, playfully swiveling the bowl in a single paw as he let the other drop to his side.

“Powder marks...” Gus murmured, flipping through his notes. “Powder marks?” The goat tipped one of the cards into his muzzle, chewing on it nervously as he eyed Dorian.

“Eh...who does that?” The goat asked nervously.

Dorian gestured to Dawn and Vernon with a shrug. “Well, they apply the marks.” The wolf chuckled. “But as the 'Best Mam', you're the one who's suppose'ta present them with the bowl.”

“Oh.” The goat blinked at the wolf dumbly for a moment before suddenly snapping to attention.

“OH! Right!” Gus laughed awkwardly, tapping his notes sharply against the altar before laying them down. The one-horned billy rubbed the back of his neck uneasily as he offered the group a sheepish grin. 

“I got them mixed up because they both involved moons.” The goat shook his head. “This is the 'Wulff's Blood' dye powder thing, I remember.”

Dorian nodded softly, presenting the bowl to the billy as though he were a waiter serving the mammal a fine covered dish.

"After y'all mister Hornsly." The white wolf said, passing the bowl into Gus' hooves. Dawn could see them tremble slightly as he took the bowl into his palms, the bowl tipping up for a moment, causing the goat to fumble it between his hooves. For a moment he seemed like he was going to lose his grip on the bronze dish, but at the last second, the clumsy billy seemed to get a firm grip on the container before stabilizing it in his hooves. Gus let out a visible sigh of relief before turning his attention back to Dawn and Vernon. 

The goat cleared his throat uneasily.

“I-I don't think I'm supposed to say anything here...”Gus mumbled. “So...er...”

Holding up the bowl, the goat carefully stepped off the side of the altar, not lowering the precious brass container until both feet were planted firmly on the ground. Letting out another shaky, uncomfortable sigh, the goat gripped the bowl tightly to his chest, his yellow eyes tracing his friend nervously before he carefully stored his way up to the pair. 

Coming to a stop just shy of the two mammals, the goat knelt to the floor without a single word. It was a rather dramatic, professional pose, the goat keeping his muzzle pointed down and his eyes closed as he held the bowl aloft toward the pair, presenting the object like it were an offering to both mammals. A sharp contrast to how Gus had been acting mere moments ago, but at the same time some of the air of grace and professionalism couldn't help but be robbed from the billy by being clad in his father's prom attire. 

Gus held like that for a moment, statuesque and silent, seemingly waiting on the pair to begin. But the rather confident, formal facade crumbled fairly quickly, Gus apparently giving in to his nerves in order to throw a glance back toward Papa Hunter as if looking for some sort approval.

“Like this?” The billy whispered quietly off to his side to the older white wolf.

Dorian chuckled softly. “That's fine boy.” The wolf shook his head softly as he approached the goat, kneeling slightly to place a reassuring paw on the goat's shoulder.

“No need to get that nervous now boy.” The wolf pat Vernon's friend gingerly. “It was only a glare. Just be thankful she didn't come at ya with a rake.”

Gus laughed awkwardly. After all, the wolf's remark should have seemed like little more than a joke. But both Dorian and Dawn knew all too well that his comment on the 'rake' was more grounded in reality than the goat would have initially suspected. Of course, the wolf's solemn, serious expression seemed to get the idea across rather quickly that Dorian hadn't been aiming for levity with his remark, but rather relief over Audrey's reaction not being worse. In response, the goat let out an audible gulp, shuddering slightly before shifting back into his more rigid, professional stance, his muzzle pointed back to the floor as he closed his eyes tightly. 

"Ya'll might wanna scooch over a bit though..." Dorian murmured softly, drawing the goat's curious attention. 

“Hmm?” Gus asked.

"Well, yer bowl is fer Vern." Dorian chuckled. "The Maid of Honor handles Dawn's bowl." The white wolf added, stabbing a thumb in Dawn's direction. 

Following the wolf's finger, Dawn suddenly found herself staring directly into Vanna's dress as the towering tigress now stood mere inches away from her side. It was a startling discovery, so much so that Dawn practically jumped out of her wool at the sudden surprise. Just moments ago Vanna had been sitting beside Zach in the front row. Yet somehow she had gotten up and made her way over to Dawn with a terrifying degree swiftness and silence. Just how long had she been standing there?

Glancing up at her massive sister in law, the large feline offered her a timid smile, one that betrayed her imposing figure. Vanna fiddled with her own bowl uneasily as she spoke.

"I-I figured I'd wait to stand till....you know...." Vanna murmured. "A-anyway, ready when you are." The feline mumbled, giving the ewe a soft nod. Dawn did her best to try and stifle the urge to gulp as she continued to adjust to the sudden shock of her sister's presence, offering her an equally timid smile. 

With a sigh, Dorian rose to his feet once more, flashing Dawn and Vernon a warm smile. 

“I think y'all know what to do here.” The wolf gestured to the bowl with a paw and nodding softly. “So I'll leave ya to it.”

With that, the older wolf stepped back, taking his place at the side of the altar and leaving Dawn and her mate to take the lead, and bring the ceremony back on track.

Meeting her mate's forest green gaze, the wolf offered her a warm, comforting smile. Slowly, the wolf began to kneel, all the while keeping his paw clasped tightly around Dawn's own as he eased onto his knees in a clear effort to meet the ewe as close to her level as possible. The wolf let out a little groan as he came to rest on his calves, adjusting his rump slightly in order to more evenly position himself on the roll-out carpet. Even though the wolf was essentially sitting on his legs, he still had to lean slightly over himself in order to properly reach the ewe's height. 

Reluctantly releasing his grip from hers, the wolf dipped a ginger finger in the brass bowl, stirring the powder idly around his forefinger before sweeping a small clump out of it. Dawn watched the wolf's eyes flicker as he carefully balanced the little mound of red powder on the tip of his finger. His deep green gaze remaining momentarily focused on the little mound of dust before shifting back to her, filled with a renewed flicker of adoration. 

"Through these wounds, through our blood, our souls are connected." The wolf uttered as he drew his finger around the center of her forehead. She could feel the wolf's finger pressing the powder into her skin, tracing a slow, consistent circle just above her brow before carefully withdrawing his finger.

Another swivel and sweep, and the wolf brought his finger to her brow once more. This time she could feel his paw pad smearing the fine powder into the area he had drawn previously. A line splitting the sphere he had rubbed into her skin, quickly followed by a few dabs on the left portion of the symbol to fill in the shape.

"For now and for always." Vernon concluded, tilting his head slightly as his paw lazily drifted down to the ewe's cheek, caressing it softly before he withdrew it. The wolf's words had sent a chill of excitement and joy through her tiny frame, her heart beating faster and faster as she began to lose herself in the wolf's loving gaze. For a moment she wished she had managed to hold the wolf's paw there for a few more moments, and lean into his touch once again. But perhaps, even the wolf was acutely aware that if they lingered too long they would once again be slowing down the actual ceremony. And the ewe once again had to sober herself from losing herself in such a deep moment of bliss that there would be time for that after all was said and done. There would be nothing but time now that they were set to be bound forever. 

With another shudder, the ewe returned from her mental haze to find that Vanna was now kneeling at her side, the large feline holding the bowl comfortably within her reach much in the same way Gus had for Vernon, replete with the same stoic, formal pose. However, unlike Gus, Vanna's stance came off as more professional. A serene dignity exuding from the tigress as she knelt there, waiting to play her part.

Dawn carefully reached her free hoof out to the bronze bowl. Following her mate's example, the ewe swiveled a finger through the dish of deep, red powder for a few brief moments before scooping a sizeable clump onto the tip of her hoof-nail. 

For a moment, the ewe studied the material. The coarse, dark, rust-colored dye meant to represent blood. Her blood, their blood, united. It was so primal in nature. Most prey would probably have found it savage even though it was a stand-in for something even more 'primitive'. And yet, that same representation made it that much more powerful. Red, the color of blood, but also the color of life, the color of love. And the ewe could feel that sentiment inside, making her heart swell as her eye shifted back to her darling 'Puppy'.

The wolf had leaned forward once again, dipping his head toward the ewe to allow her easy access to his forehead. His eyes, much like Gus', shut as he dutifully awaited her 'blessing'. 

Dawn smiled broadly, her cheeks flushed crimson as she closed the gap between the wolf's forehead and her hoof.

"Through these wounds, through our blood, our souls are connected."The ewe recited as she dragged her index finger in a small circle, leaving a red trail in the wolf's forehead fur. 

The beating of her heart grew faster as she scooped another small dab of powder on her hoof, the ewe's smile parting to reveal teeth as she began to feel hot tears stain her cheeks.

“F-For now and for always.” The ewe whimpered as she split the sphere before dabbing the right side full with a trembling hoof, before drawing it back to her muzzle.

Vernon slowly raised his head, offering the ewe a kind smile as he reached out to her, swabbing a tear out from under her glasses.

The ewe sniffled slightly, grasping the wolf's paw back into her own as she flashed him another beaming smile and squeezing it tightly. 

She had been worried about her vows all day, up until the start of the ceremony. And up until that point she had little or nothing that she could call 'perfect' to say to the wolf. But now, in that moment, she could feel it there. In her heart, her very soul. The words were ready to come, and she finally knew just what to say.

Vernon placed his other paw on his friend's shoulder, patting the billy gingerly as if to signal that the ritual was done. Gus raised his head sharply, his rectangular pupils shifting between herself and Vernon for a moment before the goat gave the pair a smirk. 

Rising to his feet, the goat dusted off his knees with a stray hoof before making his way back to the altar-side. For a moment, the goat disappeared behind it again, but his absence was brief, and soon enough Gus rose up from behind the podium once more. Dawn watched as the billy carefully placed the bowl in his hooves off to the side of his notes before carefully scooping the papers up into his hooves again. 

Dawn glanced over her shoulder to offer her sister a smile, but Vanna had vanished almost as quickly as she appeared. The looming tigress having somehow silently rose to her feet and shuffled back to her seat without Dawn even being aware of it. Perhaps it had been the romantic haze that had somewhat overtaken the ewe as she basked in the moment that had once again left her senses dulled to feline's swift and stealthy movements. But more than likely, even if Dawn had been listening for Vanna's exit, she wouldn't have seen the tigress leave unless she had watched her the entire time. 

From her seat next to Zach, the large tigress offered an encouraging thumbs up.

His attention shifting back to the couple once more, Gus gestured upward with a hoof, and like his friend had before, Vernon carefully rose to his feet, all the while his paw remaining gripped to Dawn's.

With their joined attention now on Gus, the goat placed a hoof to his muzzle and sharply cleared his throat. The ewe held her breath, her heart skipping a beat every few moments as her anticipation grew for the next part of the rite.

“It is now time for the trading of the vows, and with it, I open the floor to thee Lord Vernon and Lady Dawn.” Gus said calmly, shifting the card in his hoof from the front of the pile to the back before leaning over the altar casually.

The goat once again glanced between the pair, offering the couple a sly smirk.

“I'd wish you luck.” The goat whispered. “But I already know you two don't need it.” The billy concluded, letting out a soft chuckle as he straightened back into a more formal stance.

With the attention back on them, Dawn's eyes met her mate's once more. Those deep green eyes, so filled with love and admiration. Just staring up into them at that moment made her blood simmer, and her heart feel as though it would simply pound out of her chest. 

“Dawn...” Vernon's tone was low and smooth. The familiar, warm deep rumble causing her wool to stand on end as she squeezed his paw.

"I don't think it would be...right, to say I fell in love with y'a-" The wolf paused momentarily, coughing into a paw before continuing it. "With you-" The wolf continued, his voice a bit louder as he apparently tried to reign in his drawl. "From the moment we first met." 

The wolf rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, his green eyes shifting away from her for a brief, agonizing moment.”I mean, it's a pretty sentiment, but it wouldn't be true.”

“When we first met, I didn't know what love even...really was. Romantic love I mean.” The wolf continued. “We were pups after all.”

Dawn rubbed the wolf's paw with a thumb, offering him a meek smile.

“Back then we were just two lost little mammals lookin' fer a friend.” The wolf let out a soft sigh. “And as luck, or fate would have it, we found each other.”

The wolf glanced down for a moment, wincing softly as his ears splayed against his head.

Dawn could feel the hot moisture starting to trickle down her cheek once more as her eyes remained fixed on Vernon's. The ewe biting her lip as her thoughts drifted back to their brief time together as children. For her, it had been unequivocally the highlight of her childhood, even as short as it was. 

“After...after we got split up...” Vernon murmured. “I felt a lot of things.”

The wolf let out a soft whimper. “Pain...anger...sadness...” The wolf sighed. “Maybe even guilt.” The wolf continued, his tone growing somber as he spoke. 

“Part of me blamed myself for it.” The wolf grumbled. “And the rest of me was willin' to blame the world.”

Glancing back up at her, Dawn could see the wolf's eyes had begun to glimmer. The wet shine of the start of tears flickering in the moonlight.

“But there was somethin' else...” The wolf whispered. “Somethin' I felt, but I couldn't...explain.” Vernon offered a weak chuckle. “I'd say I was too young to understand it, but I didn't really figure it out till just a few months ago.”

Dawn pressed her glasses up with her forearm, wiping away the now steady stream of tears as best as she could while still clasping her bouquet.

"It was a feelin' that stayed with me long after I cleaned up my act in high-school." The wolf continued. "It stayed with me no matter how many friends I made." Vernon shook his head dismissively. "Always there...somewhere in the back of my heart." 

Dawn could feel the wolf's paw squeeze her hoof affectionately.

“It was a subconscious feelin'.” The wolf sighed. “Somethin' I only realized I felt after I stopped feelin' it.” 

Dawn watched as the wolf pressed his free paw against his chest, pressing firmly down over his heart as he frowned.

“It was like somethin' was missin'.” Dawn could see Vernon's lip trembling as he spoke, and the ewe squeezed his paw tightly in an effort to ease his visible discomfort. “There was a hole deep down inside of me...” The wolf's shook his head. “A pit that nothin' could fill up.”

Dawn shuddered as the word 'pit' left the wolf's muzzle. The concept alone evoking memories of her past indiscretions, and worse, her past nightmares. She could still recall the pit from her coma, the one that grew bottomless and empty as she scrambled to the top. Her efforts to save herself largely fueled by the wolf who now stood at her side.

“But then...” Vernon smiled, revealing his fangs as the first of his own tears began to spill down his cheek fur. “Y'all came back into my life.” The wolf let out a quiet wheeze of a laugh.

Dawn could feel her heart begin to swell again as tears continued to pour from her eyes. Pressing her glasses up again, the ewe aggressively swabbed at her tears. But it quickly became apparent that at this point, any effort to stem the tide was futile. The most the ewe could hope to accomplish was to keep from actively sobbing out loud now.

“Even when I didn't know just who you were.” The wolf smiled. “Even when we were just friends.” Vernon ran his thumb across the top of Dawn's hoof, petting it gingerly. “That feelin' just vanished.”

Vernon's smile grew, the wolf's fangs appearing once more as tears streamed down his dusky grey fur.

“Just bein' around y'all...” The wolf cooed wistfully. “Makin' you laugh...makin' you smile...” The wolf rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Well...it made my heart feel like it was gonna burst sometimes.”

Vernon lamely pawed at his eyes, but much like Dawn the attempt had done little to stop the steady stream of tears that were now flowing. Tears so heavy and numerous that the ewe could just make out what appeared to be make-up starting to dribble down his fur, exposing just a hint of his bruises from the previous day's brawl.

“Bein with you made me feel a kinda joy and warmth I fer-fergot even existed...” The wolf choked, slightly. “And then knowin' who you were, and what we used to be...”

Vernon shook his head briskly, letting out a soft sob. “Well, I got greedy.” The wolf let out a weak chuckle. “I knew that I needed to do anythin' and everythin' in my power to make sure I never lost you again.” The wolf whimpered.

“You were a precious treasure to me Dawn.” The wolf smiled. “Even if no one else could see it but me...”

Dawn could see a blush forming under the wolf's muzzle as he braced his neck with an arm.

“And I swore to myself I'd not only do everything I could to protect that treasure...”The wolf murmured. “But to make sure I'd never lose it again.”

“We were meant to be together Dawn.” The wolf let out a whimpering sigh as his deep green orbs fixed on hers once again, his tears shimmering in the moonlight. “That's what that feelin' was...I know it now.” The wolf wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his tux. “I knew it when I was sittin' in that hospital, waitin' fer you to come back to me.”

“We were connected...probably before we ever even met.” The wolf let out a choking sigh. “Call it fate, or destiny or whatever...but it's true.”

Dawn squeezed Vernon's paw as tightly as she could. In some ways, it was to try and reassure the wolf, but at this point it was mostly to help her keep from collapsing into a sobbing mess. With every line, every admission from the wolf's unrehearsed vows, the ewe could feel her heart twist and rend in a sort of beautiful agony. It hurt so much, yet at the same time left the ewe in a state of breathless joy. Her heart soaring high above the clouds while her chest burned and stomach gnarled from the overwhelming wash of emotions. 

“I love you Dawn Bellwether...” Vernon whimpered. “All of you, past and future.” 

“And I will be by yer side until I draw my last breath.” The wolf smiled. “As long as you'll have me.”

Dawn didn't hesitate to nod, the ewe briskly shaking her head as she let out a choking sob. Once again she found her insides screaming at her to hug Vernon, to jump into his arms and shower him in love and affection. But still, that lingering, nagging thread inside, albeit stretched to the very limits of what it could take, kept the ewe bound to the decorum of the rite. To keep holding on, just a few more minutes. 

Dawn buried her face into her arm, taking a moment to try and compose herself as she remained tightly gripped to Vernon with her other hoof. She was still beyond stopping the steady flow of tears pouring out of her, but at the very least she hoped to quell the overwhelming, aching urge to bawl like a lamb.

The ewe tried to collect herself, running through the breathing exercises Doctor Gnu had gone over with her in an effort to fight off the weeping that sought to steal it away again. And while it took a few moments, the ewe seemed to managed to hold on just enough to keep from spilling over into full-on hysterics. 

Sniffling sharply, Dawn pulled her arm away, allowing her glasses to slip back into place as she turned her attention back up to the wolf standing to her side. His eyes were still shimmering with tears despite his warm, toothy grin.

Dawn took a slow, deep draw of breath, her lime green eyes centering on his as she let out a slow, deliberate exhale. She knew what she wanted to say, and now was her time to say it.

“V-Vernon...” Dawn murmured weakly. The ewe was struggling to find her voice after all the quiet crying, but still she pressed onward. The was no way in hell she was going to stop now.

“I-I've spent so much of my life...feeling so helpless.” The ewe whimpered. “So weak and timid.” 

Dawn shuddered as she spoke, the chill in the air suddenly feeling biting as the heat from within clashed against the cool autumn air.

“I've been used up, and tossed aside so many times...” Dawn glanced to her feet uneasily. “My father....mammals who I thought were my friends...” The ewe swabbed at her eyes with her forearm. 

“Predators...prey...everyone.” Dawn bit her lip as she mustered to courage to continue. “And the more it happened, the more I grew to hate not only the mammals around me...” The ewe shuddered, squeezing her mate's paw for support. “But myself for being so miserably weak.”

The ewe held her forearm over her eyes as she let out a shuddering sob. 

“Who I was as a mammal...” Dawn continued. “As a lamb...” The ewe bit her lip to try and stile the urge to sob. “There wasn't a mammal out there who I felt saw any value in me.”

Dawn let out a shuddering breath as she aggressively rubbed her forearm into her eyes to try and stop her tears. But the action did nothing to stem the tide, and soon the ewe gave up and pulled her arm away. Dawn sniffled sharply as she looked back up to her mate.

“I was worthless...” The ewe sighed. “And while I hated myself for being so weak...I also was looking for approval from someone...anyone...for so long that...” The ewe frowned. “I let myself be manipulated and contorted into placing all that insecurity and hatred on everyone around me.”

The ewe adjusted her frames slightly, the steady stream of tears and moisture on her skin now making her glasses slide down her muzzle twice as fast as usual.

Her years before and after Vernon. Her failed political career and perverted philosophy she had allowed to fester inside with the help of mammals like Doug and her father. It made bile rise in her throat to even recall all the toxic mammals she had been involved with, as well as the toxic mammal she had allowed herself to become in the process.

“All I ever wanted...was to be appreciated.” The ewe muttered. “To feel like I meant something...to someone...” Dawn squeezed her mates paw as she spoke, flashing the wolf a small smile through her tears. “To be important.”

With a tired sigh, the ewe glanced down at her feet as she awkwardly twisted a hoof.

"But a mammal as small, weak and worthless as me could never be seen like that." The ewe murmured. "Not without forcing it, at least that's what I thought when I..." 

The ewe shuddered at the memory. The innocent mammals she had made suffer. What she had nearly done to Judy.

“It was easier to lay the blame for the way my life was at the feet of all predators than to accept I really was nothing...” The ewe whimpered. “To delude myself into thinking that predators were the source of all my problems, and that...becoming the mayor and getting rid of them would somehow...make me important.” The ewe shook her head. “And fix my life.”

The ewe let out a single stray sob before catching herself, biting down on her lip with slightly more force as she kept her eyes on the ground.

“And with the mammals around me reassuring me, and feeding my broken ego into believing those lies...I...” Dawn shuddered. “Well...I proved to the world just how worthless I really was.”

"D-Dawn..." She could hear her mate utter softly, his tone laced with concern. But the ewe pressed on before he could continue, squeezing his paw tightly. 

“B-but you...”Dawn whimpered. “Y-you never saw me as worthless.”

The ewe glanced up at her mate, her moist lime-green orbs finding his. She could see the concern in his expression, the worry lines in his snout fur. Even now, he was proving her point.

“When we were kids, you...” Dawn let out a slight laughing sob as she recalled their childhood once more. “Y-you treated me like I was an equal.”

“You didn't ask anything of me...you didn't use me...” Dawn whimpered. “Y-you just wanted my friendship. A-and y-you...” Dawn closed her eyes tightly as the tears continued to pour. They were starting to sting now, the heat and salt irritating her eyes from the excess. “Y-you saw value in me.”

The ewe swabbed her eyes once more with her forearm, rubbing briskly in an effort to get at least a few seconds of freedom from the stream.

“And even if y-you had to save my hide more often than n-not.” Dawn continued. “Y-you just did it because...y-you were my friend.” The ewe let out a sputtering sob. “You cared about me.”

The wolf offered his mate a genuine smile, his tail wagging softly as he stroked the top of her hoof with a thumb.

"And when we found each other again." Dawn smiled, a soft sob escaping her muzzle in the brief moment her teeth parted. "Even after everything...after all I had done." The ewe's smile widened as another wave of tears forced her to squint in order to see through them. "You still cared about me." 

Dawn swabbed at her eyes with her forearm once more, dragging it down over her snout in order to cover the loud sniffle that she was sure was the only thing that kept her from breaking into a full sob.

“Y-you rescued me Vernon.” The ewe smiled up at her mate. “You showed me that I have worth...” Dawn sniffled again. “You taught me to love myself...”

The ewe's lip began to quiver as her heart twisted in anguish. She wanted to cry so badly now. To simply weep and choke until it was all out of her. But somehow, she managed to keep composed despite the gnawing urge.

“Y-you showed me what unconditional love truly means...” The ewe let out a cry, squeezing her mate's paw as tightly as she could. 

“You made me realize...” Dawn smiled through her tears. “That the only mammal who it ever really mattered when it came to seeing that I had worth was myself.”

“And yet, the only mammal who I care about being worth anything to now is you.” The ewe shuddered softly. “And I know that's all I ever need.”

The fur on Vernon's cheeks was heavily matted now, the steady stream of tears that had been pouring from his eyes soaking deep into his fur, and further wearing away whatever concealer he had been wearing.

“I love you Vernon Hunter.”

"I love you too D-Darlin'" The wolf choked over a sob. His tail was wagging furiously now, making the air around the ewe that much colder. But she didn't care. She had said what she needed to say, and while it had been rough around the edges, just as Vernon's had, it couldn't have been more perfect. 

“A-alright.” Gus's trembling voice drew the ewe's attention back to the altar to catch the billy covering his eyes with a hoof. Unlike before, there wasn't even an attempt at subtly as the goat sloppy pawed the tears from his eyes, letting out a sharp sniffle before returning to his cards. Off to his side, Dawn could see her mother had buried herself into another wad of tissues. And as for Dorian, if the wolf had hoped to hide his own tears, the moonlight gleaming off his brilliant white, yet moistened fur was quick to betray him. 

“S-see...?” Gus sniffled sharply, wiping at his snout with a hoof. “A-and you guys were worried.”

Despite her crying, Dawn couldn't help but let out a tear-choked laugh as she glanced back to her mate. His tail was still wagging so quickly it was little more than a grey and cream colored blur barely visible against the dark, but his warm smile was broad and unabashed, gleaming almost as brightly as the moon itself.

"A-Ahem..." The goat coughed into his hoof awkwardly, clearly trying his best to shake off the lingering weepiness in his voice. 

“R-right so...” The goat glanced to his notes for a moment before eyeing Dawn and her mate once again. “The rings?”

The billy turned his attention over to the older ewe standing off to his side, raising a curious brow. “D-do we er...?” Gus bit his lower lip uneasily. “Do we have rings?”

Clover blew her nose sharply into her tissue before balling it up and pressing it into her fist. The chilver's expression was an uncomfortable one, Clover looking as though whatever she had to say wasn't going to easy for her. 

“I-I uh..” The older ewe grimaced, wringing her hooves together nervously. “T-that was the one thing we really couldn't get on such short notice.”

Like when Audrey had scolded the wolf earlier in the evening, his tail had simply gone limp. The brisk, energetic wagging coming to a sudden stop at the unfortunate news. Vernon's ears drooped sharply, his lovely beaming smile giving way to a sullen frown. And his eyes, once filled with love and admiration, and still filled with tapering moisture, grew awash with a mixture of emotions that were hard to read as he looked to her mother and his father. Shock, disbelief, desperation, anguish, and maybe even fear? It was as if all of those expressions were fighting for dominance on the wolf's muzzle, while at the same time it looked as if he were trying to fight them back down all for her sake. His beautiful, shimmering forest green eyes continuously flicking from their parents to her and back again as if he were trying to figure out exactly how to respond to the bad news. 

But Dawn found herself strangely at peace despite the lack of rings. Surely it was something that should have been heart-wrenching for her, an inconceivable scenario that could only have stood to completely ruin the biggest night of her life. It was her childhood dream after all, the perfect caprid wedding. And surely any caprid wedding worth its salt wouldn't lack something as important and fundamental as the traditional rings. They were the linchpin of the whole affair, a symbol of the burgeoning couples undying love and commitment to one another. Yet Dawn found herself rather content despite the missing rings. 

Of course, knowing that they wouldn't be leaving the ranch without tithing marks probably helped to some extent. The matching red half-moon brands on their palms were an equally, if not more powerful sign of their relationship. And unlike a piece of jewelry, the permanent marks could never be lost or misplaced. 

But it had been the vows, although off the cuff and cobbled together on both of their parts, that had somehow left Dawn feeling as though the rings were mere trifles now. They were fleeting words, but straight from the heart. Pouring out from their very souls, unscripted and unfiltered. Immaterial confessions and admissions, that would only ever be heard by the couple and those present for the service. Those words lacked the visibility of rings, and the permanence of tithing marks, but the weight the carried was immeasurable. Her Puppy Love's vows had confirmed his feelings for her, had made the wedding real. It was really happening, she was getting married, as well as tithed. She was marrying Vernon Hunter. A wolf, a predator, her best friend, and the love of her life. And the knowledge alone, the words she would forever carry in heart, was more than enough for her to be happy.

The only thing that hurt now, what truly made her chest ache, was just how distraught her Puppy Love looked. She could hear him starting to whine softly, the plaintive whimpers of a mammal who wanted nothing more than to make this night perfect for his friend, his mate, and was now certain it had been irrevocably botched. 

Dawn squeezed his paw reassuringly, offering the wolf a warm smile as she stroked the top of his paw with a thumb. But Vernon's expression remained sullen and worried as he averted his gaze from hers. 

She was just about to open her mouth, to tell the wolf that she didn't care about the rings, or even the marks anymore. That as long as she had him, she'd always be happy. But before she could speak, her mother cut back in.

“N-Now hold on, hold on!” Clover nervously protested, the tissue falling out of her hoof as she held hands out defensively toward the pair.

“W-we may not have been able to get the rings, but...” Clover rubbed the back of her neck uneasily. “I t-think we came up wi-with a fairly good placeholder for the time being.”

Dawn exchanged a curious glance with the sullen wolf at her side, his ears perking just enough to show that he was at least as intrigued by her mother's statement as she was. Stepping forward slightly, the older ewe gestured a hoof behind Dawn. The chilver signaling someone to step forward. 

Glancing over her shoulder, Dawn found Vanna standing behind her now, the large tigress easily looming over both mammals as she stood silently behind the pair. Once again the tigress had snuck up on them, shifting silently among the breeze. Only now, instead of holding a bronze bowl in her massive paws, she now held what Dawn could only assume was the traditional ring pillow. The items resting upon it obscured by a lavender colored cloth.

Vanna's stance was once more rigid and professional, almost as if she were taking part in some sort of police display. But despite her rather serious expression, the tigress' cheek fur was absolutely drenched in tears. And although she appeared to not be crying anymore, her glimmering golden eyes were puffy and reddened around the edges as though she hadn't been able to stop herself until just moments ago.

Placing a paw over the fabric sheet that lay atop the pillow, the tigress gingerly lifted the veil. 

What she revealed, left the ewe speechless.

Sitting on the finely crafted pillow was a startlingly familiar sight. Two, very old, very familiar looking bracelets crafted from crude plastic letters and flower shaped beads. Some of the old beads were chipped, and others were faded, but even under the darkness cast by Vanna's looming shadow, the ewe could still easily make out the inscription. 

“P-Puppy's Best Friend...” Dawn could barely utter, her lip trembling as a fresh wave of tears began to trickle from her eyes.

“Our bracelets!” Vernon's voice called out in surprise.

Dawn met her sister's gaze once more. The tigress was doing her best to hide her eyes, dabbing at them with lavender cloth now that the surprise had been revealed. 

“H-How?” Dawn whimpered. “W-when?”

She could hear Vanna sniffle sharply, the tigress turning her head away as she held the cloth over her nose.

"I'll answer that later dear." Clover spoke, drawing the ewe's attention back to her mother. "I just hope this will do fo-." 

“It's perfect.” Dawn whimpered, clutching a hoof to her muzzle monetarily to stifle a sob. 

Their bracelets, the cheap plastic and twine that had bound them together so very long ago. A beacon of their friendship that both chose to wear with pride. What could have been more fitting on this night, then to reconfirm that bond? To re-enact the same exchange that had linked them in the past, to link them in the present and future. 

Looking back to her mate, the wolf's smile had returned. His warm, fanged grin beset by fresh tears as he looked into her eyes.

“Y-you ready for this Floof's?” Vernon asked softly, caressing the top of her clenched hoof with his thumb.

“Of course P-Puppy.” Dawn sniffled.

Reluctantly, she released her grip around her mate's paw before carefully reaching up to the decorative pillow and taking the bracelet she had made for Vernon in her hoof. The ewe lifted it carefully as if it were a priceless artifact, cradling it in her palm as she retracted her hoof.

Looking the object over nothing had really changed. It was still the same old bracelet it had presumably been the day before when her mate had been wearing it. Just like her, the wolf had taken to wearing the treasured item from their youth only sometimes. Wearing the band proudly on their dates, or important days. While the bracelets weren't necessarily fragile, the fear of them falling apart or going missing from daily wear was something that kept the pair from wearing them constantly. 

To even still have them, especially hers, was nothing short of a blessing. But seeing them tonight, in the grand scheme of the whole affair gave them a sense of renewed importance and meaning. 

Glancing up to her mate, the ewe found him studying her bracelet with a similarly tearful expression. A wistful, almost nostalgic look in his shimmering green eyes as he appraised the old trinket.

With a smile, the wolf slowly knelt to the floor once again, his eyes finding hers as he cradled the bracelet in his paws.

“Gods...” Gus spoke, his voice low and solemn. “Please bless these...bracelets with which Vernon Hunter and Dawn Bellwether have chosen as their symbol to mark themselves as forever unified in heart and spirit.”

Dawn could hear sniffling, but the ewe wasn't sure if it was coming from her, or any of them mammals around her now that she was lost in Vernon's eyes.

“As they give and receive these bracelets, may they testify to the world of the covenant made between them.” The goat concluded.

Reaching out a paw, Vernon gestured for her to reach out to him, and the ewe did so in kind. Holding the tips of her hoof with one paw, the wolf held her prized bracelet up in his other paw as he began to carefully guide it on to her wrist.

“Dawn...” Vernon spoke, his voice throaty and low. “Please take this bracelet as a symbol of my love, my respect, and my undyin' devotion', and take me as yer mate.”

Dawn shuddered as the bracelet came to rest on her wrist, the words 'Puppy' gleaming in the moonlight as she let out a soft sob.

Taking the wolf's paw, the ewe pulled it closer to herself, being careful as to not entirely crumple his band that remained in her hoof. Carefully releasing her grip, the ewe drew her hoof back, allowing the bracelet to dangle from her fingers.

Another whimper, another sob, and she was slowly guiding the bracelet onto the wolf's own wrist.

“Vernon..." She was almost there now, so close to being able to hold her mate and never let him go. Just a little longer now... 

“Wear this bracelet as a token of my love, and make me the happiest mammal in all of Animalia by taking me as your own.” The ewe whimpered. “Your wife, your mate, and your friend from now until my dying day.”

With the bracelet safely on her mate's wrist, the ewe took his paw back in his. His large fingers intertwining with her own as they stood staring at one another. Basking in their warmth, love, and admiration for what seemed like an eternity. 

“With this kiss, the pact is sealed.” Dorian spoke, the white wolf's words warm and mirthful as he seemingly addressed the crowd around them.

"And with it, our packs becomes one." The wolf concluded. 

“I pledge my eternal love and devotion to you Dawn. To protect you, To remain by you through the best and worst this life has to offer, and to wear the mark of your pack with pride.” Vernon cooed sweetly. “To love you through this life and beyond, and to never leave you.”

The tears were pouring out of her now, the ewe shuddering as she gripped Vernon's paw as tightly as she could. She could feel herself slipping, growing dangerously closer and closer to losing herself and collapsing into a weeping mess.

“I-I pledge...”The ewe whimpered, swabbing her eyes with her forearm once more. “M-my eternal love and devotion to you Vernon.”

She could feel the wolf squeezing her hoof reassuringly, trying to give her enough strength to finish the last lines of the rite.

“T-to remain by you through the best and wo-worst this life has to offer.” The ewe glanced to her side, toward the assembled members of the Hunter pack that were still seated to find a sea of tearful smiles staring back at her. Some, like Malcolm and Audrey were already blubbering like pups. But even mammals like Ada seemed to be pawing away a stray tear or two. “And wear the mark of your pack wi-with pride.”

Dawn sniffled sharply as she turned her focus back to her mate, his shimmering green gaze looking deep into her soul as he smiled back at her.

“To-to love you through this life and beyond.” Dawn sobbed. “A-and to never, ever leave you!”

The ewe could contain herself no longer, letting out a loud, sharp sob as she rushed into the wolf's arms. Wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, the ewe felt herself rising into the sky, the wolf's broad arms sweeping her deeper into his chest as he lifted her off the ground.

For a brief moment, she could feel the room around her spin, the lights dotting the altar becoming a swirl as she drew back from the wolf' embrace far enough to see his smiling face. 

In a flash her muzzle met his, the raw emotional power behind his lips feeling like white, hot lighting as she drew him in. Pulling him in as tightly as she could while meeting his kiss in equal fervor. Her lips were tingling, and her breath was gone, yet she dared not break away to even try to catch it. At that moment she would have rather died than even think to sever that powerful, all-encompassing heat and passion that now surged between them. All she could do was press herself that much more deeply into him, pouring all her love and joy into the force of her kiss until she simply burned away.

Lost in that blissful haze, in that moment of pure ecstasy and oneness, much of the world around her had fallen away. But the sudden cacophony of noise that had erupted around them was inescapable, even behind the veil of love her Puppy had drawn her into. The Hunters were howling. From the corner of her eye, the ewe could see them, their muzzles held high as they sounded their call across the moonlit sky. Some of Vernon's brothers were pumping their fists as they howled, while others took to slamming their paws excitedly against the backs of chairs in excitement. Meanwhile, Audrey had somehow managed to howl between fits of sobbing, the wolf looking practically inconsolable as she bawled into another wad of tissues between her stuttering calls. 

“M-My P-PuH-Puh-PuuuPPPY! AWWWoooo-Wooo-Woo...!” The she-wolf lamented, before blowing her nose sharply into another clump of tissue.

Even her sisters seemed to be howling. Ada and Qali trying their best to match the others with awkward sounding, crude howls of their own.

Suddenly the ewe felt that powerful connection severed, her mate's lips pulling free of hers. It left her hungry, pleading and looking to her mate in a mixture of disappointment and confusion. But the wolf had already turned his muzzle skyward, letting out a resoundingly powerful and gleeful howl of his own that made her heart flutter. 

Turning his sights back on her, the wolf flashed her an expectant grin. 

“He couldn't possibly...” She thought. Was she supposed to howl as well? As a tithe was normally a ceremony between wolves, it was expected of all mammals present, even the bride and groom to join in on the celebratory howl. But she wasn't a wolf, so how could she be expected to howl?

“V-vernon?” Dawn smiled meekly. “I-I can't-I can't...”

The wolf fluttered his eyelids at the ewe, giving her a playful, teasing kiss on her snout.

“C'mon Honey Lamb.” The wolf murmured softly. “Do it fer me...” Vernon grinned. “Fer us.”

Dawn was self-conscious about even trying. She was sure that any attempt at a howl from her would come out horrible and awkward. But looking into those loving green eyes, she knew she couldn't refuse. 

“AWWOoooOOOOoooAAAAaaaaHH-aaH-aaH-aaHH...” Dawn snapped her muzzle shut with a hoof, a crimson hot blush forcing its way to her muzzle. 

By the gods, she had bleated. Out loud, for everyone to hear. Her attempt to play along, and give the howl everything she had inadvertently had caused her to slip into a purely feral bleat. And to her, bleating was much like Vernon getting caught up in an uncontrollable howl. 

Vernon simply grinned, giving the ewe another short kiss before raising his muzzle to the heavens once me.

"Baa-Haa-Haa-HaaWOOOoooooOOOO..." The wolf cried proudly. Making an attempt to match Dawn's rather awkward howl turned bleat with a bleat turned howl of his own. But much like Dawn's own failed howl, Vernon's attempt to match her was met with an equally awkward silence. Even the faded howls of the local wolves had fallen silent, leaving them with little more with the uncomfortable ambiance of the weak autumn breeze. And despite the wolf flashing her a confident smile, his attempt at easing her discomfort had fallen short. 

Dawn simply leaned into Vernon's chest, hiding her face in shame as her muzzle twisted into a cringe. Once again, the ewe found herself bereft of breath, although now it was for an entirely different reason.

"H-Hey now..." She could hear Vernon's chest rumble softly as he spoke. "H-Honey La-."   
“WHOO-WHOO-WHOO-HAA-HAA-HAA-HAWooooOOOoooo....”

From the back row, Ada's call sounded, an even more awkward, barking laugh of a howl that drew the ewe's attention out of her mate's chest and onto the large hyeness now standing up in the back row. 

Dawn knew by now that her sister hyeness was more than embarrassed by her nervous cackling and whooping. Yet if she felt any shame by giving into her more 'native call', the hyeness certainly wasn't showing it. Ada stood tall and proud, flashing the couple a confident smile as stood above the other Hunters.

“ARRR-ARRR-ARRR-ARRR-ARRR-ARRR---WoooOOOOooo!”

That call had come from Qali. The little white vixen bouncing in her seat as she excitedly let out a strange assortment of sort yips. The diminutive fox raised her fist into the air, swinging it in small circles enthusiastically as she cheered the couple on.

"GRAAAAAAaaaaaaAAAAAaaaaaWWWooooOOOoooo..." Dawn quirked a brow as she scanned around for the source of the bizarre, bellowing call. The ewe was quite certain she had never heard a sound like that before, despite having heard all sorts of foreign mammal calls in the melting pot of mammalian diversity that was Zootopia. But as she continued to scan the various Hunters amid the seats, she quickly became aware that most of them were looking up. 

Following the line of sight skyward, the ewe's eyes quickly fell on Giselle. The large giraffe cow bowing her head slightly as she covered her muzzle with her hooves in an attempt to hide the bashful glow that had formed below her fur.

Turning back to her mate, Vernon's smile had parted to reveal his fangs as he grinned proudly back at her.

"BAAH-AAH-AHH-WOOoo-woo..." Clover's attempt to join in was cut short by her own sobs, the older ewe blubbering just as loudly as Audrey was as she buried her snout into a fresh tissue. "M-My Li-Little LAAAmB!" 

Dawn had to stifle a giggle as she watched her mother lean her face into Dorian's side, the older wolf bending slightly down to place a reassuring paw on her back as her mother continued to sob. 

Gus was next, then Melanie, even Ruddy giving a resounding bleat of their own as the cries of a variety of other mammals began to carry over the distant breeze. It wasn't just wolves anymore, Dawn could hear sheep too. Off in the distance, bleating their hearts along with their howling brothers. Perhaps it was solidarity, or that the unique opportunity had presented itself for the local sheep to take part in something that felt strictly 'wolfish', but regardless, the fields and mountains sang with the strains of a menagerie of mammalian sounds. 

“ROOOOOOooooooOOOOOOoooooAAAAaaaaAAAAaaaaRRRR!”

Dawn practically jumped on to Vernon's face as Vanna let out a pure, startling roar from off to the couple's side. If she had attempted to shift into a howl somewhere within her powerful call, it was ultimately lost on Dawn as her flight response had temporarily overtaken her senses. 

It was only when the roar softened and eventually died away did Dawn turn to find Vanna blushing sharply, the large tigress holding the pillow that had once held Dawn and Vernon's bracelets over her muzzle.

“I-I'm s-sorry Dawn.” The tigress sniffled, the massive feline's apparent bashfulness causing her to shrink further behind the pillow as she wiped her tearful eyes into the fabric. “I-I didn't m-mean...” The tigress mushed her face deeper into the pillow.

“Mmim-muss...moh...Mpppy” The tigress wept into the pillow.

Dawn tilted her head slightly, a mixture of confusion and bemusement at the tigress' oddly emotional behavior. 

“I-I'm sorry?' Dawn asked. “What was that?”

Vanna trembled slightly, the tigress pressing the pillow more deeply into her muzzle as she let out a soft whimper.

“Vanna?” Vernon asked, the wolf leaning slightly around his mate to get a better look at the large feline. The wolf's brow furrowed slightly as he spoke in a concerned tone. “Are y'all ok-?”

With a sudden jerk, the tigress pulled the pillow down in one swift movement to reveal her tear soaked fur and quivering lower lip. Vanna had apparently been weeping hard enough to have several stray tears dangling from her whiskers that shimmered in the low lighting as she spoke. 

“I'M JUST SO HAPPY!” Vanna blurted out awkwardly before quickly shoving the pillow back over her muzzle in shame.

Dawn turned to glance at her mate, meeting his deep forest green eyes and rather pleased smirk with a giggle.

“See Darlin'...” The wolf chuckled. “Everyone's cuttin' loose now. Even ol' stone face over there.”

Dawn was certain the remark would have normally earned a glare from Vanna if the tigress' muzzle hadn't already been embedded in their wedding pillow.

Vernon placed a tender kiss on the ewe's forehead, and Dawn let out a sigh of relief as she leaned into it, allowing her head to simply rest against his lips as she nuzzled under his chin.

“Y-yeah...” Dawn murmured. The ewe felt better for sure after her sisters and mother had attempted to draw the attention off of her for the moment. But the feeling of awkwardness and shame hadn't completely left her.

“Hey...” Vernon cooed. She could feel his fingers come to rest beneath her chin as his muzzle drew away from her, the wolf lifting her head up in order to make eye contact with her. Vernon offered her a warm, loving smile.

“Ain't nothin' wrong with cuttin' loose Darlin'.” The wolf chuckled. “Lettin' a little bit o' that wild side out here and there.”

Dawn let out a small huff.

Vernon shook his head in response. “If not now, then when Darlin'?” Vernon grinned broadly.

“We're married Honey Lamb. Tithed.” The wolf's paw moved to caress her face, his thumb gingerly stroking her cheek as he looked her in the eyes.

“W-we're married?” Dawn uttered, her tone a mixture of disbelief and awe. It was true. They were official now, in the eyes of the Bellwether flock and the Hunter pack. They had sealed that pledge of love and devotion with a kiss. One she could still feel tingling on her lips as a renewed surge of joy and elation washed away the lingering shame left over from her howling bleat.

"We're married!" Dawn chirped, tears welling in her eyes as she looked back into her mate's own. His warm, forest green irises shimmering with love, and his soft lips growing increasingly, tantalizingly inviting. 

“We're tithed.” Vernon smirked.

They were connected again, and with that surge of heat and excitement came those butterflies. But that didn't stop the ewe from drawing him deeper, placing a free hoof against the side of the wolf's face as they gave their family an encore performance.

Dawn had practically lost herself in that blissful dream all over again. The kiss between her and her 'Puppy Love' feeling as though it were endless. She was enveloped in his love, their love. The warm embrace chasing away any semblance of autumn chill in the wake of the inferno that raged around and within them.

But this time it was her who would break the tender kiss, albeit with great reluctance. The ewe slowly drew back from her mate's lip's, resisting the urge to meet them once again as Vernon's own moved in a meek but desperate attempt to stay connected to hers for a brief moment before the wolf let her go. Drawing back the rest of the way, the ewe looked deep into those lovely green eyes as she caressed the wolf's cheek affectionately. 

“I love you Puppy.” Dawn said with a smile.

“I love y'all too, Floofy.” The wolf replied with a soft smile.

With that, the ewe laid her head against the wolf's breast, nuzzling up under his neck as she let out a pleasant sigh. Dawn wanted to drink in this moment, to simply bask in her mates embrace as her dream became realized and etch this perfect moment forever in her mind. 

The ewe closed her eyes, letting out a slow, soft breath.

“Vernon?” Dawn asked.

“Mhh?” The wolf cooed blearily, clearly lost in the moment almost as much as she was.

“What were you saying about cutting loose?” Dawn asked meekly.

Once again the ewe found herself being drawn from her nesting place, the wolf carefully prying her out of his chest and far enough away to make eye contact. Vernon flashed the ewe a playful smirk. 

“The big show's all said and done Darlin'...” The wolf cooed. “So now it's time we celebrate!”

“Hell yeah it is!” Came Yuri's unsolicited reply from the back. The wolf rising out of his chair. “Bout time we get to drinkin'!”

With a sharp 'wap', Ada's paw once again connected to the back of his skull with a blunt, open swat. Dawn watched the wolf sharply cow under the hyena's glare, albeit it with a defiant sneer as the black-furred wolf rubbed the back of his head aggressively. 

“I meant drinkin' responsibly!” Yuri hissed.

Ada crossed her arms, cocking her hips toward the wolf.

“Shore youse did.” Ada growled.

“Wait, Wait!” Qali chirped, drawing Dawn's attention to the diminutive fox now leaning over the seat in front of her. “What about the bouquet!?”

Dawn glanced back to the half-eaten wad of flowers now crumpled between her and Vernon sheepishly. Finally making it to the conclusion of the ceremony, to that symbolic kiss, had filled her with such a powerful and overwhelming sense of exhilaration and joy that the ewe had entirely forgotten about making any effort to preserve the bouquet for the ceremonial toss. And somewhere between the heat and force of that agonizingly lovely act, the bouquet had found itself trapped between the unyielding press of the pair's bodies. 

By now, the mess of flowers had certainly seen better days. Mostly crushed, and missing patches of flowers from every side, the cluster of flowers looked far from beautiful, and barely edible. But at the very least, it still looked sturdy enough to survive the toss. And considering most of the eligible bachelorettes who would be vying to catch it probably weren't going to eat it, it allowed the ewe to brush aside any real concerns about the arrangements 'final' presentation.

Dawn glanced at Vernon, giggling as she held up the tattered bouquet.

“Want to help me with this one, big guy?” The ewe asked, nibbling at her free hoof nervously. “I don't think I could give it a good toss from ground level.”

“Ya'll got it Lamb Fry.” The wolf chuckled in reply.

With a heft, the ewe suddenly found herself seated even higher above the altar as the wolf raised her up onto his shoulders. Bracing her legs under the gown with his paws, the wolf carefully spun around to allow Dawn to look back upon the aisle with a perfect bird's eye view. Dawn could easily see several of the Hunter brothers starting to file out of their seats, and while some merely stood around, talking to other members of the family as well as their mates. A few, such as Xavier and Ulric, had made their way to the back row and had begun to fold up the carefully arranged chairs on the left hoofed side of the aisle. 

“A-Alright...” Dawn giggled, raising the crumpled bouquet up to the heavens and wagging it lazily in the air. “Those of you who want to try and catch the bouquet might want to come to the front.”

"Oh hell yeah!" That reply had come from Ada, and Dawn watched as the large hyena actively used her mate's head in order to boost herself on to the next row of seats as she clambered her way to the front. 

“H-HEY! OW-!” Yuri hissed.

"Oh shut it youse!" Ada cried back over her shoulder as she carefully stepped over into the first row. Unlike her step onto one of the open seats in the second row, the large hyena had to adjust her stride to account for the mammals still seated in the front, which now included a very beleaguered Dorian and her mother. At some point, during the whirlwind of embarrassment surrounding her howl, and Vernon's follow up kiss, Dorian had managed to guide Clover back to a seat. And now, the older white wolf found himself sat between his mate, and Dawn's mother, with both mammals leaning on him for emotional support as the continued to weep. The wolf holding on to the box of tissues that Audrey had previously been clutching, and offering it to each mammal as they used up their previous clump. 

Carefully slipping around the sobbing mound of mammals, Ada stepped on the last vacant seat in the row before jumping back to the ground. 

“I got dis one in da bag.” Ada smiled confidently up at the ewe with closed eyes.

“I wouldn't speak so soon.”

On the other side of the aisle, just shy of the altar stood Melanie, alongside a particularly nervous looking Gus. Whatever conversation they had been in the middle of seemingly dropped as the nanny goat's attention fell on Ada.

“Oh...” Ada smirked, placing her paws on her hips. “Is dat so?”

"Melly..." Gus reached for his mate's shoulder with a trembling hoof, but Melanie was quick to brush it aside, grimacing at her mate before making her way up to the considerably larger hyena with a confident stride. 

“I'd say...” Melanie smirked, a determined gleam shimmering behind her green, rectangular pupiled eyes as she met Ada's in a glare. “It all depends on who wants it more.”

Ada let out a bemused cackle.

“Are youse serious?” The hyena furrowed her brow, flashing the small she-goat a competitive sneer. “You lookin' to get hoit dere little lamb?”

The hyena leaned down slightly, exposing her teeth as her eyes seemed to scan the smaller mammal inquisitively. “Because I ain't goin easy on any mammal dat gets between me an dat ting, regardless of how small dey are.” Ada hissed quietly. “I'm takin' dat bouket. Undastand?” Ada snorted. “I want it da most.”

Melanie dragged a hoof through the back of her ponytail, Dawn watching curiously as the nanny goat dragged several extra bands free from the base of it and pulling them off. Kneeling slightly, Melanie rolled the hem of her dress up to her knees before stretching a band over each leg and clipping the dress in place at the top of her calves. The end result made the bottom of her dress resemble something more akin to a pair of billowy shorts rather than an open skirt, the nanny bracing her knees with her hooves before flashing Ada a determined, almost scary smile. 

"Correction, I'm a goat." Melanie replied. "And when it comes to vertical leap, you've got no chance at beating me." The nanny chuckled. "We're built to scale mountains." 

Melanie's smile widened to show her tightly grit teeth as she tried to match Ada's menacing sneer. 

“And there's no way you could ever possibly want that bouquet more than I do.”

Ada looked surprised, but only for a moment, the hyena's trademark smug grin resurfacing as she stared Melanie down. 

“Oh I like youse...” Ada chuckled softly. “Almost make me feels bad I'm gonna crush youse into da doit and ruin dat pretty dress of yours.” Ada lolled her head back slightly as she crossed her arms. “Almost...”

“Hey!” Qali chirped. “I wa-!”

The fox quickly fell silent as the wolf sitting next to her braced her shoulders with his paws. Trenton drew the diminutive vixen closer to him, giving her a concerned glance.

Dawn could see Trenton saying something to her, but the wolf's voice was low, and from where she sat atop her mates shoulders, she couldn't quite make it out.

“But TreeeeennnNNNY!” The fox suddenly whined, her ears sagging sharply as her fluffy tail withered behind her. 

The white wolf simply rolled his eyes in response.

“Darlin'.” He was louder now. “I don't want you gettin' into that fray.” The wolf shook his head. 

“But I gotta!” The tiny white fox protested, balling her fists as she eyed her mate with intensity. “I want to get the bouquet!” The vixen flashed her mate a wide grin. “Then I can get you to tithe me! It's the rules you know!”

Trenton let out an amused chuckle, shaking his head softly.

“That's not exactly ho-.”

The vixen crossed her arms, wearing an expression that Dawn could only describe as something resembling a pout that was clearly meant to come off as intimidating rather than adorable. However, all it had managed to do was get another chuckle out of the blue-eyed wolf.

“TREEENNNY....!” The vixen whined. “PUH-LEEEEAASE!?”

The wolf rolled his head back, letting out another laugh before wrapping his arms around the diminutive vixen and pulling her in for a hug. 

Qali resisted, however. The vixen drawing back as much as she could from his attempts to pull her in close. Qali placed her paws on her mate's arms, puffing her cheeks in clear irritation. 

“Look, I promise ya'll right now Darlin'.” The wolf pleaded. “If we're still together nine months from now, you'll get a guaranteed proposal from me.” 

The little vixen crossed her arms, cocking her hips slightly as she continued to lean away from his grip.

“Really?” Qali asked dubiously, her tail flicking lazily as she spoke.

“Provided y'all don't lungin' for that bouquet on my behalf, it's a promise.” The wolf replied with a warm smile. “A Hunter always keeps his promises.”

The vixen turned her back to the wolf, glancing up at Dawn for a moment, before shifting her attention over to Ada and Qali. The ewe could practically see the gears turning in her head, the little vixen weighing her options for a moment before turning her attention back to Trenton.

"Why nine months?" Qali asked, her tone wary and somber. "Y-you don't think we're going to last?" The little vixen frowned. "Y-you m-might leave?" 

Trenton smirked. “No, it's cause I'd want to ask y'all at the right time.” The wolf chuckled. “And give us enough time left over to plan so that we can have a harvest tithe just like them two.”

Qali's ears shot back up, the vixen smiling broadly as she placed her paws on her mates shoulders. The little fox began to bounce happily on his lap.

“Really!?” Qali chirped. “REALLY REALLY?!”

The wolf nodded. “Only the best fer my lil' Snowball.”

Qali sucked in a deep breath of air before letting out another excitable series of gekking hoots as she continued to bounce. For a moment, it looked as though she were about to lean into the wolf's lingering hug with full force. The vixen had wrapped her arms around his neck, and had nearly drawn into his grip when she froze, her glance returning back to the front of the aisle. 

“B-but Trenny...” The vixen mumbled. “ I mean, it's tradition right?”

The wolf shook his head.

“Darlin', I don't like the look in them gals eyes.” Trenton spoke, his tone low in a clear attempt to remain unheard by those at the front. But Dawn had just barely managed to make it out. “I don't want to be waitin' nine months to propose because we had to wait till y'all were out of traction.” The wolf winced. “Or worse yet, end up havin' to plan fer a funeral instead of a tithe.”

Qali scoffed, flicking a paw at her mate dismissively.

“Oh pshaw.” The vixen giggled. “I may be small! But I'm agile and spry!” The vixen smiled. “I can-!”

“SAY LADIES!” Trenton called out, earning the attention of the hyena and goat who had been previously exchanging dirty looks. Qali spun her head in confusion, her attention shifting between her mate and the bridesmaids.

“Y'ALL TWO AIN'T GOT NO CHANCE AGAINST MY LITTLE SNOWBALL!” Trenton yelled, his voice booming with confidence. “SHE'LL STOMP YA BOTH OUT!”

Dawn watched as the two determined looking mammals set their sights on the petite vixen. Both mammals sharing a glare of similar intensity and ferocity as they stared down the bubbly fox a row away from them. 

Dawn watched as Qali's ears immediately sank, the vixen shuffling backward into her mate's chest before shrinking into his arms in sheer terror.

"I'LL PASS! I'LL PASS!" Qali yelped before sharply slumping into her mate's lap. The wolf's arms closed protectively over her, pulling her in tightly as she nuzzled into his breast. 

“P-point taken...” Qali mumbled.

"Well dat settles dat..." Ada said with a scoff. "But what about hoy?" The hyena grumbled, pointing a thumb to the giraffe in the row opposite. Giselle was standing now, Wade by her side as he began to fold up his chair. Looking up, Dawn could see the giraffe recoil in slight surprise as she looked to the mammals below her in confusion. 

"She ain't in dis ting is she?" Ada continued. "Case dere's no way dat's fair if she's in." 

Melanie's scowl momentarily shifted off of her opponent, instead shifting over to Giselle as she crossed her arms. 

“I do like a good challenge, but that is a bit much.” Melanie added. “I mean, her neck alone...”

Giselle quickly threw her hooves up defensively, the giraffe nearly tripping over the row of chairs behind her as she backed up slightly. Wade was quick to brace one of her legs, the wolf wrapping his arms tightly around her calf in order to stabilize her, but thankfully the large mammal seemed to regain her balance before toppling entirely. 

“O-Oh please...” Giselle giggled nervously. “I mean, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to try...”

Leaning her head down closer to the others, the giraffe offered the mammals a nervous smile.

“I mean...I am toll....but...”

“Tall huh?” Ada chuckled. “Dat's and unda-statement.”

Giselle giggled at the hyena's remark.

“But I don't fink it's any secret I'm a bit....well clumsy...”

Giselle glanced back to her mate uneasily as the russet grey wolf backed away from her leg, holding his paws out warily as if worried she was about to fall once more before seemingly noticing that she was looking his way and quickly adopting a rather sheepish grin before quickly returning to folding chairs. 

"And aside from that, my hoof-eye coordination is abysmal." The giraffe chuckled, flicking a hoof playfully. 

“B-but more so than anyfing else...” Giselle frowned slightly, glancing back at her mate once more before looking to Dawn.

“I- I mean it's a l'ittle soon for the bof of us to be finkin' about marriage, eh?” Giselle muttered weakly. “I-I mean we've been togevfer less than two months...so...” The giraffe cringed slightly, rolling her eyes as she continued. “ Yeah...”

“I understand.” Dawn replied.

"Yeah." Vernon added. "Ain't like y'all want to rush into anything." The wolf said with a chuckle. "That'd be crazy." 

Dawn gave her mate a playful swat on the head, his clearly playful jab at their own circumstances would not go unpunished. However, all it did was draw another snicker from the wolf as he glanced up at her knowingly.

“Alright, so she's out!” The hyena said with a smirk, crossing her arms confidently.

Looking off to the side, Dawn could see Malcolm had risen from his chair to help his mate. The russet wolf still sniffling into tissue as he cobbled up his chair into his other arm. 

“What about you Malcolm?” Dawn asked.

The wolf froze for a moment, turning around on his heels to face the couple with a sheepish grin. Malcolm pulled the tissue away from his snout, holding it in his paw as he swept it behind his head to rub the back of his neck uneasily. 

“Oh don't y'all worry about us Darlin'.” Malcolm said, a few lingering sniffles breaking up his laughter. “Xavey and I got plans, don't you worry now.” The red wolf sighed. 

"Besides, we wanted to enjoy the last evening of our vacation at the reception." Xavier chimed in, adjusting his spectacles as he spoke. "Not at the emergency room." 

Malcolm let out a chuckle. “Not that I can't scrap with the best of 'em o' course.” The wolf shook his head. “But I still got some work left in the kitchen that needs doin' too.”

Placing the tissue back to his nose, the russet wolf let out a harsh, honking blow before tucking the wad of wet paper into his breast pocket.

“So y'all have yer fun.” Malcolm concluded, bending to finishing folding up the chair he had been holding in his other arm.

“And try not to kill each other.” Xavier added dully.

“No promises.” Ada replied, turning her sights back to the diminutive nanny standing next to her. Melanie met her gaze with an equal intensity, the goat smirking back with tightly grit teeth as they stared each other down once again. 

Watching the two, Dawn could feel an uneasiness rising in her gut. She hadn't exactly been sure what to expect when the bouquet was finally to be tossed, but the level of 'competitiveness' taking place wasn't something the ewe had really considered. In that moment, the ewe could only think about what her friend Judy had told her about most of the 'Hopp's Family Weddings', and how violent many of those bouquet tosses had been. At the very least, Dawn could take solace in the fact that she only had two mammals to worry about getting hurt rather than two-hundred.

By now a sizable space had been cleared near the front of the altar, more than enough for the two mammals competing to get a fairly even shot at catching the bouquet. The entire side to Dawn's left had been opened up, while the rest of the family continued to fold up chairs and carry them off to the other side of the house where the ewe could clearly see the lights for the reception area. However, Dorian was still stranded in the front row of the other side of the aisle, Clover and Audrey still buried into his sides as he did his best to console them.

"A-Alright Vernon..." The ewe pointed a wary hoof over to the wide open space. "Let's do this." 

With a nod, the wolf ferried her away from the lighting, turning their collective backs away from Melanie and Ada as they took several steps away before coming to a stop a good distance from the altar space. All the while Dawn watched over her shoulder, carefully judging the distance required for the throw and growing increasingly concerned over the hateful glare that only seemed to sharpen between Ada and Melanie as they followed along a little ways away from the remaining chairs.

“T-that's far enough...” Dawn cooed, giving her mate a gentle pat on the head in order to stop the wolf's march away from the scene. Coming to rest a good five to six feet away from the competing brides-mammals.

O-Okay.” Dawn said, letting out a shaky, nervous sigh as she clutched the broken bouquet in her hooves. “Are you ready?”

Neither mammal looked her way, the steady stream of daggers traded between their stares remaining fixed and unbroken as they spoke.

“I was boin ready!” Ada growled.

“Ready to lose!” Melanie snorted. 

Dawn winced as she turned away from the pair, looking to her mate with uncertainty. In return, the wolf offered her a warm, reassuring smile. But his true feelings were betrayed by the way the corners of his smile wavered ever so slightly as if they were straining to hide the hint of doubt presumably brewing beneath. The bouquet toss was looking like an increasingly bad idea with each passing minute, but tradition was tradition after all. And even if much of their ceremony had somewhat flown in the face of conventional traditions, denying her bridesmaids the opportunity to catch the bouquet felt as though she would be cheating them. 

Dawn took a slow, deep breath, once again going back to her calming exercises as she dug her hooves that much deeper into the base of her bouquet. As she counted down the seconds, she did her best to let the last of her lingering concerns slip away. A part of her even tried to convince herself that whatever happened after the bouquet left her hooves was going to be Melanie and Ada's fault. But even after counting down and releasing her breath, the idea still refused to fully take hold. 

Still, she had a job to do, and as the last of the breath left her lungs, the ewe hefted the bouquet upward with all her might, flicking it back over her head before letting it slip free of her hooves at the apex of its arc.

She didn't want to look. She knew it would be a disaster. Yet she was compelled to glance over her shoulder and witness the spectacle that was about to take place.

Time itself seemed to slow as Dawn sheepishly glanced over her shoulder. She could see Ada and Melanie's eyes staring above her, hungry and determined as they watched the crumpled collection of flowers tumble through the air. Soon they were in motion, both mammals scrambling forward with arms outstretched as they began their mad dash toward their prize. 

It was Ada who made contact first, but not with the bouquet, rather her paw made contact with the side of Melanie's face. It wasn't a punch, or a slap, but merely an aggressive push. A powerful shove to throw the goat off balance and crumple her to the floor. And while it was strong enough to send her thick, black oval glasses spiraling off her face and onto the grass, the nanny's continued forward momentum refused to let her fall. 

In retaliation, Melanie's hoof found it's way to Ada's shoulder, pressing into it hard as the she-goat began to rise off the ground. Apparently, Melanie had either managed to catch Ada off guard, or merely put enough force into her action to cause the hyena to cow slightly. Ada buckled at her waist, dipping downward as Melanie continued her ascent. It was really surprising to Dawn just how high the she-goat could jump, but what was more surprising was how far the nanny was willing to go to snag that bouquet. 

Ada barely had time to glare back at Melanie before the nanny goat's foot was pressing down on the hyena's head. Melanie had gained enough air to use Ada's head as a stepping stone, and did so with a smug and unrepentant grin.

Ada's face bore a mixture of emotions as it fell further down under the weight of the she-goat. Shock, confusion, horror, the expressions shifting rapidly as Melanie forced her down into a crouch as flawlessly as one might imagine an ancient lion downing a gazelle. But as Melanie drew close to her prize, her arms outstretched and waiting to catch that precious parcel as it spun through the air ever closer to her, Ada's muzzle twisted into a snarl. It was a hateful, rage filled expression similar to the one she had flashed her mate earlier in the evening, and no less terrifying.

The she-goat was nearly within arms reach of the bundle of flowers, her jump now boosted free of Ada's head and springing into the night air. But almost as swiftly as she had cleared Ada's head, the hyena had swung up again, launching from the squatting stance into a leap of her own, aimed not at the bouquet, but at the nanny currently going for it. 

Dawn watched a look of confusion turned horror cross Melanie's muzzle as Ada's arms wrapped around her waist, and in a panic, the she-goat began to flail her arms as the flowers drew within her range. 

A glancing blow, one, then another sent the flowers toppling in alternating directions. The heads of buds and leaves spraying off as it spun against the moonlight. But on the third swing, Melanie almost managed to grip the base. Dawn watched in awe as it just barely slipped into her hooves. She might have actually gotten it if at that moment the momentum behind Ada's grab hadn't taken effect. The sudden jerk and pull causing the bouquet to bounce up and backward as the nanny was pulled back to Animalia. 

Dawn could see Ada's attention shift as they began to plummet, her angry eyes shifting back to the tumbling floral arrangement as it sailed overhead. With Melanie already sinking like a stone, the large hyena retracted her grip, using the force to propel herself away from the tanking she-goat and toward the flowers.

But Melanie, while down, refused to stay out. Not missing a beat, the nanny frantically grasped for Ada's neck, wrapping her arms around the mammal's throat and pressing as much of her downward force into the hyena as she could.

Much like Melanie had just barely grasped the flowers before, the same outcome played out with Ada. Her large paws flipping and toppling the messy arrangement through the air as she frantically tried to grasp even the barest thread. One direction, then another, the flowers seemed to bounce almost unnaturally away from her grasp. Teasing and toying with the struggling hyeness as both mammals continued to fall. 

One last desperate swipe, and it was out of range. It was falling, they were falling, and Dawn could feel a rising dread inside as it became clear what was going to happen next. The bouquet would hit the ground, as would Ada and Melanie. And the two would begin to claw at one another to crawl after it. 

But much to Dawn's shock, to everyone's shock, the bouquet never made it to the floor. With the attention grabbing spectacle of the struggle, Dawn had lost focus on just where the flowers had drifted. Ada and Melanie's attempts had sent it careening toward the front row of chairs that still remained at the altar side. Toward the group of mammals huddled at the front, where one old white wolf struggled to console two mothers overcome by the previous, considerably lovelier scene. And with little fanfare or struggle, the flowers landed on her mother's lap.

Clover drew back from Dorian's side, glancing down at the crumpled bouquet now resting in her lap in shock as Ada and Melanie hit the floor, spilling toward the chairs with a less than graceful crash.

Clover grasped the flowers warily, inspecting them with an increasingly confused expression before turning her attention back to Dawn. Her bleary, tear-filled eyes seemingly searching to see if what had happened was deliberate.

Dawn was almost as shocked and confused as her mother was. Her words failed her, and as she struggled to find a way to respond to her mother's curiously accusing glare the most she could seem to muster was an awkward shrug.

“Well....look at that.” Dorian smiled, his voice drawing Clover's attention up to him. “Look's like yer gettin' another chance down the road there Cotton.”

“I-” Clover sputtered. “B-But I..This?” The ewe held the bouquet up lamely as she struggled to speak.

“Oooh...” Audrey wept. “M-Maybe y'all will get y-yerself a buh-buh better fella this time ar-around?” The wolf whimpered through her tears.

Clover glanced at the broken bundle hanging lamely in her hoof for a moment, the ewe clearly still reeling from the strange outcome of the toss before glancing back to Vernon parents once again, a blush creeping up on her aging muzzle.

"I-Me-I?" Clover stammered. "I-Nooo...." The ewe shook her head. "I can't be-I-!" 

“Dat don't count!” Ada cut off the bewildered chilver from the crumpled pile she and Melanie were now a part of on the ground. The large hyena being the first to drag herself up from the pile, the mammal tromped up to Clover before snatching the bouquet out of her hooves with a paw.

With her other paw, Ada tried to shake some of the dust off her dress as she sneered down at Dawn's mother. It was a pointless endeavor of course, both her and Melanie had gotten their dresses covered in grass stains, not to mention a few visible rips, but it seemed to be more of an attempt to regain some sort of dignity rather than cleaning herself off. 

“You already had one!” Ada hissed.

“Yeah.” Melanie grumbled as she rose to her feet, the nanny lamely swatting her dress in a similar fashion to Ada. “Leave marriage to us younger girls!” The nanny whined.

With that, Ada tromped back over toward Melanie, leaving the assembled parents, as well as Dawn and Vernon equally as shocked an bewildered. 

It was Dorian who was first to break the silence with a laugh, one that was quickly followed by Audrey and eventually Clover as the three seemed to revel in the absurdity of the moment together.

It was laughter that proved infectious, at least in her and Vernon's case. The two barely stifling a giggle that broke into a full laugh when they actually glanced at one another.

Leaning down for a moment, Ada scooped up Melanie's glasses, gingerly passing them to the nanny with a playful smirk. The she-goat froze for a moment, Melanie looking to Ada with a wary squint before taking the glasses into her hooves. The nanny goat took a moment to swab at her dirty, smeared lenses with the hem of her dress before placing them back onto her snout with a defeated sigh. 

Ada's smile shifted into something considerably more friendly looking as she dug her claws into the practically shredded bouquet, rending it into two equally pitiful looking halves before shoving one clump of ruined flowers into Melanie's hooves.

“Nice job kid...” Ada chuckled.

Melanie gripped the flowers weakly, looking at them for a moment before offering Ada a meek smile.

“Thanks...” The nanny muttered.

“Youse got some good moves.” Ada continued, giving the nanny a playful nudge with her elbow. “Where'd you learn stuff like dat?”

"I was on my school's acrobatic team." Melanie chuckled. "And I still practice at the gym." The nanny sighed, adjusting her glasses with a hoof. 

Ada laughed.

“Only reason you had a chance was because of this get up.” Melanie added, gesturing to her ruined dress.

“Pft...As if!” Ada retorted. “You catch me in my street clodes and I'll-!”

“Ahem...” That grumble had come from Vanna. The large tigress was now standing beside the pair, looking down her snout disapprovingly. In response, Melanie cowed down, flashing the large feline an uneasy expression. Ada however, seemed to take Vanna's judgmental glare with stride, the hyena donning a bemused smirk as she looked up to her towering sister.

“You two really have some issues with being competitive.” Vanna muttered.

Ada rolled her eyes."Pishaw!" The hyena cackled. "You look me square in da eyes and tells me you wouldn't have snatched dat ting outta de air da second it was trown if it was you dyin' to get tihed!" Ada crossed her arms, the dying flowers hanging limply out of her paw as she smirked up at her sister. "Heck, yous woulda probably takin' Plush's arm off!" 

Vanna seemed to shrink slightly at that comment, and while it was hard to tell from the distance, Dawn was certain she could see the hint of a blush forming on the tigress' muzzle in response.

“Dat's what I tawt!” Ada snapped back, letting out another hyena like cackle.

“Young Hu....I er mean....young miss Be...!” From around the girls, Dawn's attention was drawn by the call of Damon Ruddy. The ram seated at the small desk off to the side of the altar was waiving at them now. Gesturing with a hoof join him. “Ahem! Young bride and groom!”

“A word please?” The older ram added.

Dawn glanced down at her mate, exchanging a curious expression with the wolf. It was a momentary exchange, a brief sense of confusion before Dawn recalled just what Ruddy was there to do.

“Our license Puppy.” Dawn cooed.

The wolf's puzzled expression dissipated almost instantaneously, his muzzle twisting into a grin so wide it forced his muzzle open as he regarded her words.

Suddenly Dawn found herself speeding toward the dimutive ram. Her mate had taken off like a shot, jogging across the grounds with her still on his shoulders, and it forced the ewe to grip his shoulder that much more tightly for fear of being shaken off in the process. 

Thankfully for her, the experience was fairly short. The jumbling and shaking coming to an abrupt stop as Vernon came upon Ruddy's work desk. Dawn had to take a moment to straighten her glasses before flashing the excitable wolf below her an annoyed glare.

Vernon's smile dipped slightly as his attention returned to the ewe, his ears sagging guilty as he cowed under her gaze. His glistening green eyes wide and apologetic as he glanced back up at her with a sheepish grin.

“S-Sorry Darlin'.”

Dawn simply shook her head. She couldn't stay miffed when faced with those eyes. 

“You are such a big Puppy.” Dawn giggled, giving the wolf an affectionate pat on the head.

Dawn watched as the wolf closed his eyes, his grin widening slightly as he seemed to savor her petting. Once again she was shaking, albeit much more slightly this time as a rhythmic vibration shuddered up the wolf's body. It only took the ewe a moment to realize it was the wolf's tail wagging in concert with her affectionate gesture.

“Ahem...” Ruddy's voice piped up again, the ram's spoken cough drawing the couples attention and shattering the blissful moment. 

“If I may have your attention.” Ruddy added, narrowing his gaze slightly at the pair.

Dawn winced, flashing the older mammal a sheepish smile.

“S-sorry.” Dawn murmured.

Looking down at her mate, the ewe pointed a hoof nail to the ground. With a nod, Vernon hoisted the lamb off his shoulders before carefully lowering her back to ground level gently.

With her hooves firmly on the grass, Dawn took a moment to straighten her dress, dusting it off with a hoof before shifting her attention back to the balding ram. 

“D-Do we need to sign something?” The ewe asked nervously.

Ruddy adjusted his glasses slightly as he glanced back down at his paperwork, tapping his pen against the form softly. 

“Yes, I'm going to need signatures.” Ruddy chuckled softly. “From both you and Vernon.”

Vernon let out something resembling a scoffing laugh. "Oh, is that all?" The wolf said, extending a paw out to the diminutive ram expectantly. 

With a sigh, Ruddy passed his pen to Vernon, pointing a hoof at presumably where the wolf was meant to sign his name.

“Twice actually.” Ruddy continued as the wolf began to sign his name. “As well as some form of identification from the both of you, which I presume you have in the house.”

“O-oh of course!” Dawn replied, glancing over her shoulder at the Hunter Ranch. She wasn't exactly sure where her purse was at the moment, but she was sure it wouldn't take long to find. “B-but don't you need printed copies of our I.D.s?”

Ruddy nodded, letting out a soft laugh. 

“Oh yes, but Dorian's has the necessary printer and scanner for that part of the paperwork.” The ram extended a hoof back to Vernon as the wolf completed his signature, and the wolf summarily passed the pen back to the small ram. 

Leaning forward slightly, Ruddy extended the pen toward Dawn. “Even so that's only for legal purposes.” The ram smiled warmly. “After all, I have no doubt that you are both who you claim to be.”

Dawn gingerly took the pen from Ruddy's hoof, flipping it into a writing position as the ram pointed his finger at another blank line and tapped expectantly.

“Even if you don't have something for me tonight, you were both born in the North Meadowlands, so it isn't exactly hard for me to pull up your birth certificates and print them out at my office.” The ram continued, plucking at his suspenders straps confidently.

The ewe's hoof flowed confidently over the page as she signed the same name she had placed on so many documents in her life. So many papers and proposals, the same swooping 'l's', and familiar last flourish on the 't' she was so used to writing down it was practically muscle memory. 

“That's easy.” Ruddy added.

“Y'all sayin' that makes it sound like there's a hard part.” Vernon added.

“Well...” Ruddy murmured.

Dawn was up 'h' in 'Bellwether' when it suddenly dawned on her.

“M-My name.” Dawn murmured, stopping shy of concluding her signature.

“What's that Honey Lamb?” Vernon asked.

“M-my...” Dawn murmured, stopping short to correct herself as she turned her attention to her mate. “Our name.”

“What do y-?” The wolf paused, his expression shifting as he became aware of just what she was implying.

“Y-yes.” Ruddy chimed in. “Have the both of you discussed exactly what last name you wish to go with moving forward?” The ram queried. “ I mean, generally speaking in caprid circles the bride takes the groom's last name.”

“Of course, that's not always the case these days.” Ruddy sighed. “And the 'tithe' complicates things. Not to mention the er...” Dawn glanced back to the diminutive ram to find him staring back at her, his muzzle twisted into an uneasy grimace. “I imagine your family name may be a...sensitive subject matter?”

Dawn winced, shifting her own uneasy gaze back up to Vernon. Based on his expression, she could imagine the wolf's thoughts had drifted to a similar place to her own. On their way out to the Meadowland's, when Vernon had broached the subject of marriage altogether, they had discussed Dawn's last name, and ultimately what would become of it when the time finally came. In the end, she knew Vernon had wanted her to keep her name. That even without the new, more positive association in regards to her role in breaking up the "Zootopia's Last Night" plot to make it easier to bear, the ewe should take pride in her name. For all the strife and pain its history had carried with it, there were elements to be proud of, and that she would be able to build on it and make it something to be that much more proud of. 

But for her, the name had become a symbol of everything that had mired her early life. The legacy of the Bellwether name had been imprinted into her father by force, and he had done the same to her. It represented the sting of a swift hoof, of dark nights spent crying in her room and nursing bruises, of hospital stays and listening to her mother's frantic excuses to keep child protective services out of the home. A legacy that would taint her very existence, and twist her mind into forgiving and making excuses and justifications for acting as monstrous, if not more so than the Bellwethers that had come before. And even after getting her head on straight, and forging a new, brighter future for herself. Even after saving the city in spite of her past and effectively clearing her name. It was still tainted by her father's memory, and by the memories of her past. 

Then again, how could she say she had truly moved forward, taken a true step toward a brighter future if she couldn't make peace with her past?

“I'd say it's up to you two.”

Dawn craned her head over her shoulder, following the source of the sudden interjection to find it had come from Dorian. The white wolf was still seated between the two mothers, the whimpering mammals looking along with him through bleary eyes as he smiled at the couple.

“Hunter or Bellwether, y'all two will always be a part of this pack.” Dorian continued, his lips curling to reveal his fangs. “Ain't no mammal can take that away from you.”

Dawn could feel the warm rush of tears starting to form once more in the face of Dorian's kind words. 

Looking back up to her mate, the grey wolf had a warm smile that matched his father's. His green eyes glimmering down at her as he met her gaze.

"Welp, I reckon I'd have to defer that judgment to my better half." Vernon added, reaching a paw out to the ewe a gesturing for her to take it. 

“I'll be happy with whatever y'all decide Honey Lamb.” The wolf cooed.

Dawn let out a whimper as she placed her hoof in the wolf's paw, grasping it tightly.

Even the Hunters, even her Puppy. They had accepted her for who she was. A Bellwether, with all the name had implied. And if they could truly see value in that name, then who was she to argue? 

Dawn pressed her glasses up with her forearm, rubbing it over her eyes in an effort to chase away the tears. 

“H-Hunter.” The ewe murmured softly, turning her attention back to Ruddy, the ewe offering the diminutive ram a small smile. “Hunter-Bellwether.”

Dawn smiled through her tears as she turned to look to her mate for approval, letting out a giggling sob. “I want to be Dawn Hunter-Bellwether, if that's okay?”

Vernon's smile was beaming, the wolf's tail wagging at a mile a minute as he gave her hoof an affectionate squeeze.

“It's more than okay.” Vernon replied. “It's perfect.”


	51. Dancing in the Dark

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Fifty-One: Dancing in the Dark

“See.” The white wolf said with a chuckle. “I told y'all it would barely hurt.”

Dawn forced a rather meek smile to her muzzle, trying her best to hide her overall discomfort as the tattoo gun repeatedly passed over her palm in agonizingly slow, repetitive motions. It was true that the tattoo process had hurt less than she had expected, but saying it 'barely hurt' was an understatement. While it hadn't quite felt like being stung by thousands of hornets, it certainly didn't 'tickle' either. Every inch of her palm the needle glided across felt as though she had a deep, blistering sunburn that was being repeatedly slapped by minuscule paws in a rapid tempo.

Dawn bit her lip slightly, her nostrils flaring with a sharp breath as she did her best to push the stinging sensation out of her mind. From what she could tell, the wolf had only just finished the outline of the moon on her palm, which still left a considerable ways to go. It had only taken about ten minutes for Vernon to get his done, and with her considerably smaller hooves she had imagined it would take that much less time for hers to be completed. Of course, when watching her mate get his tithing mark, Dawn had the benefit of not being the one under the needle. And though the wolf let out a few stray whines and whimpers as his father worked, his time under Dorian's pen seemed to fly by in comparison. The wolf had only really just started, yet it already felt as though several minutes had dragged on with the ewe's palm at the mercy of his needle.

It didn't help matters that Dawn needed to watch the wolf work, to keep her eyes fixed on the needle as it danced across her flesh. It was simply something she always did, whether it came to routine injections or other painful procedures. Unlike her mate, who preferred to look away, she had to know when the pain was coming. She had to brace herself for it, and for the sake of her new father-in-law, to try and keep up the appearance of a brave face. After Dorian had spoken so highly of her resolve and willpower during the ceremony, it would have been an embarrassment to be caught wincing under the diminutive bite of a needle.

The white wolf let out another soft chuckle, drawing the ewe's attention away from her own palm for a brief moment. 

"Just a joke Hon." Dorian added, offering the ewe a soft, genuine smile. "You let me know if it hurts too much, and I'll try my best to adjust fer it."

Dawn tried to force another smile to her muzzle, but as the needle made another agonizingly slow pass she couldn't help but falter slightly, the ewe letting out a soft hiss as her palm flexed under the needle.

“M-maybe...barely is a bit of an understatement?” Dawn relented, blushing slightly as rubbed the back of her neck with her other hoof. So much for her steely resolve.

Dorian drew back the needle, wiping Dawn's palm free of blood and dye with a cloth before dipping the needle into the container of colored ink on the table to his side.

The white wolf shook his head, letting out a sigh before flashing the ewe a smirk. “Well...” the wolf muttered. “It ain't as bad as Vernon made it look at least, right?”

Dawn giggled. It was true, Vernon's few sharp whines and whimpers only managed to make her that much more nervous about the whole procedure. And she had been by his side throughout the whole thing, squeezing his free paw in reassurance and stroking the top of it with her thumb every time the wolf squeezed back. 

Glancing across the dance floor, the ewe could see her mate cradling his paw as he idly chatted with Gus and Melanie by the stage the Hunters had set-up. She couldn't be sure exactly what they were talking about, but regardless she could see that the wolf was positively beaming. Whatever amount of pain he had felt was little more than a distant memory as she spied the wolf stealing another peek under the gauze that covered his palm, his persistent smile parting to show teeth with each glance under the blood and ink-stained wraps.

She couldn’t help but catch that infectious smile as she lingered, letting out a pleasant sigh as the matching grin crept across her muzzle. However, the ewe was quick to hide that smile, turning away when Vernon suddenly looked in her direction. She had insisted the wolf go have fun while she got her own mark rather than stay by her side, and the last thing she wanted to do was draw the worried wolf back over. Despite the comfort Vernon could have offered her during the particularly unnerving and uncomfortable process, the ewe couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get some alone time with her new father-in-law. She could only hope the lack of audience would make the wolf comfortable enough to open up to her about what he had said to her before the ceremony, even if it might take a bit tentative prodding on her end.

“Well...” Dawn murmured, glancing momentarily back at her once again distracted mate. “Vernon did let out quite a few...yelps..”

Dorian laughed as he brought the needle back to her skin, causing the ewe to tense slightly in preparation for the next wave of stinging. 

“Now don't look down on the boy too much.” The wolf chuckled. “This whole family was saddled with extra-sensitive paw-pads.”

With a buzz, the pain returned, and Dawn grit her teeth as the needle began to glide across her palm once more.

“S-so..?” Dawn stammered slightly. “Zach was the same way?”

Dorian shook his head softly, his steely grey eyes fixed on the work at paw.

“Zach took it better...” Dorian said with a smirk. “Vanna...well...”

Dawn quirked a curious brow. "Vanna?" She had never gotten the chance to ask her sister-in-law about her own experience under the needle, something she thoroughly regretted now that she was under it herself. But the last thing Dawn could conceive was that a mammal like Vanna had taken to being tattooed with anything less than stoic resolution, an unflinching resolve, and a cold, expressionless face regardless of the pain. Yet the way Dorian had broached the subject seemed to allude that the ewe's mental image hadn't been entirely correct.

"She kept a straight face purty well..." Dorian rolled his eyes slightly. "But she did break an armrest halfway through the whole thing." The wolf chuckled.

Dawn giggled, throwing a brief glance in the direction of her towering sister-in-law standing by the food bar. The tigress was apparently listening intently to some conversation going on between Ada, Audrey and Clover, the hyeness flicking around the limp, desiccated clump of flowers she had swiped from her mother’s hooves seemingly to emphasize a point in whatever she was saying.

“It hurt that much for her?” Dawn asked.

“I can only assume. Although she'd never admit to it.” Dorian chuckled. “I mean, she had been diggin' her claws into that armrest from the moment that needle touched down on her palm.” The wolf shook his head. “I could see her claws diggin' deeper every time I touched skin. Muscles in her arm tensin’ with every pass.”

Dawn tried her best to stifle a giggle as the tigress' eyes shifted her way, Vanna titling her head slightly in confusion before offering Dawn a meek wave with the offending paw, the red coloring of the mark standing out in sharp contrast against the soft pink of her paw pad. In response, the ewe offered a small wave of her own.

“O'course I was the worst of all when it came time fer my tithin' mark.” Dorian admitted.

The comment immediately piqued Dawns' interest, drawing her attention back on the white wolf as he drew his needle away again.

“You?” Dawn asked in disbelief. “You were more afraid than...?”

“Afraid?” The wolf chuckled. “Not in the slightest.”

Swabbing the ewe’s hoof with his washcloth, the wolf puffed out his chest dramatically.

“I was a young, wet behind the ears welp of a pup who fancied himself as ‘Alpha’ material. There weren’t no way I was gonna so much as shed a tear over some measly little needle.” The wolf laughed, shaking his head in what seemed like disbelief of his own behavior. “And so when my ol’ mam’ told me to hold out my palm and brace myself, I jutted my arm out at him bearin’ the most confident, smug grin I could muster.”

After gingerly swabbing Dawn’s hoof free of blood and ink, the wolf let out a sharp exhale.

“And the second that needle hit my palm...I was wailing like a newborn pup.” The wolf sighed. 

Dawn did her best to stifle a giggling fit as she looked to her father-in-law in a sort of gleeful surprise.

“No…” She murmured, fighting back the urge to laugh as best she could.

The wolf drew a paw over his heart. “By Oldwyn’s great grey muzzle, I swear I ain’t lyin’.” The wolf said with a chuckle. “The North Meadowland’s Police Department actually came out to the ranch because they said they had received calls from all over the county sayin’ it sounded like someone was bein’ kilt!”

Dawn let out a giggling snort, laughter spilling from her muzzle uncontrollably as she struggled to picture Dorian behaving in such a way. She could have never imagined the cold, stoic white law wolf as anything other than an imposing pillar of resolve and willpower. It was a simply unfathomable prospect, and yet the sheer idea brought about by his admission had the ewe laughing to the point of tears. Dawn bit on a hoof nail as she tried to compose herself, stifling the laughter as best she could.

“My howlin’ carried clear over to Alpine Glade.” Dorian added with a laugh of his own. “O’ course the chain howlin’ it caused carried all the way down to Savannah Central.” The wolf ran a paw through his silvery mane uneasily.

“S-Stop! S-top!” Dawn choked between fits of giggling. “Y-you aren’t serious!”

“Cross my heart and hope to die.” Dorian said, gesturing his free paw across his chest as he flashed the ewe a smirk. “You can’t tell me you ain’t never heard about the ‘great howlin of eighty-nine’?’”

“N-No!” Dawn laughed. “O-of course n-not!”

The white wolf rolled his eyes comically. “Ah I shoulda guessed, ya’ll probably weren’t even born yet.” 

The ewe swabbed away a stray tear from behind her lenses as she struggled to compose herself.

“M-Mister Hunter, I-.“

“Pa.” Dorian corrected, offering the ewe a gentle smile. 

Dawn’s laughter was snuffed out in an instant, the wolf’s friendly invitation causing her heart to skip a beat. His sudden request had caught the ewe off guard, and Dawn couldn’t help but let out a soft, choke of a sniffle as an almost painful pang of joy squeezed her heart like a vise.

“W-well…” Dawn murmured. “Dad…” The ewe paused for a moment, lingering on the title. Just calling the wolf that felt strange, but satisfying. 

“I did hold a government position for quite some time, so I’d like to believe I educated myself fairly well in terms of Zootopia’s history.” The ewe offered a sly smirk. “And not once did I ever read about ‘the howling of eighty-nine’.”

“Ah, who you gonna believe?” Dorian said with a playful scoff. “A buncha stodgy ol’ books, or yer pa’s own testimony?”

Dawn tried to stifle another giggle fit, but the wolf seemed to be on a roll now, Dorian gesturing to himself dramatically as he continued to weave his rather embarrassing tale.

“Fer goodness sakes, you think If I were makin’ this up I'd be makin' myself look like a fool instead of savin' face?” The wolf added, earning another giggling snort from the ewe. 

“Okay, okay!” Dawn laughed, swatting in the direction of the older wolf with her free hoof. “I-I believe you!”

The white wolf smirked as he ran a free paw through his head fur uneasily.

“I’d say the most embarrisin’ part of the whole fiasco was the fact that Auddey was watchin’ the whole time.” The wolf groaned as a hint of a blush began to form under his muzzle fur. “She had to watch this big, strong, studly mate o’ hers turn into a weepy, whimperin’ little mess of a pup.”

“So…?” Dawn asked tentatively. “D-did it put her off getting her own mark?”

Dorian rolled his eyes comically. “That was one of the worst things about the whole fiasca'.” Dorian shook his head, letting out a tired sigh. “She went first.”

The older wolf cringed at what Dawn could only assume was the memory of the whole affair. “And as y’all can probably guess, she barely made a peep durin’ her whole time under my pa’s needle.”

That had been the only admission of Dorian's that wasn't a surprise to the ewe. After all, when it had come to a mammal like Vanna, Dawn's first impression of her willpower had come largely from her cold demeanor and intimidating presence. It was a fearsome visage, but much of the ewe's perception had melted away during their duet on her first night at the ranch. And as the weekend continued, and she learned more about her sister-in-law, it became easier to see the large feline's softer, more gentle side hiding just below the surface. Now, coupled with Dorian's story about her tithing scar, it was becoming rather easy to see just why Zach had taken to calling her his little 'Kitten'.

But in Audrey's case, for all the motherly sweetness and warmth she had shown Dawn throughout her stay at the ranch, the she-wolf had also shown an equal level of ferocity and tenacity. Whether it was on Dawn's behalf, or for the sake of her own sense of justice, Audrey proved she was no mammals doormat. Not her mate's, her son's, or even the entire town's. And it became quickly clear to the ewe over the course of the holiday weekend, that the she-wolf had been that way for quite some time.

But still, it made for an amusing thought to say the least. She could only imagine Audrey's face as she stood there watching Dorian howling and whining over his tithing mark. Had she been trying to feign an encouraging smile despite it all? Or had she simply laughed at her mate's failure to remain stoic after his strong show of bravado? Either way, the thought didn't occupy the ewe for very long. The overall lack of surprise over just how well Audrey had taken to getting her mark had left Dawn's thoughts to linger on other parts of the older wolf's statement, and her nagging curiosity made her keen to press him for more detail.

“But that was only...one of the worst things?” Dawn murmured uneasily. “T-there were more?”

Dorian let out a tired sigh as he drew back the needle, taking a moment to switch it off before placing it on the table to his side with a dull 'clunk'. Gingerly grabbing Dawn's hoof with his paw, the wolf went back to work wiping away the excess dye as carefully as possible.

“Welp...” The wolf murmured, his cool grey eyes meeting hers as he swabbed her hoof. “Er...between my father's kinda...homespun tattooin' techniques and my...” The wolf scratched that back of his head awkwardly, averting his gaze briefly as a weak blush returned under his muzzle fur. “My howlin' and flinchin'...and pullin' back involuntarily from the pain...well...”

Dawn quirked an inquisitive brow. “What?”

Letting out a long, tired sigh, Dawn watched the wolf's head sag as he held up his right paw at Dawn's eye level to reveal his own tithing mark. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The crisp, crimson red half moon mark looked quite similar to the one she had seen on Vanna's paw the previous evening. But after a few moments, Dawn began to notice faint traces of blurred and faded ink around the edging of the mark. An inconsistent warbling and warping shape that seemed to swoop in and out from behind the cleaner, sharper ink above it.

Dorian pointed to some of the faded ink with a claw, the wolf's ears drooping slightly as he began to trace a rough approximation of the faded pattern as he spoke.

“The whole thing ended up lookin' like someone smeared raspberry jelly on my paw.” The wolf shook his head dismissively. 

Dawn clasped her father's paw with her free hoof, inspecting the mark carefully as she sucked in a sharp breath of air through parted teeth. Considering how the wolf's first mark had turned out, it made more sense to the ewe just why he had spent most of the time howling loud enough for the whole town to hear. While she couldn't make out what the entire mark had once looked like behind the sheen of fresh, neat ink over top of it, the ewe could only imagine that if it looked anything like its fringes the whole tattoo must have looked very amateurish and sloppy. And unless Dorian had been actively pulling against his father for consistent stretches of time during the tattoo, the long stretches of smooth yet misshapen edges seemed to be largely at the fault of grandpa Hunter. 

“O'course it didn't help matter's that my father's attempts to help me get through the whole thing were to tell me to 'quit whinin''.” The wolf chuckled weakly. “My Pa never really had a great bedside manner...”

“That looks...” Dawn murmured. “Really rough.”

Drawing his paw back from the ewe gingerly, the wolf raised his head once more to meet the ewe's gaze, his muzzle still flushed red with embarrassment.

“Auddey said it looked more like a cloud when it was all over.” The wolf shook his head. “O' course, her's looked like an egg, and a misshapen one at that. And she had managed to sit still through the whole darn thing.”

Dawn offered the wolf a meek smirk as he picked up the tattoo gun once again.

“Well...I mean...” Dawn murmured. “If your father wasn't that experienced at it...I could see-”

The wolf laughed as he switched the gun back on. “Well, that's the excuse I used at the time.” The wolf shook his head softly. “I was more than happy to put the blame on him fer bein' lousy at doin' tattoos, and pretendin' it was the only reason it could hurt that badly.” The white wolf offered the ewe a sly smirk. “In fact, I even went so far as to accuse the old mam' for doin' it like that on purpose to try and humiliate me in front of ol' Auddey.”

Dawn placed her hoof to her muzzle, biting a hoof-nail in an effort to stifle a giggle. 

“Y-You didn't!” The ewe snickered.

"Oh yes I did!" The old law-wolf rolled his eyes. "I was young and prideful, and I was willin' to do anythin' to save face in front of my new mate!" The wolf shook his head dismissively. "I even managed to convince myself it was my pa's way of getting' back at me fer gettin' tithed so young, er' fer wantin' to be a cop, er both."

The wolf ran a paw through his silvery mane of head fur, pursing his lips slightly as he glanced upward toward the sky.

“So there we were, me whinin' and howlin' in between bickerin' with my ol' mam' under the moonlight while Auddey just rolled her eyes at the both of us.” The wolf let out a soft scoff.

Dawn was struggling to keep her laughter in now, the ewe holding her hoof over her muzzle as another giggling-fit bubbled just below the surface.

“I was a hard-headed ol' fool.” The wolf chuckled. “Still am. And so was my Pa. But at least I can admit now that at least half of that mess was on me.” The wolf shook his head.

“But as I said...” The wolf flashed his teeth in a broad cheesy grin. “This family has sensitive paw-pads.”

Dawn let out an embarrassingly loud snorting giggle as the laughter finally broke free of her muzzle. The cackling from her behind her clenched hoof erupting in a wet sputter between her fingers as she tried desperately to reign it back in. The ewe was already thoroughly ashamed of the fact that she tended to 'snort' when she found something particularly hilarious, but the fact that she had managed to slobber all over her hoof in an effort to stop it only made her feel that much worse. Of course, it didn't help her matters that her reaction only seemed to get an even bigger grin out of Dorian.

It took a while for Dawn to compose herself. Between the mess she had made of her only usable hoof, her glasses slipping nearly off of her snout thanks to all the shaking caused by her giggling, and of course, the persistent urge to laugh itself, she had been left struggling to figure out exactly where to start in terms of regaining her composure. Her laughter seemed hard enough to stop without being able to muffle it with a hoof, but with her only usable hoof covered in saliva she only stood to make more of a mess of herself, and the same went for if she tried to adjust her glasses first. The obvious answer then was to dry off her hoof, but on what? There was little option other than simply wiping it on herself, and there was no way in Animalia she was going to ruin her prized wedding dress by using it as a napkin.

As if reading her thoughts, or perhaps picking up on her body language, the washcloth Dorian had been using to clean her other hoof found its way into her line of sight. The law wolf offering the ink and blood smeared cloth with a sly grin.

With a blush, the ewe extended her other hoof, reluctantly allowing the wolf to wipe it dry before finally adjusting her glasses. Although it was slightly humiliating to have Dorian clean up after her as though she were a newborn lamb, that embarrassment had done well to quell the lingering urge to giggle as the ewe let out a sigh.

“S-sorry.” Dawn murmured.

“S'alright.” Dorian said with a chuckle. “I was goin' fer a laugh. So I'm glad I managed to get one.” The wolf said with a smirk.

Dawn giggled softly as the wolf let out a pleasant sigh, his eyes drifting back to her other hoof.

“Anywho...” Dorian spoke, apparently unfinished with the tale he was weaving for her. “My ol' mam' was too stubborn to admit that he may have needed a few refresher courses.” The wolf snorted. “And a newer needle. Preferably one that didn't date back to the turn of the century.”

The white wolf rolled his eyes. “ But my Pa was always goin' on about the importance of 'passin' things down'. When it came to tradition, y'all weren't allowed to modernize anythin' about the way it was done unless it somehow ended up in yer family by luck, like tithin' an actual tattoo artist who had to learn the newest way to do things fer his customers.”

The older wolf shook his head dismissively. “Anything less would 'cheapen the meaning and importance of the rite' accordin' to him.”

“He sounded rather...” Dawn bit her lip uneasily as she searched for the right words. “Set in his ways.”

Dorian let out a barking laugh. "If ol' Aldus was still alive, he'd probably take that as a compliment!" The wolf chuckled. "O' course, I'm sure I ain't that much better when it comes to some things..."

The white wolf's chuckle trailed off, fading into a pleasant sigh.

“Still, if it weren't fer the fact Auddey's uncle Clarence was an actual tattoo artist, it would have been up to my Pa to touch up mine and Auddey's marks every few years.” The wolf shook his head. “Weren't allowed to go to no parlor and get 'em touched up either, because again, that would-”

“Cheapen the whole rite, right?” Dawn interjected, completing her father-in-law's thought.

The wolf gave a simple nod. “Right.”

Dawn let out a soft giggle.

“O' course. When all was said and done I still respected the ol' mam' enough to let him be the one to teach me how to do the tithing mark myself back when the boys were first born.” The wolf sighed. “Even if I knew I wasn't gonna get anythin' really useful out of it.”

Dawn tensed for a moment, the ewe wincing slightly at the wolf's admission. After all, if Dorian had learned how to tattoo directly from his father, then what exactly did that mean for Dawn in terms of her how her own mark would turn out? The wolf seemed quick to pick up on her unease however, waving a finger as he flashed her a rather toothy grin.

“But that don't mean me and Auddey didn't take night courses on the side.” The wolf said with a chuckle. “As well as get help from her uncle in order to keep up on the newest techniques and tricks available.”

Dawn let out a sigh of relief, which only managed to make Dorian laugh that much harder.

“Last time I was in a refresher course was a few months before Zach's tithe. So I'd like to think I'm pretty up to date on how to do this sorta thang.” The wolf smirked.

“But what about your father?” Dawn asked, quirking a curious brow. “I can't imagine he was very happy with that.”

The older wolf rolled his eyes slightly, feigning an innocent expression.

“Weeell....” The wolf flashed the ewe a rather devious looking smile. “What my old mam' didn't know didn't hurt him none.”

Dawn placed her hoof to her muzzle in an effort to stifle her giggling.

“Y-you never told him?” The ewe sputtered.

The older wolf winced slightly, his ears sagging as a hint of guilt crept into his features.

"After the ol' mam' taught me and Auddey, he expected us to touch up each other's marks from that point onward." The wolf shook his head dubiously. "As well as do the boy's marks when the time came." Dorian scoffed. "And me and Auddey agreed there weren't no way we were submittin' each other to toyin' with jabbin' permanent ink into our skins, let alone our son's skins, without makin' sure we knew exactly what we were doin'."

The wolf ran a paw through his hair once more, his ears perking up slightly as he did so.

"I may have respected my pa. But that didn't mean I was foolish enough to deprive myself of learnin' how to do somethin' the proper way because of his stubborn sense of pride." The wolf rolled his eyes slightly. " 'Specially after bein' so....er..." The wolf muttered, seemingly struggling to choose his words. "Let's say...'humbled' by my own experience.”

At that, both mammals broke into a laugh. The white wolf chuckling warmly in concert with Dawn's own amused giggling before both mammals laughter trailed away in a shared pleasant sigh. As Dawn's gaze met Dorian's once more, she couldn't help but think about just how strange it was to see the old law wolf like this. He was so different when compared to the cold, gruff mammal she had first met at the Hunter dinner table, and even drastically more so than the drunken, rage-filled wolf that lived in Dorian's study. This wolf was friendly and warm, his demeanor relaxed and pleasant. Even his body language seemed to exude a level of comfort that she was certain the Dorian she had come to know was incapable of. It was as if she were meeting an entirely new mammal. Or perhaps, this was the Dorian that the other Hunter had spent most of the weekend alluding to. The 'real' Dorian behind the wall of ire and hate that she had been shown all weekend prior. Either way, it was a welcomed change.

It was at that point the white-wolf seemed to pick-up on her lingering, curious glance, and in turn the wolf drew back bashfully. Dorian quickly averted his gaze from hers, the wolf rubbing the back of his neck uneasily as he cleared his throat.

“Anyway...” The wolf coughed awkwardly. “I learned a heck of a lot of useful stuff from the classes I took.” The wolf said, tapping his chin thoughtfully with a finger. “But I think the most useful technique I learned when it came to just how to do tattoos came from Auddey's uncle Clarence.” 

Dawn quirked an eyebrow, leaning in slightly closer to the wolf in interest.

“What was it?” The ewe asked.

Dorian flashed her a rather smug, sly smile, his steely grey eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. 

“If the mammal gettin' the mark keep's starin' at the needle like it's gonna eat 'em, distractin' them with a good story is one of the best ways to keep their attention off of it.” The wolf said with a throaty chuckle.

The ewe blinked dully for a moment before the full impact of the wolf's statement hit her. She had stopped focusing on the needle, and as soon as that fact had properly registered her eyes immediately darted back to her palm as the wolf finished another pass over the mark with the washcloth. The outline of the moon was now almost half-way filled in with red ink, and yet somehow Dawn hadn't even noticed. The ewe had been so caught up in the wolf's tale that she hadn't even felt the sting of the needle.

“I-Bu-?” Dawn glanced back up at her father-in-law in shock. “How did you do that?”

Dorian chuckled. " You act like it was magic er' somethin'." The wolf replied with a smirk.

The ewe glanced back at her palm, turning her hand over and back again for a moment as she inspected it. With each glance at the top of her hand, she almost expected to flip it back to the palm and see the mark as merely little more than an outline once again.

“But I didn't even feel it...” Dawn murmured in awe.

The older wolf gave her a shrug. “The power of engagin' conversation I guess.” Dorian replied with a dull chuckle.

With that, the wolf gestured for her to extend her hoof once again, gently raising the gun in his other paw and wiggling it lightly.

“Now we just need to take care of the other sixty er' so percent of that mark and you'll be all set.” The wolf added, extending his free paw back out to the ewe.

Dawn winced slightly before reluctantly extending her tattoo printed hoof out to him. Now that she was aware of the wolf's 'tactics' it made her all the more nervous about proceeding. After all, how would he keep her attention off the process now that she knew he was actively trying?

“I-I hope you've got a few more g-good conversations in you then...” The ewe muttered uneasily as the wolf took her hoof softly in his paw.

The wolf's steely grey eyes came to meet Dawn's once again, the lingering grin on his muzzle giving way to a frown as the wolf let out a rather long, sad sigh. 

"I've got one in mind." The wolf murmured, gently using his thumb to help spread the ewe's fingers a bit further out and away from her palm as he readied the needle. "And I'm purty sure you've got an idea of what it is."

Dawn tilted her head curiously for moment, only for the wolf to gesture his head over in the direction of Vernon and the others across the dance floor.

“I can't imagine it was easy of y'all to willingly send my boy away while you were gettin' this done.” The wolf said knowingly. “So I can only assume y'all did it to get some time alone with yer old mam' fer what I can only assume...”

Dorian looked her directly in the eyes, his own grey orbs scanning her for a moment before the wolf let out a rather soft whine.

“Is to hear out the rest of what I talked to y'all about on the porch.”

Dawn bit her lip to try and keep the slight gasp of surprise from escaping her muzzle.

“I-But...” The ewe shook her head. “How did you know?” The ewe glanced down at her lap guiltily. “W-was it that obvious?”

“Nah...” Dorian chuckled weakly. “Just call it...'Hunter's intuition.'" The wolf said with a scoff.

Dawn shrank into her shoulders uneasily. It was true, the goal of enduring this whole process without Vernon to hold her hoof was to give Dorian a chance to talk. But now that the topic was out and in the open, the ewe could barely bring herself to utter a word of it. Dawn liked the version of Dorian their light-hearted, friendly banter had brought out of the wolf. He was comfortable, relaxed, even funny. And so the prospect of steering the conversation back into a direction that was sure to place the wolf back into a foul mood seemed counter-intuitive. The last thing she wanted to do was be faced with the Dorian she already knew after getting a taste of what he actually was.

“W-well...I...” Dawn murmured. “I'm sorry. If it's too raw we ca-.”

“No, no...” The wolf replied, holding up his free paw to cut the ewe off. “ I said ya'll deserved to know, and I meant that.” The wolf said, letting out a somber sigh.

“Sides', it gets a little easier to tell each time I tell it.” The wolf added, offering the ewe a meek smile. 

Dawn leaned in a bit closer as the wolf began to tell his story, the ewe making sure that she would be able to hear the wolf regardless of how loud the needle buzzed over his words. But as she listened in to her father-in-law's painful tale intently, there was another mammal who was fixated on her.

From across the dance floor, Vernon watched his mate intently. He hadn't been too keen on being separated from her during her tattoo for multiple reasons. The main reason was of course, that he wanted to be there to hold her hoof. To comfort her through the painful moments, and give her the strength to power through the whole affair as she had given him. But admittedly, although he was loath to admit it, there was a smaller part of him that was worried about maintaining some semblance of comparative masculinity. After all, he had whimpered and whined several times despite Dawn being at his side during his tattoo, and yet the ewe hadn't so much as made a peep. And if he noticed it, then certainly his brothers had, and most definitely Yuri. And although they had started the long, arduous process of coming to tolerate one another, he was certain an observation like that would be far too good for the wolf to not archive for a future excuse to tease him.

“Vernon? Animalia to Vernon!” The familiar chatter of his best friend snapped the wolf out of his thoughts.

The wolf quickly turned his head back to the mammals at his side.

"Oh, sorry Gu-OW!" The wolf drew his hand back from his head. Apparently, he had subconsciously went to draw his paw through his head fur only to realize far too late that it was still technically wounded. The sting of his tender, gauze covered left paw throbbing as he pulled it back from his scalp.

Gus let out a soft chuckle.

“Distracted I take it?” The goat added.

"Aw, that's sweet though." Melly chimed in, the nanny leaning slightly off the large speaker she was sitting on as she spoke. "You're really worried about her huh?"

“W-well...” Vernon murmured uneasily.

“Because of the tattoo, or because she's alone with you old mam'?” Gus interjected.

Vernon offered the goat an uneasy smile. If Gus had been aware of exactly what the weekend had been like up to this point, he might have realized what a loaded question that was. Then again, there should have been nothing to fear at this point. His father had come clean about why he had been so against Dawn joining the pack, and had even gone so far to make the tithe happen for them in an effort to make amends. So there should have been no reason to fret over him talking to Dawn alone, at least in theory. But there was still a shred of unease that lingered in the wolf over the prospect, somewhat fearful that despite how impossible it seemed at this point, that his father was going to say something to upset his mate.

“What do you think he's going to do?” Melanie scoffed.

“I don't know.” Gus replied. “I mean, I wouldn't leave you alone with my ol' mam'.” 

Melanie let out a loud laugh. "And why is that?" The nanny lifted her saggy, wilted clump of flowers from the speaker, waving it limply in Gus' direction. "What, is he going to teach me enough florist tips to somehow bring this thing back to life?" Melanie tapped her mate on the snout with the clump of flowers, causing a few loose buds to fall off as the goat retracted from it with a scoff. "Or at the very least make it edible again..." The nanny added with a huff.

“More like tell you a bunch of embarrassing stories about my childhood.” The goat retorted, crossing his arms defensively.

“Oh please...” Melanie replied, flashing the billy a smug smile. “I already know all of your embarrassing childhood stories.”

Gus held up a finger, the billy opening his muzzle seemingly ready to rebuff his mate's claim. But after a few moments of his mouth hanging wordlessly agape, the billy reluctantly closed his snout as his hoof slowly drifted back down to his side.

“That's probably true.” Gus admitted, lulling his head in mild agreement.”But it's not like you ever liked the taste of mums, so that bouquet was inedible from the start..”

“I think Dawn's got most of them already between my ma and sisters anyway.” Vernon muttered. “If not, they'll be the ones to make sure she hears 'em all, not my ol' mam'.” The wolf said with a dull chuckle.

Gus leaned an arm on the speaker by his side, nestling his head against his mate's shoulder for a moment, before glancing back up at the large wolf.

“So what's next for you Vern?” The goat chuckled. “Gonna rush into getting kids next? Maybe get a pair of them to exchange as Yule gifts?”

Vernon tensed up slightly, his eyes widening as he glanced back at his friend.

“W-what makes you say that?!” Vernon managed to sputter.

The goat flashed him a smug grin. “Well considering how quickly you went and married Dawn...”

“So?” Vernon replied, crossing his arms defensively. “Y'all keep actin' like that's a bad thing.”

The goat shrugged. “Eh, ain't like It's my life to ruin.”

“If you remember, you were the one who pointed out that I loved Dawn before even I knew it!” Vernon snapped back.

“Hey, I merely pointed it out.” The goat's smile widened into a toothy grin. “I didn't say, 'hey go and marry her'!” The goat rolled his eyes.

"Wolves, so emotional..." The goat chuckled, giving his mate a playful nudge as if looking to draw a laugh. But instead, it had merely drawn an eye-roll of its own from the she-goat as she let out a snort.

“You wouldn't tell anyone to get married.” Melanie chimed in. “You'd tell them to run as far away from marriage as possible.”

Vernon watched the amusement drain from Gus' features as he turned to face his mate, his brow furrowing in annoyance. “Well I-”

“Six months is purty fast, I'll give y'all that.” Vernon was quick to interject, not willing to miss an opportunity to hassle the billy. If not for his current attempt to fluster him, then as payback for his little stunt at the altar. “But at least I ain't on six years and countin' with no tithe under my belt to show fer it.” 

Gus' snapped his attention back on Vernon, his eyes wide with an expression of betrayal lacing his features that wordlessly communicated one single word with an intense horror. 'why'?! But it was far too late. Vernon knew he had gotten the ball rolling by the mischievous grin now crawling across Melanie's muzzle as she leaned in closer to her mate.

“Yeaaahhhh...” Melanie cooed, almost sing-songingly. “What are we, from Great Kitten? We're just going to be in a perpetually long-term relationship with nothing to show for it aside from splitting rent?”

“N-Now wait a secon-!” 

“I don't get you Gus.” Vernon added. “ Yer happy with Melanie ain'tcha?” Unlike Melanie, the pretense of teasing Gus had quickly dropped in favor of actual curiosity. Vernon rarely pressed his friend on his romantic life. It simply seemed to be an unspoken rule that, of the things discussed at the B&B table, dating and relationship prospects weren't one of them unless they were of a fictional variety. Comic books, video games, movies, as long as the couples discussed didn't actually involve any of them or their close relatives. But now Vernon had an opportunity to pry. Gus had been the first to break the rule, at least in Vernon's mind. After all, he had directly interceded in Vern's love life when it came to Dawn, so it was only fair.

“You keepin' yer options open er' somethin'?” Vernon asked. As the words left his muzzle the wolf immediately regretted it. He could see Melanie's smug grin falter as soon as the words left his muzzle.

“OF COURSE NOT!” Gus protested with a snort before glancing back to his mate. The irritation on his muzzle quickly replaced with a sympathetic and worrisome frown. “I LOVE HER!”

Melanie's managed a rather meek smile, but the she-goat was clearly still troubled by just how close to the chest the conversation had grown.

“Y-you do?” Melanie asked quietly.

Gus flashed the nanny a warm smile. “Mellomar...” The bully shook his head. “You shouldn't even have to ask.”

“Gus, I'm s-sorry...I sh-”

The goat was quick to hold up a hoof in Vernon's direction, stopping the wolf short in his attempt to apologize.

“Nah...it's not you.” Gus muttered. “I don't think there was any way I was getting through this evening without confronting this anyway.”

Taking a moment to clamber up onto the speaker alongside his mate, the billy sidled up close to her, bringing an arm around her shoulders before pulling her in for a side hug. Melanie leaned on her mate's shoulder, nuzzling softly into his neck before letting out a sullen sigh.

“I'm just...” The goat sighed, running a hoof through his fluffy tuft of hair. “Scared I guess?” He admitted.

Melanie glanced up at her mate, batting her eyelashes coyly. “Of me?”

Gus let out a snort. “No, of course not!” The goat was quick to reply.

Gus averted his gaze for a moment, lolling his head as if he were mulling over something.

“Well...maybe when you show off that competitive streak of yours.”

“GuuuUUUus!” The name rolled out of Melanie's muzzle with a sort of giggling whine.

“Seriously, that look on your face when you were going hoof to claw with that hyena made me want to drop pellets.” The goat continued, cringing slightly.

Melanie let out a snorting laugh, giving the billy a playful swat with a hoof. “Gus, I'm being serious!”

“I know, I know!” Gus replied with a laugh of his own.

“I guess...” The billy muttered, scratching the back of his head uneasily. “ I guess I'm just scared of change.”

“Change?” Vernon asked, quirking a brow. 

Gus tightened the hug around his mate slightly as he glanced back up at Vernon with an uneasy, almost shameful expression.

“Me and Melly have a good thing going.” The goat muttered. “It's comfortable...familiar. It just works, you know?” The goat asked, quirking a brow.

Vernon tilted his head in confusion.

Gus let out a defeated sigh.

"We may not be married, but I figured, for the most part, we were both happy with the way things were..." Gus continued. "Even as much as Melly gives me the business for not making an honest nanny out of her."

Melanie glanced up at her mate in slight disbelief, letting out a less than enthusiastic snort. Gus winced slightly in response, stuttering as he tried to continue with his point.

“W-What I mean is we've kinda gotten used to life together.” The billy continued. “We're used to each other. We're used to living together, and all the bumps in the road that come along with it.”

“And...?” Melanie asked, adjusting her lenses as she eyed her mate expectantly.

Gus let out a long, tired sigh as he pressed a hoof to his temple.

“And I'm kind of afraid that if we take a step like that...” Gus muttered, tapping his hooves together nervously. “It...it might ruin the way things are somehow.”

Melanie flashed her mate a dubious glance. “Gus...” The nanny shook her head dismissively. “Honestly, how much could our relationship really change if we decided to get married?” The she-goat gestured to herself and the billy with a hoof. “You said it yourself, we're already comfortable together. We have a good thing going for us.”

“That's because we're technically unattached Melly.” Gus muttered. “We're two mammals who like being together, and so we choose to be together.” The billy sighed. “The problems we face outside of our relationship are our own unless we choose to help each other with them.”

“Sounds to me like someone is just lookin' for an easy out if tings get tough.”

Vernon cowed into his shoulders, wincing at the familiar sound of his sister-in-law's voice. Glancing over his shoulder, the wolf found that Ada was now leaning up against the table next to him, nonchalantly popping an hors d'oeuvre into her muzzle before flashing the wolf a cheesy grin. At some point, the large hyeness had managed to silently sidle her way up alongside him and had clearly been eavesdropping in on the conversation. For how long, the wolf couldn't be sure. But it was clear it had been long enough for Ada to more than comfortable enough to pitch in her two cents on Gus' personal affairs.

Vernon bit his lip uneasily. He had already begun to regret the more emotional tone the conversation had taken. In his curiosity, he assumed he had only been picking at a somewhat superficial emotional scab only to realize too late that he had been blindly probing a far deeper wound. And now that Ada had inserted herself into the conversation, there was little hope of preventing it all culminating in a clumsy conversational amputation.

“What's a matta kid? Is dere sometin' that'd be too hard for youse to help her wit?” 

Gus glared at the large canine, letting out a derisive snort as he squeezed his mate against his side.

“Of course not!” The billy snapped back. “I'd do anything for my Mellowmar!”

“Aww....Gussy...” Melanie cooed softly.

“Den what's da problem?” Ada replied, tugging her damaged dress up slightly before crossing her arms. “Why da cold hooves?”

“Why are you even here?” Gus snapped back. “You decide you want the other half of Melly's bouquet back?”

“If youse must know.” Ada smirked. “I came ova to reasshure my bruddah-in-law dat ol' Plush is gonna be fine.” The hyeness said, gesturing over to the ewe across the floor before giving the wolf a harsh but playful pat on the shoulder. 

“Plush is a tuff cookie.” Ada wrapped an arm around Vernon's neck, pulling the increasingly pallid and uncomfortable wolf in for a short, tight hug. “She's gonna be fine.”

Vernon let out a soft, uncomfortable whine. Ada was right about that, there was no doubt in his mind. But he wasn't willing to admit that the whimper that had slipped out of his muzzle had come from the fact that her hug was just a little bit tighter than he would have liked. 

Releasing her grip around the groom, the hyena turned her attention back to the goat couple, offering the pair a genuine smile.

“But as a mammal who's a victem a' bein' too patient myself...” Ada continued, bobbing her eyebrows playfully. “I couldn't help but to try and help a fellow bride in waitin'...”

Melanie offered the mammal a meek smile.

“T-thank you.” The she-goat murmured. “I-I mean that's very sweet but you-.”

“Eh, it's no problem.” The hyeness was quick to cut her off, flashing the pair a broad smile before edging her way around Vernon. Leaning her elbow on the edge of the table near the speaker, Ada leaned down to Gus' level, cocking a brow at the little billy.

“C'mon, youse can be honest wit ol' auntie Ada.” Ada chuckled. “I'm good wit dis stuff...” The hyena rolled her eyes, wincing slightly before continuing. “Well, as long as it don't have to do wit my life.”

Gus rolled his eyes. “You aren't my aunt.”

“Ah, but youse is besties wit Vern.” Ada replied, gesturing toward the wolf with a nod. “And from what Yuri told me's you were at da ranch so often Auddey liked to joke dat youse were her adopted kid.”

Gus shrunk into his shoulders slightly, leaning further into his mate as he tried to draw back from the hyena.

“So dat makes us some kinda family rite?” The hyena grinned.

“Ada, maybe this is-”

“So what's da problem?” Ada cut Vernon off, leaning in closer to the goat as her deep green eyes seemed to hungrily scan him for any hint of a tell. “Problems in da bedroom? Little billy can't rise to da challenge?”

“Pf-WHAT!? NO!” Gus snapped back.

“Definitely not.” Melanie added, flashing the hyena a knowing grin.

“By the gods Ada...” Vernon murmured, pressing a paw to his forehead.

Ada let out a barking laugh, giving the goat a playful nudge with her elbow.

"Scared of her folks?" Ada asked, leaning in closer to the increasingly nervous-looking billy. "Pop got a shotgun at your's back when'eva youse see him 'or-."

“NO!” Gus retorted, letting out an irritated sigh. “Melly's parents and I get along fine, and my parents love her!”

“My parents were just happy I didn't end up turning out to be a crosser or so-...” Melanie winced, her eye's briefly shifting upward to Vernon before darting away guiltily. “Er...I mean no offense!”

"Uh-huh." Vernon replied, giving the nanny a dull, half-lidded stare which only seemed to cause her to squirm that much more.

“I-I mean my parents were worried about me being an inter, or a lesbian too!” The nanny goat blurted out. “They want grandkids!”

Ada rolled her eyes for a moment before drawing in that much closer to Gus, her nose practically pressed up against his snout as she wrapped her arm around him, lamely flopping her own ruined bouquet over his shoulder.

“Den what da heck's da problem, one horn?” Ada laughed. “Why won't yas make an honest goat out of your mate?” The hyeness flashed the shrinking billy a wide smile. “Is it da one horn ting? Cause if it is I-?”

"IT'S NOT MY HORN!" In a sudden, swift motion Gus braced the large hyena's shoulders with his hooves, visibly placing all his might into shoving her out of his personal space. However, Ada's massive comparative size and Gus' significant lack of muscle kept the hyena largely rooted to the ground, and instead, Vernon watched as his friend managed to thrust himself backward off the speaker, tumbling over the edge from his own force with a loud thud, followed by a dull, pitiful bleat.

“GUS!” Melanie yelped, as she, Vernon and Ada all leaned over the edge of the speaker to find the goat sprawled out on the grass below. His legs remained upright, following the back of the speaker straight up as though he were sitting on it while the rest of him lay with his back flat against the ground. His eyes sullen and skyward as he let out a mournful sigh.

"It-It's..." The goat murmured quietly. " It's because if we get married... If we take that plunge, and my problems become our problems..." Gus whimpered, his voice growing quiet with each pause as he struggled to get whatever he had to say out. "You'll be stuck with me."

The group fell silent for a moment, not one mammal moving as the three looking down over Gus exchanged glances with one another before the nanny's eyes fell back to her mate.

“'S-stuck with you'?” Melanie asked. “W-what do you mean 'stuck with you'?

Gus closed his eyes, his nostrils flaring as he let out a slow, drawn-out exhale. It was clear that whatever he was preparing to say was something had been weighing heavy on him, and he was trying to muster the courage to get through it.

“Melly...” the goat said with a defeated sigh. 

"You're smart and talented...and crazy driven..." Gus said, lolling his head slightly. "You're always so sure of yourself, and you just never give up on things." 

"And if you ever stumble or slip up, you just keep on going." The goat shook his head. "You don't even waste time second-guessing yourself, you just do it."

Vernon could see the billy's neck muscles visibly tense as he let out an audible gulp. The hard swallow ended in a shuddering, almost whimpering sigh.

“A-And you're strong...” Gus murmured softly. “So much stronger than a beat-up old billy like me.”

“Oh Gus...” Melanie spoke, placing a hoof over her muzzle to hide her lips.

“A nanny like you is destined to do amazing things, ya know?” Gus said, his brows raising slightly as he spoke before shifting back into a more disappointed, defeated expression. Sluggishly, the goat raised one of his arms, allowing it to flop on his chest with his thumb pointed inward. “And me, I'm just some schlub who used to manage a Bug Burga.” The goat scoffed.

Taking a deep breath, the goat lifted his arm, allowing it to flop lamely across the grass once more as he let out a dry chuckle.

“And I couldn't even do that without it getting completely destroyed in the process.” Gus muttered.

Vernon cringed, slinking into his shoulders at that remark. The wolf couldn't help but feel partially responsible for that, even if neither he nor Dawn had actually been the ones to cause the damage. 

“Hadn't even technically been the manager of the place for a whole year too.” The goat grumbled, furrowing his brow for a moment before simply rolling his eyes.

“And you know what was the worst part?” Gus sighed. “The worst part of it all was that I was fine with that...”

Ada quirked a brow. “You was fine wit your job gettin' destroyed?” The hyena asked.

Gus lifted his head for a moment, glaring at Ada in a mixture of shock and annoyance. "What?" The goat asked. "No! I meant-ugh..." With another sigh, the billy allowed his head to flop back against the grass.

“I mean I had accepted that.” Gus muttered. “I had accepted that my role in life was basically just...managing a Bug Burga for a living.”

Leaning up slightly, Gus placed an elbow against the grass as his eyes traced upwards to his mate.

“I didn't exactly love it, but I never really had a goal to reach out for like you did Melly. I never really had dreams of being a teacher, or a doctor, or some cutting edge medical scientist.” 

“Genetic researcher.” Melanie corrected.

The goat closed his eyes, his head dipping slightly as the frown on his muzzle seemed to deepen. “Right...” The goat muttered, his statement laced with a sense of defeat as he let out a tired sigh.

"The point is, I never really cared to pursue anything." The goat shrugged. "The only reason I went to college was because my grandfather made it a condition of taking over as manager of his Bug Burga branch, otherwise I might not have even gone."

“You really didn't care whether you went to college or not?” Melanie asked.

“Melly...I...” The goat muttered. “I spent my childhood practically housebound because of my health with nothing but books and games to try and distract me from the fact that I was too fragile to do anything of any sort of significance with my life.” Gus lifted his other hoof, gesturing it in a small, dismissive circle as he continued. “I've never been very good at anything any mammal would consider valuable so...I never really planned for some big, world-changing future career. ” The goat slunk into his shoulders slightly. “A billy as broken as I am isn't going to change the world, so I figured, 'why waste my parents time and money'?”

“You aren't broken...” Melly muttered softly.

Using his elbow to press himself off the ground, the goat carefully clambered to his feet. For a moment, Gus began to dust his suit off with a hoof before he seemed to decide it wasn't worth the effort shook his hooves off dismissively before leaning against the speaker.

“Melanie, I'm genetically predisposed to fainting, small seizures, and I've got a rotten horn.” The billy gestured weakly to the wad of gauze strapped to his head before extending his hoof and beginning to count his individual fingers as he continued.

“I'm asthmatic, prone to panic attacks, have horrible intestinal problems...” Gus continued, switching from one hoof to the other as he rambled on. “I'm also neurotic, a chronic worrier, painfully indecisive an-.” 

“The love of my life.” Melanie cut the billy off. “You think I care about stuff like that?”

Gus frowned sharply, a look of shame creeping into his features as his eyes shifted downward toward the grass.

“I care.” The goat muttered weakly. “I didn't used to care as much....but the closer we got...” Gus murmured, running a hoof through his hair. “The more worried about all that stuff I became.”

The billy's shimmering yellow eyes fixed on his mate's own, his lip quivering as he seemingly struggled to continue.

“Before we met...I....” The goat whimpered. “Bug Burga was 'a good enough' plan for me.” The goat shook his head. “I-I was willing to accept that with a sort of... quiet resignation.”

Gus shrugged, lifting a hoof as he averted his gaze once more.

“But good enough for me, and good enough for 'us' are two different things.” the goat added, rolling his hoof lazily.

“What do you mean?” Melanie asked, sniffling slightly. 

The lanky billy let out a tired sigh. 

“Everything of mine you could call a talent is small and relatively useless...” The billy muttered. “I've got no practical or marketable skills, and if I even tried to pick something bigger to shoot for I'm sure my health would more than likely stop me from ever getting there.”

“Gus, that's not true.” Melanie rebuffed. “I mean, you did make it through school. You do have a business degree.”

"Mel." Gus held up a hoof, cutting his mate off mid-sentence. "I barely scraped by with an actual diploma. Even you know that." The billy shook his head. "Between my health issues and my heart not really being in it, I barely made it through, and even if I had failed out..." The goat placed a hoof to his temple. "I would have accepted it."

"Why?" Melanie asked, reaching out to grab one of Gus' hooves. But the billy withdrew his hand seconds before hers made contact, pushing himself away from the speaker as he stood up.

“Because I was always used to falling flat on my face.” The goat continued. “I'm used to coming up short, and crashing no matter how much effort I put into something.” 

Balling the hoof pressed to his temple into a fist, the goat leaned into it, his head sagging as he let out a disappointed sigh.

“But that was back when the only mammals affected by me failing at something was myself.” The goat muttered.

The billy lifted his head wearily as his hoof dropped to his side, his tearful yellow eyes meeting Melanie's once more.

"Holding the Bug Burga together as it was..." The goat rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. "I mean, if I did well at running it, or if it failed spectacularly, I could handle it." 

The goat gestured a hoof toward Vernon. “ Vernon, my friends, my parents...even you...” The goat gestured his hoof back toward his mate. “I could go to you guys for emotional support if I failed, but ultimately I wouldn't be dragging anyone down with the actual baggage of it.” The goat rolled his wrist lazily. “The financial problems, the full weight of the stress, and everything else...”

“Gus...”

“But if we were married...” The billy continued, his voice wavering slightly as he spoke. “My burden would be our burden...” The goat whimpered. “And you'd be forced to take all of it one whether you wanted to or not.”

“But Gus-.”

“And now with the Bug Burga gone, who knows what will happen Melly?” Gus whimpered. “My grandpa could pay to fix it up, and I'd have my position back until I inevitably louse it up when my health gets worse, or for some other reason...” The goat shrugged. “Or he could decide it's not worth the headache and just take the insurance payout and officially retire.”

The billy ran a shaky hoof through his tuft of head fur, biting his lip nervously.

“Even If I convinced him to let me take a crack at opening a different, lower maintenance store rather than re-opening the Bug Burga, it could always fall through.”

“Gus.” Melly's voice was firmer now, a clear effort to force the billy's attention, but Gus was on a tangent now, his nerves getting the better of him as he continued to prattle off all of his deepest fears an insecurities. 

It only served to make Vernon feel that much more guilty that he had forced open this can of worms in the first place. This conversation most certainly deserved to be conducted with the utmost privacy, something kept strictly between Gus and his mate. But unfortunately, he and his sister-in-law were now caught up in the scene. Glancing to Ada, he could see the hyena looked equally as uneasy as he felt. Her wide eyes finding Vernon's as she flashed the wolf a sheepish, uncomfortable smile before shrugging apologetically. It was a rare feat for an outspoken mammal like herself, but it was clear to even the most oblivious of mammals that the time to interject had long since passed. And so the two mammals simply stood in silence as the painfully emotional discussion continued to unfold before them. 

“And I've got everything riding against me being able to give you healthy kids one day Melly!” Gus proclaimed, his breathing growing heavy as his sentences poured from his muzzle at a faster and faster rate. “Kids I know you want, kids you deserve to be able to have!”

“But Gussy-!”

“You deserve to be able to have everything you want! Anything you can set your mind to without me there to hold you back!” The goat rambled.” You deserve to be able to just walk away when you finally realize one day...” 

Gus trailed off, his breath hitching slightly as his sorrowful eyes drifted to the grass. The air around the small group of mammals grew silent save for the billy's weak panting. The relative quiet lingered for what seemed like minutes before the goat finally managed the utter the words his whole diatribe had apparently been building up to.

“That you are too good for me.” The goat concluded, wiping his muzzle with his sleeve as he let out a sharp sniffle.

Once again the air fell silent save for the stray whimpering of the billy, his usual humerus and beleaguered demeanor completely stripped bare leaving little more than the frail, sensitive little billy goat standing before them. Vernon felt the need to do something, anything to comfort his friend, but at the same time, the wolf still felt paralyzed. One part onlooker, one part guilty party for having helped gouge the emotions out of his friend. There was a very real fear in Vernon that at this point the billy had more or less forgotten he and Ada still stood there. And any action on Vernon's part would remind the billy, adding to his embarrassment, or possibly raising his ire after all he had inadvertently drawn out of him. Luckily, Melanie took the initiative.

"Oh Gus... " Melanie murmured, placing a hoof on her mate's shoulder. Leaving her clump of flowers laying on the speaker, the nanny brought her other hoof to the billy's tear-stained cheek, drawing his head upward in order to meet his glimmering gaze. Drawing her thumb across his cheek, the she-goat gingerly swabbed at his tears.

“Y-you should have said something...” The she-goat sniffled. “Y-you should have told me how you felt sooner...” Melanie pressed an arm up under her glasses, swabbing away her own tears for a moment. “ I-If I had known...”

Gus pressed a hoof against his eye, rubbing it aggressively in an effort to stem his tears.

"I-I'm sorry Melly....I just..." The billy stuttered. "I figured bringing it up would...just jinx it all somehow." The billy ran a nervous hoof through his hair. "That if I said anything y-you'd wake up an realize..." 

Gus trailed off, his head sinking slightly against Melanie's hoof as his eyes shifted away from hers guilty.

“That I was too good for you?” Melanie asked, her voice hushed in such a way that it seemed as though she had been loathed to even utter her words.

The billy gave a weak nod.

"And you'd...leave..." Gus muttered, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof. "I guess..."

Melanie drew her mate in closer, resting her head against his and closing her eyes as the two fell silent. It was a brief, but tender moment. One that couldn't help but touch Vernon's heart as he felt tears of his own begin to well up for his friends. He had always been somewhat aware of Gus' health issues, but even as his best friend, he knew the billy preferred to keep it close to his chest. He had always acted as if it never really bothered him, or that he had at least had grown used to his disabilities to the point of barely noticing them. But it was clear now that his various conditions had always been weighing on his mind to some degree, and that being as close to someone as he was to Melanie was forcing him to confront it constantly.

He wanted to comfort the billy, comfort the both of them, but the wolf couldn't even fathom where to begin. Was it even right to intrude on something that seemed so personal?

Despite this uncertainty, the wolf finally opened his muzzle to speak, but a strange sound quickly stunned him back into silence. Melanie was chuckling, laughing through her tears as her muzzle curled into a small smirk.

“You are the biggest dork...you know that?” Melanie sniffled softly. 

Gus drew back slightly, a look of mild surprise lacing his features as he eyed his mate in confusion. “M-melly...” The goat sputtered. “I-I'm being serious here!”

“So am I!” Melanie replied, drawing her mate's muzzle back up close to hers before planting a small kiss on his snout. “Thinking I care about any of that stuff?! Honestly!” The nanny continued, pushing her glasses up slightly as she pawed at one of her eyes.

“B-But Melly, w-?”

“I'm with you because I love you.” Melanie cut the billy off, giggling through her tears. “All of you.”

Melanie caressed the billy's cheek with a gentle hoof. “The grumpy part, the achy part, the part of you that stumbles, and the part of you that falls.”

The nanny flashed her mate a playful smile. “And that part of you that likes to wake me up at night and makes me late for work in the morning...”

Gus managed to muster a weak smile of his own before letting out a choking sob.

“M-Melly!” The goat tried to stifle his laughter as tears continued to flow.

"You do not, and have never dragged me down. Not once." The she-goat continued, placing a finger on her mate's nose and 'booping' it playfully. "And even if you did, like it or not we're a team." Melanie continued, pressing her forehead against Gus' once again. "Whether we're married or not, if you go down you better believe I'm going to be there to catch you. And regardless of what you think of yourself you know damn well you'd do the same for me."

Gus let out a soft whimper. “B-but..”

“You think you don't deserve me?” Melanie continued, wrapping her arms around her mate and pulling him into a hug. “Have you met me?”

Gus chuckled, shaking his head softly as he tried to pull away, but Melanie's grasp was clearly too strong for the billy to escape. Or perhaps, he wasn't really trying. Freeing an arm, the nanny pulled Gus to her side as she began to mimic Gus' previous counting with her now free hoof.

“I'm aggressive, persistent and tenacious to a fault, and have a competitive streak so nasty it would make a professional horse racer blush!”

“Hear, hear!” Ada said, raising her own clump of flowers in agreement. However, the hyena was quick to recoil after drawing Melanie's glare, the large mammal flashing the nanny an uneasy smile before shifting her gaze away.

Melanie shook her head dismissively, letting out a tired sigh.

Gus wiped one of his eyes with a hoof, his sobs withering away more and more behind his laughter.

“Y-you aren't that competitive...” 

Melanie drew back from her mate, flashing the billy a dull, half-lidded stare.

“Gus, look at my dress.” The she-goat gestured to herself, pulling at some of the torn, stained fabric with her hoof.

“Hell, look at Ada's dress!” She added, stabbing a finger in the direction of the large hyeness. 

Glancing back to his sister, Vernon watched her flash the pair a sheepish grin as she adjusted the hem of her battered garment.

"And how many televisions have I had to personally take down to work at the recycling center because I threw a controller through it in a fit of rage over losing a game of Mewrio Kart!?" Melanie added, giving her mate a playful push in the shoulder.

“W-well...” Gus muttered. “M-more than one...I guess...”

“Mine a month ago.” Vernon murmured quietly.

Melanie glanced up at the wolf for a moment, offering him a meek, uneasy smile.

“And I'm still sorry about that.” Melanie replied weakly before snapping her attention back to the billy still in her grasp.

"I've also got OCD, and I snore, and...and..." Melanie paused, the nanny stumbling over her words as she seemed to be reaching for more negative qualities to add to her resume. Her muzzle moved wordlessly for a moment or two, as if she had simply been hoping that the words would just continue to flow before letting out an irritated sigh as her head slunk into her shoulders. Her attention now fixated on studying the bumps on the surface of the speaker.

"If anyone is too good for anyone in this relationship..." Melanie chuckled. "You're too good for me Gus."

Gus chuckled weakly, shaking his head. “Y-you know that's not true.”

“Pft...” Melanie scoffed. “It's more plausible than the other way around.”

Gus clasped his mate's hoof with his own, his yellow eyes rising to meet her gaze as she followed his hand.

“Melly...” Gus cooed. “I-I can't give you what you need...”

With that, the she-goat wrapped her arms around the billy, pulling him tightly against herself before pressing her lips against his hard enough to make Gus' eye pop wide in surprise. The shock was brief however, wearing off as the goat gave into the rather passionate kiss. His eyelids fluttered shut as he wrapped his arms around Melanie, meeting the nanny goat in equal vigor. They stayed that way for a few moments before Melanie broke the kiss, drawing back just far enough to still be able to lean her forehead against his.

“You are what I need dummy.” Melanie replied, caressing the billy's cheek with hoof. “You are my voice of reason, you are my shoulder to cry on...” The nanny shook her head. “You...you're the reason I can keep getting back up when I stumble and not even think twice...because you're always there to cheer me on.”

Melanie rolled her eyes slightly, offering the billy a sly smirk. "You are also what I want most in my life..." The nanny fluttered her eyelashes at her mate, her grin growing playful and mischievous. "And you know how hard I go after the things I want."

Despite his tears, the billy bore a warm smile. His lips quivering as he looked into his mate's eyes with adoration.

“I want to marry you, because I want the world to know that we belong to each other.” Melanie said, her smile slipping back into something more warm and genuine. “That we're proud to be together.”

The she-goat gestured a hoof in Vernon's direction. 

“Just like them.” Melanie said, flashing the wolf a knowing smile. Vernon blushed slightly, the wolf rubbing the back of his neck with a paw bashfully.

Gus shook his head. “B-but my health...?” The billy whimpered. “It could get worse...and I-.”

“Then I'll take care of you...” Melanie replied with a smile. “Just means I'll have you all the more to myself.”

The billy quirked an eyebrow, flashing his mate a curious glare through his tears. “Y-you realize that sounds r-really...err...”

Melanie's swatted a hoof to her forehead, her muzzle tinged red as she broke eye contact with her mate.

“Shush!” Melanie retorted, half chuckling. “That came out wrong okay!?” The she-goat shook her head. “I just meant I like taking care of you, okay?”

Gus swabbed at his eyes with a hoof. “B-but kids Melly, my genetics a-.”

The nanny rolled her eyes. “Our kids will be fine Gussy.” Melanie cooed. “And if you're really that worried, we'll just adopt.”

The billy sniffled softly. “R-really?” Gus shuddered, wiping his eyes with a hoof. “Y-you'd be alright with that?”

“We don't even need to have any.” Melanie added, flashing the goat a warm smile. “I just want you Gus.”

Gus let out a weak chuckle. Pressing his thumb and forefinger against his closed eyes, the goat leaned on his hoof, lamely swabbing away the tears before drawing his fingers down his snout as he let out a sigh.

“Is that really all you want Melly?” Gus asked, looking back up into his mates eyes.

Melanie smirked. “Well...” The she-goat cooed, lolling her head back slightly as if she were mulling over what to say. “That...and one other thing...”

The she-goat pulled herself closer to her mate, leaning her forehead against his as she stared at him with loving eyes.

“And what's that?” Gus replied.

Melanie's grin widened, the nanny flashing her teeth.

“I want to dance with my mate.”

Gus smiled warmly, letting out a sniffling chuckle. “I think I can manage that, I-”

The goat paused, the calm romantic air around him seeming to dissipate suddenly as a look of mild worry overtook his features. The goat drew back from his mate, crooking his head up awkwardly as he scanned the area with a nervous expression. His golden iris darted from the stage, then to Vernon and back again.

“Oh right!” Gus muttered. “I have to Dee-Jay this thing don't I?” The goat muttered, scratching his head.

Glancing back to his mate, the goat winced. “How are we gonna dance if I-?”

Melanie rolled her eyes. "So set up a playlist silly-billy." The she-goat replied, nuzzling up against her mate's snout. "Even without one, it takes what, a few seconds to set up a song a let it play?" Melanie asked, quirking a brow.

Gus rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Well, it's not exactly that easy...but...” Gus murmured, rolling his eyes slightly as he seemed to be considering just how to say whatever he was thinking.

“So get what's his name...?” Melanie crooked her head up slightly, her eyes scanning the reception for the mammal she was looking to recall.

"The grey one, over there." The she-goat added, stabbing a weak finger in the direction of Ulric. Thankfully the twitchy grey wolf seemed to be distracted by the shrimp plate, or else Vernon was sure a caprid mammal pointing directly at him would have sent into some sort of panic.

“He doesn't have a date right?” Melanie asked, tilting her head curiously. “He could probably do a fine job as Dee-Jay whi-.”

“Eh-heh-heh, I'd prefer y'all didn't pick Ulric, trust me.” Vernon was quick to interject, drawing both mammals attention back to him. The wolf glanced sheepishly at his brother as the dusky grey wolf shoved a handful of shrimp in his muzzle before glancing back at his friends. “He may be good with computers...but....er...” The wolf rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. “Well, I mean Gus, y'all remember how he is about caprid folk.”

Gus merely quirked an eyebrow at the wolf before glancing back in Ulric's direction before a look of surprise overtook his feature, followed quickly by an uncomfortable looking pale under the fur. It clearly hadn't taken long to jog the old billy's memory on exactly which brother Ulric was.

“By the gods...” Gus muttered. “He's the one that tied me up that time, isn't he?”

Melanie quirked a brow curiously. “I'm sorry, what?”

"Among other things." Vernon added. "Which is why I don't think it's such a hot idea to go puttin' a mic in his paws on the day I tithed to a caprid gal, don't y'all agree?"

Gus gave a brisk nod, which only served to further confuse his mate.

“Wait, he tied you up?” The she-goat asked.

“And to add to that point, I don't exactly want to spoil y'all's sweet moment.” The wolf muttered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “But this is Dawn's weddin'.” The wolf shrugged. “Me and my mate got to be the first to share a dance, it's the rules.”

Brushing off the look of discomfort, the billy offered his friend a warm smile.

“That's all right...” Gus replied, turning his attention back to the nanny goat still wrapped up in his hooves. “We can wait a little bit longer, can't we Melly?”

Melanie rolled her eyes. The she-goat was trying to look annoyed, letting out an irritated snort. But the smile that kept creeping through her sneer was more than enough to tell everyone around her how she really felt. 

“Alright fine...” Melanie snorted, trying to suppress a giggle. “But you have to tell me the story of how you got tied up!”

Gus rolled his eyes. “ The first time, or all three times?” 

Melanie placed a hoof to her muzzle as she fought to keep the sputtering laugh inside her mouth. "Pft, t-three times!?" The nanny choked between giggling.

Gus shook his head, closing his eyes as he let out a tired sigh.

“I'll tell you up on stage Melly, c'mon.” Taking one of her hooves in his, the goat gingerly pulled his mate off the speaker before the pair began to leave. However, Gus only made it about two steps before turning on his heels to face Vernon, the goat glancing up at the wolf curiously.

“Oh, dude.” Gus asked with a laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “You probably have a song preference for the first dance right?”

Vernon shrugged. “I'm purty sure I know what Dawn wants, unless she told y'all already?”

Gus gestured his hoof lamely. “No, I didn't exactly have time to ask.” 

"Oh, you should ask her." Melanie interjected, placing a hoof against her mate's chest affectionately. "You don't want to take a chance of getting it wrong tonight of all nights."

Gus grimaced slightly, the goat reeling his head back a bit before lolling it quizzically.

“I'm sure Ver-.”

“Nah, she's right.” Vernon muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as a light blush formed under his muzzle fur. “I mean...I'm purty sure but...” The wolf winced. “I'd rather be one-hundred percent certain instead of blowin' it this late in the game.”

Gus rolled his eyes, doing his best to hide his smirk. “Fair enough.” The billy sighed. Crooking his head over his mate slightly, the billy placed a hoof above his eyes as he scanned across the dance floor.

“Is she still getting her tattoo?” The billy asked.

Vernon turned his attention back to the greater reception tent, placing a paw above his eyes in a matching fashion to Gus as he fixed his gaze in the last place he had seen his mate.

On the other side of the hall, Dawn continued to sit, now completely rapt in Dorian's dark and twisted tale of betrayal. He had explained to her what his former friends had been plotting, how it had all connected back to her father's overarching plan for the city, and just how utterly oblivious he had been to even the slightest hint that all of this had been going on behind his back. That up until ZPD investigators had shown up at his office to apprehend his fellow officers, the wolf had been completely and totally unaware of their plot to kill him, along with Zach, Vanna, and any other officer that had gotten in the way.

The whole tale had left the ewe utterly reeling as she tried to process everything the wolf was telling her. It was like as if the ewe was riding an emotional roller coaster. Whipping around from the initial shock, to horrified, to sick to her stomach and burning with ire, before ultimately crashing into a well of tear-filled sorrow that Dorian had matched in an almost surprisingly equal vigor. The wolf had managed to hold back his tears through most of the retelling, a persistent shimmering film covering his steely grey eyes as he forced his way through the painful tale in as stalwart a manner as possible. However, Dorian could stave off his own tears no longer when he revealed to the ewe the prospect of losing his son because of his negligence, and worse yet, the prospect of his wife losing a son and husband because his senses had failed to warn him of his treacherous subordinates. It was in that moment that the dam had simply broken, and the wavering glimmer in his eyes gave way to a steady stream as the wolf gave in to the irrepressible urge to cry.

All the while the ewe had been drawing closer to the older wolf, practically falling off her stool in the process as she found herself pulled deeper and deeper into Dorian's story, as well as his anguish. She now understood exactly why Dorian had behaved the way he had toward her and Vernon when they had first arrived, and while the things that had been said still hurt, she couldn't help but feel a sense of grief and pity for the older mammal. Like her, he had been pushed to the brink, even if it was somewhat self-imposed, and was making decisions out of fear. The only way they had differed was in the way that Dawn had been willing to reach out to those who offered her a paw to help, to draw her back from the pit she had been digging and help her to see reason. But Dorian had retained his pride after losing his sense of self, and that stubborn nature had the wolf pushing anyone looking to try and help away. He was the mammal others relied on, and not the other way around. And that mindset had only forced him to dig himself in that much deeper.

“Y-Yer off the chair again Darlin'...” Dorian muttered, wiping his eye with his free paw.

“O-oh!”

Dawn glanced down to find that she was once again literally on the edge of her seat before quickly scooting back into place, dusting off her gown with a free hoof before offering the wolf a meek, albeit concerned smile.

“I-I'm so so-sorry Dorian.” The ewe whimpered, lifting her lenses to swab away her tears.

“Nah...” The wolf murmured, sniffling softly. “The only one who should be sorry fer anythin' tonight is me Dawn.”

The wolf let out a somber sigh as the buzzing of the tattoo needle came to an abrupt halt, his steely grey eyes drifting up toward the moon. The pale lighting glimmered off of the stray tears caught in his fur before the wolf swabbed it away with his sleeve.

“I ain't never really been the type of mammal who was...good with expressin' myself.” Dorian muttered. “Or admittin' when I've been in the wrong.”

The wolf closed his eyes, letting out a slight scoff as he dropped the tattoo gun on the nearby table with a dull clatter. “My Pa...Aldus..” The wolf shook his head. “He was the same way.” 

Dorian wiped his paws together before letting out a tired sigh. “He was a hard mammal, shaped by workin' the land, and tempered that much more by losin' his mate far too soon, and most of that ended up spillin' over into me.”

“D-Dorian...” Dawn murmured. “Wh-wh-?” Dawn paused, the ewe not terribly certain of whether now was a good time to ask about the fate of grandmother Hunter. The wolf was already in a bad enough emotional spot as it was, and to probe any deeper might act as rubbing salt into his wounds. But before the ewe could commit to a choice, the wolf saw fit to answer her unfinished question.

“Childbirth.” The white wolf murmured softly. “I never knew her.”

“O-oh...” Dawn sniffled softly, lifting her lenses to swab at her eyes. “I-I'm so sorry Dorian...”

The wolf sighed, his eyes shifting downward as he focused his gaze on the ewe's extended hoof. Dawn could feel the washcloth gingerly passing over her tender skin as the wolf continued.

“It's old pain Dawn.” Dorian replied. “Long callused over and faded from time.” The wolf shook his head dismissively. “But without havin' ma to keep my ol' mam' in check in terms of raisin' me, it was purty easy fer the ol' fella to turn me into a copy of himself.” The wolf chuckled weakly. “Even if I wasn't fully aware of it fer the first part of my life.”

Dorian scratched his forehead before tossing the washcloth on a nearby table with a wet 'plap'. 

"Only mistake he made was makin' me so much like him I saw fit to challenge him when it came to choosin' my future." The wolf laughed. "Not only did I inherit that cold demeanor of his, but his rebellious streak too..." The wolf raised his head, his eyes shifting away from Dawn and off toward the other side of the room. Following his line of sight, Dawn could see her mate standing alongside Ada, the two mammals apparently watching Gus and Melanie having what appeared to be a rather intense discussion.

"A streak that still burns purty strong in the Hunter bloodline today I'd say." The wolf added, chuckling softly as he shot the ewe a knowing glance. Dawn blushed slightly, the ewe shrinking into her shoulders briefly before the wolf's attention shifted up and away from her once again. His eyes back on the glowing orange moon that now hung high in the evening sky as he braced his neck with a paw.

“It took years of bein' a police officer, and a father...” The wolf shook his head, offering the ewe a meek smirk. “And havin' Audey by my side to keep me grounded.” The wolf chuckled softly. “To remind me how it ain't a sign of weakness to...open up when I'm hurtin'.”

The wolf fixed his steely gaze on the ewe, his sorrowful stare glimmering with a fresh film of hot tears. “To admit when I need another mammal's help and...”

The wolf ran a paw over his eyes, leaning into his palm and taking in a sharp breath of air. It was clear the wolf was trying to keep from breaking into another sob, but his composure having already slipped once, seemed to make it that much harder to keep it from slipping again. Still, the white wolf continued to press forward with what he had to say. “T-to admit when I'm afraid.”

Leaning his head back, the wolf let out a long, drawn out sigh as he pressed his arm tightly over his eyes. Dorian let out a single sharp sniffle before dragging his arm free of his face revealed that all his efforts had done little to stem his tears. Twin streams of liquid were now shimmering in the moonlight as they trickled down his fur.

“I was afraid Dawn...” The wolf sniffled sharply once again, following it up with a sigh. “Petrified...” The wolf whined. “An-and now, I'm p-p-petrified all over again.”

The ewe titled her head slightly, trying to hold back her own stray sobs as she struggled to understand just what Dorian meant.

“Y-you're still afraid?” Dawn asked, letting out a soft whimper. “O-of what?”

“I-I'm afraid that after all I've done...” The wolf whined. “After how badly I treated y'all th-that, well...” The wolf shook his head, swabbing aggressively at one of his eyes with the palm of his paw. “Y-Ya'll will want nothin' to do with me.”

Dawn looked up at her father-in-law, her tear-laced eyes widening in surprise. The ewe couldn't imagine the wolf was still serious, but the expression on his muzzle easily told her the wolf's concerns were entirely genuine.

“I know all this...” The wolf muttered, gesturing with a lazy paw to the general reception hall that surrounded them as he clapped the other tightly over his eyes. “I-It ain't even close to makin' a-amends for how sh-shameful I went an acted, at least in my book.”

Dorian dragged his paw across his eyes in a brisk, aggressive motion, giving his left eye one last harsh twist with the palm of his paw before shaking it off to his side. The older wolf offered the ewe a meek, almost pleading grin, and behind the wolf's tears, Dawn could see a glimmer of hopefulness in his eyes. 

“But I'm hopin' it's at least enough fer y'all to be willin' to consider given' yer old mam' a chance to put real work into mendin' our relationship?” The wolf spoke, his voice wavering slightly. 

“I want y'all to be able to get to know the real Dorian...” The wolf closed his eyes, gritting his teeth slightly as his ears sagged. “Not the cowardly, fearful little welp of a pup you met when y'all first showed up here.”

Placing his paws on his knees, the wolf leaned in slightly, cowing more to the ewe's level as he spoke with a soft, sorrowful tone.

“Maybe...” The wold murmured. “If y'all give me enough time...” The wolf shook his head dismissively. “I could earn the right t-to call myself yer pa?”

The wolf rubbed the back of his neck uneasily, his eyes shifting away from Dawn's as he continued.

“M-Maybe I could be the sorta pa y'all never really got to have?” Dorian whimpered, offering the ewe a meek, genuine smile.

Before the white-wolf had a chance to react, the ewe swung her arms around his neck, burying her head into his chest as she pulled him into the tightest hug she could muster.

“O-Oh d-dad...” Dawn sniffled through his tuxedo. “I forgave you the moment Audrey told me what you were trying to do for us...”

The ewe whimpered, rubbing her face harshly into the breast of his jacket as she fought to wipe away the tears that were steady streaming down her muzzle. 

It was easy to tell that Dorian hadn't been prepared for her to react that way. His muscles had tensed up sharply the moment she had latched on to him. She could feel the strain and stiffness in his neck and chest as she blubbered into his suit. But slowly, she felt Dorian began to relax, his posture softening as the ewe felt herself sink deeper into his chest. Soon she could feel his arms around her back, returning her powerful hug with a gentle, warm hug of his own. 

“T-thank ya D-darlin'...” The wolf sniffled. “I-I promise this ol' l-law dog won't let you down...”

The wolf's admission made the ewe squeeze him all the more tightly, that was until...

“OW!”

Dawn drew back suddenly, pulling out of the wolf's hug to inspect the powerful burning sensation on her hoof only to find much to her embarrassment she had almost completely forgotten about the fresh tattoo etched into her palm. The ewe shook her hoof feverishly, trying to use the air around her to give her some degree of relief from the sting as she looked back up to her father-in-law.

The wolf was blushing slightly, averting his gaze in a guilty manner as he offered the ewe a sheepish grin.

"I-I woulda warned ya if I er..." Dorian chuckled. "I knew y'all was gonna give me a bear hug."

Dawn sighed, tilting her head down and giving it a dismissive shake. "I guess I should have taken the whole...'distraction' part of what you said more seriously..." The ewe replied, with a dull chuckle.

“Well it's done its job anyway.” The wolf smirked, giving one last lame paw at the lingering tears in his eyes before bracing his hips with both paws and puffing his chest out with some semblance of pride. “So I'd say it all worked out in the end.”

"Wait, wh-" Turning her hoof back over to inspect her palm, the ewe was shocked to find that her mark was completely filled in. The smooth red contours of the empty full moon marking now flushed with a bold crimson that surrounded the circle as well as filled in the half that she was meant to represent. Her half of her and Vernon's whole. Somehow, despite how passionate the wolf had gotten in his retelling, even breaking into tears toward the end, Dorian hadn't stopped working. Perfectly , precision lines, with not a drop of ink out of place.

Dawn looked back to her father-in-law in shock.

“H-How...” The ewe shook her head. “How did you even-!?”

The wolf flashed the ewe a cheesy, confident smile.

“That's gonna have to remain a trade secret Darlin'.” The wolf chuckled. “Least till y'all and Vern got some pups of yer own to worry about. Got to make sure y'all come back to the ranch every once and while now don't I?”

Dawn smiled, this more carefully placing her arms around the white wolf's neck before pulling him for a hug.

“T-thanks Dad.” The ewe whimpered. “I-It's just....wonderful...” Dawn sighed.

“I'm glad y'all like it.” The wolf replied. “Now let me get some ointment and gauze on that so ya-”

“Ah, I see how it is.”

Dawn quirked her head up enough to peer over the arm currently wrapped around her father toward the source of the voice. Now beside the pair stood Vernon, the wolf's paws on his hips as he eyed the two mammals with a smirk.

“I leave y'all alone fer five minutes and yer already makin' moves on my gal huh?” The wolf said with a laugh.

Dawn immediately drew back from her hug, blushing sharply as she swatted at her mate with her 'safe' hoof.

“Veeeernon!” She whined.

Dorian chuckled in response, flashing his son a dull stare.

“Son, if I was into mutton, y'all wouldn't even be here right now.” Dorian replied, flashing the pair a sly smirk as he gestured to Vernon's side. Glancing toward the gap, Dawn could see Audrey, Clover, and Vanna approaching.

“And what's this now?” Clover asked, adjusting her frames quizzically. “I heard the 'm' word.”

Dorian laughed. “Yes y'all did.”

Vernon groaned. “Be thankful you didn't hear the rest of it.”

The white wolf laughed before gesturing Dawn to extend her hoof again. With the tattoo process now over, the ewe was less reluctant to simply stick her hoof out, and the wolf gingerly took it in his once more, his eyes remaining fixed on the group of mammals now building around them. 

“Now mister Hunter, just because your family has married into mine does not give you the right to start bandying about the 'm' word carte blanche.”

Vernon chuckled. “Shoot...” The wolf muttered. “Then what was the point?”

"Ver-OHH!" Dawn was interrupted in her scolding by the icy chill of ointment being dribbled into her palm. The salve felt so startlingly cold against her searing hot skin that it sent chills up her spine.

“Ugh....yer right Floofs...” Vernon continued, rubbing the back of his neck with a paw uneasily. “That was lame...even fer me.”

"I dare say..." Gus interjected, him and Melanie now appearing at the wolf's other side. "That was a dad joke, my friend."

Vernon looked down at his friend in abject horror.

“W-what? N-Naw that weren't that ba-”

“It begins...” Dorian chuckled darkly, wriggling his fingers in the direction of his son cryptically before gingerly rubbing the cold salve into the ewes palm. “Muhahahaha...It begins!” The white wolf barked.

“Oh no.” Vernon murmured, placing his paws to his muzzle in mock fear. “I've only been tithed fer less than an hour and...”

“Dad-joke-itus spreads quickly in this family son.” Audrey laughed, nudging her son playfully in his side. “Yer father made his first real cheeser just minutes after our tithing ceremony kiss.”

“NooOOOooo...” Vernon howled weakly, placing his paws to his cheeks in an over-dramatic display that had Dawn giggling.

"Search your feelings..." Melanie said with a smirk, making her voice as deep and dramatic as possible as she matched Dorian's previous hand motions with her hooves. "You know it to be true." The nanny chuckled, Gus quickly joining along with her.

“I guess I'm done bein' cool huh?” Vernon chuckled.

“Oh Vern, we were never cool.” Gus replied, shaking his head dismissively as his laughter trailed into a pleasant sigh. “We just get perpetually less cool with age.”

“Tell me about it.” Dorian replied, carefully placing a few strips of gauze over Dawn's palm.

“Anyhow...”Dorian chuckled. “Why are all ya'll crowdin' my workspace? Can't ya'll wait till I tell y'all I'm done before-?”

“I-” Vernon spoke, holding up a finger. “Wanted to check on my mate.”

With that, the wolf leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on Dawn's cheek which caused the ewe to recoil in a fit of giggling.

Rising again, the wolf gestured to the goats at his side.

“And, Gus is here to make sure he knows what song to play fer...” The wolf blushed slightly, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Our first dance together...”

The ewe's blush only deepened has she turned to face the pair of goats, the ewe covering her muzzle as she tried to refrain from letting out a girlish giggle. Like everything else she had planned out for her dream wedding, first dance song choices had been something she had devoted a great degree of thought to. She had initially worked from a large pool of favorites and whittled them down to a few select choices that would have hopefully fit the atmosphere and circumstances of whoever her dream mate turned out to be, or a reflection of their life together. And while she had never before pictured a groom quite like Vernon, there was only one song that sang in her heart for him.

Dawn gestured for Melanie to lean in close, and the nanny obliged, lifting an ear as Dawn placed her bandaged hoof by her muzzle to obscure her mouth from everyone else as she whispered her request.

“A Suri Nicks fan huh?” Melanie chuckled. “You're not the only one.”

Dawn could see Vanna's ears perk at the mention of their shared musical idol, a look of excitement overtaking the mammal's usually stoic features.

"What did you pick!?" Vanna barked, almost as excitedly as Qali would have.

Dawn shook her head, placing a hoof to her muzzle as she averted her gaze coyly.

“You'll see...” The ewe uttered with a small smirk.

Vernon watched as the she-goat whispered to her mate, and in response, the little billy nodded before turning his attention to the groom.

"See you on the dance floor buddy." Gus chuckled, and with that, the pair of goats took their leave. The duo making their way toward the stage.

"I hope y'all got whatever it is with ya." Dori called out to the goats with a laugh. "No way we're gonna be able to fetch a CD from anywhere now!"

Gus turned his head, letting out an amused scoff as he raised his phone into the air, waggling it playfully in the wolf's line of sight. 

"Pft..." The billy snorted. "We're in the age of the internet ol' timer! I can find anything in two seconds." The goat snickered. "CD's, honestly..."

"Old timer eh..." The wolf grumbled, glowering at the billy. Gus' smug grin quickly withered into a rather nervous smile before the goat quickly turned his attention back toward the stage as he and Melanie seemed to double their step.

"Speakin' of dancin'..." Audrey cooed, reaching a paw out to Dorian and grasping his paw. With a heft, the she-wolf pulled him out of his seat in one swift motion, the wolf letting out a laugh as Audrey took his other paw in hers.

“I wanna dance with my mate.” Audrey cooed, bobbing her eyebrows as she let out a rather seductive sounding growl. Dawn could see Vernon visibly cringe in disgust for a moment before donning a more irritated expression.

“Hey, hey, hey!” The wolf barked. Holding up an arm, the wolf drew back his sleeve, exposing the friendship bracelet the two had traded at the altar in lieu of rings.

“Again, this here's Dawn and me's night.” The wolf snapped. “Y'all gotta wait yer turn!”

Dawn, glancing at her own bracelet, couldn't help but recall that she had never gotten an answer from her mother as to just how they had snuck the bracelet from her and Vernon before the ceremony. And, if there was ever a time to ask, she supposed now was a good one.

Raising her arm, the ewe gingerly dangled her bracelet in the direction of Audrey, Vanna, and her mother.

“You know, I never got an answer of exactly how you guys got these away from us in the first place.” Dawn murmured.

Vernon quirked a curious eyebrow before turning his attention to the mammals at his side.

“Yeah, exactly when did y'all pilfer our personal property ma?” The wolf asked, his tone laced with sarcasm.

Breaking her grip on Dorian, Audrey gave Vernon a playful slap.

“Oh hush!” Audrey tutted. “Y'all know it weren't like that.”

“Wouldn't hold up in a court o' law.” Dorian added, receiving a slap of his own which only served to make the white wolf laugh.

“Well, it was mine and Audrey's idea actually.” Clover chimed in, drawing Vernon's attention down. 

Clover offered the wolf a sheepish smile. “Although Vanna was the real hero here...”

Glancing up at her sister-in-law, Dawn could see the hint of a blush forming under her muzzle fur as the tigress averted her gaze from the group.

“She snuck into your room while you both were asleep and snatched them out of your bags.” Clover continued, which only cause the large feline to shrink deeper into her shoulders in clear embarrassment.

“So that's why my duffle's zipper was undone this mornin'!” Vernon replied, placing a paw to his forehead.

“Your's too!?” Dawn asked excitedly. “I thought I just forgot but-”

“Sweet sawgrass.” The wolf muttered, running the paw on his head back through his tuft of hair. “I didn't even he-!” Vernon shook his head. “I mean, we didn't eve-!”

Vanna winced softly, the tigress' piercing yellow eyes downcast as she rubbed the back of her head uncomfortably.

“T-training...” Vanna muttered. “B-Back when I w-was on the ZPD I...m-may have taken some...eh...stealth training classes.”

Dorian chuckled. “Some?” The wolf laughed. “By Oldwyn's great grey muzzle if that's 'takin' a few classes', I'd love to meet the Vanna who took the full course.”

“I guess they don't call 'em cat burglars fer nothin'.” Vernon muttered, earning a nudge and a glare of disapproval from Dawn as Vanna's wince deepened in response.

“Before everything went down the way it did in Zootopia, my superiors were talking about moving me over to Sahara Square's tactical division...” The tigress shrugged uncomfortably. “So I had to take classes until I chose to drop all of it in favor of transferring out here.”

Dorian puffed out his chest proudly. "And the North Meadowlands Police Department thanks ya'll fer makin' the right choice Darlin'." The wolf chuckled, only for Audrey to roll her eyes in response.

“I'm sorry D-Dawn.” The tigress stammered. “I-I mean they were going to do it anyway, and it was either me or Qali and she can't stay quiet to save her life and-!”

“Thank you Vanna.” Dawn cut the increasingly panicked tiger off mid-ramble, offering the large feline a reassuring smile. “It really made the ceremony perfect.”

The large feline's blush seemed to deepen, so much so that it was surely visible to everyone, and in a clear effort to hide it Vanna simply spun on her heels, turning her back to face the rest of the group.

“Y-You're welcome g-guys.” The feline murmured softly.

"Ladies and gentlemam's..." Gus' voice cut through the murmuring mammal's conversations like a knife, drawing the attention of every mammal in the vicinity. The speakers loud and blaring as the goat seemed to be working the volume dials behind the monitors on stage. There was a sharp whine of feedback, followed by a buzzing that caused some of the assembled wolves to let out whines of pain before the billy seemed to get a grasp on the controls. Taking a moment to dab his brow, the billy let out a sigh.

"If I may have your attention please..." The billy continued, adjusting his bowtie nervously. By now all the eyes in the audience were on him, Dawn, Vernon, the Hunters, everyone was watching the twitching billy as he stood behind the stage gear, and for a moment, the ewe was sure she could hear an audible gulp sound over the microphone.

“Don't faint...don't faint.” Dawn could hear the billy murmur quietly, Gus swaying slightly as he stood at the microphone. The goat held like that for a few moments before looking off to his side nervously.

“Melly, help me here...” The goat whimpered.

“Really?” Dawn could hear Melly laugh in the distance before she caught sight of the nanny approaching the mic. Taking a stance next to Gus, Melanie wrapped an arm around the billy in what looked like an effort to keep him from running off. “You did wonderful before silly-billy, and you're freezing up now?”

“I-It's been an emotional big day okay!” Gus laughed weakly, running a hoof through his tuft of head fur. “I'm kinda exhausted...”

Gus flashed the nanny a meek smile, which only seemed to earn a sigh from his mate. Melanie kissed the billy's forehead before turning her attention back to the crowd of mammals.

“First things first.” Melanie announced. “Let's congratulate the bride and groom on their big day!”

Dawn watched as the rest of the family erupted in a mixture of claps and howls. Some of the brothers pumping their fists in the air, while others pounded their tables so hard the ewe could hear the silverware clatter from across the field.

"Alright, alright..." Melanie chuckled. "Down guys." The nanny raised a hoof, holding it flattened in the air before drawing it down slowly. As she did, most of the howls began to fade, and the clattering fell silent. After a few moments, only a few of the Hunters continued to howl, the ones driven by instinct over situational awareness. But they were quickly silenced by their mates, some more harshly than others. Out of the corner of her eye, Dawn saw Yuri slap Ulric in the back of the head to get him to stop, and had to stifle a giggle.

"Now, the toasts will come later of course, of course..." Melanie continued, rolling her hoof lazily. "I'm sure we're all looking forward to tearing into the buffet."

A few more hoots and hollers came from the crowd.

"And how 'bout a hoof for the chef huh?" Melanie added, flashing the group a smile. "Please try to keep howling to a minimum this time."

Applause erupted again as Dawn turned her attention in the direction of the buffet table, where Malcolm was still hard at work moving dishes around and keeping the entrees heated. The wolf had seemingly stopped for a moment to dry his brow with an arm, only to be caught off guard by the attention and blushing slightly in response. The russet wolf scratched back of his head awkwardly waving back at the other members of the family with a grin. From somewhere among the brothers Dawn heard Xavier cry out.

“That's my Gingersnap up there!” 

“Xavey! Huuush!” The russet wolf flicked a paw bashfully, presumably in the direction of his mate. 

As the crowd grew quiet again, allowing Malcolm some degree of apparent relief, Melanie continued.

“Anyway, lets cut through the fat so my darling mate can take a little breather before we cut a rug ourselves.” Melanie pulled her mate in tighter, flashing the nervous looking billy a mischievous smile. “And ask the bride and groom to step on out to the dance floor and share...” The nanny paused, seemingly for dramatic effect.

“Their very first dance as mister and misses Hunter-Bellwether!”

Once again the mammals surrounding Dawn and Vernon erupted in a mixture of howls and applause. Glancing up to her mate, Vernon offered her a warm, albeit meek smile. The ewe couldn't exactly place her hoof on it, but there was something slightly off about his expression. A hint of reluctance, or some sort of nervousness behind his eyes? Dawn couldn't be entirely sure, and the ewe didn't have much time to think it over before the wolf extended a paw out to her, kneeling to the ewe's level and effectively hiding his face for the moment in a bow.

“Misses Hunter-Bellwether.” The wolf cooed, rolling his fingers playfully and drawing a giggle from the petite ewe. Offering her 'safe' hoof to the wolf, Vernon gingerly helped her off the stool before rising to his feet and turning toward the floor. 

The mammals nearest to them shifted further to the side as Vernon began to lead the ewe out to the floor, the lights in the tented reception hall growing dim as they neared the center of the worn, beaten down soil in the center where the grass was the most sparse. 

Coming to a stop center stage, the lights went completely dark, save for a single spotlight that was now directed down onto the pair. The rest of the hall barely illuminated by the faint casting of the autumn moonlight, turning the assembled family members into little more than a faded mesh of dark forms as they looked onward in silence. For a moment, Dawn heard little more than the autumn wind as it rustled across the grass. The bristling of the gusts causing the edges of the canopy to flap ever so gently. But as she listened carefully, she could hear faint whine just barely audible above the air. A nervous whimper that seemed to be coming from her mate.

“Vernon?” Dawn cooed, tugging at her mates paw gingerly.

Slowly Vernon turned around, the wolf's head hung in what seemed to be shame as he knelt to the ewe's level.

“O-Oh Puppy....” Dawn murmured, placing a hoof to the wolf's cheek.”Your ears are all droopy...” The ewe said sweetly.

The wolf let out a long, exhausted sigh.

“Floofs...” Vernon murmured, rubbing the back of his head with a paw. “N-Now would probably be a terrible time to a-admit that I er...” 

Dawn stepped closer, placing a hoof under the wolf's chin and drawing his head up to meet his gaze. The strange glimmer she had noticed behind his eyes just moments had completely given way to an uneasy, nervous expression. The wolf bit his lip as his eyes darted from side to side uneasily.

“Admit what Puppy?”

The wolf let out a mournful whimper, his eyes drifting to the dirt beneath their feet.

"I-I never really..." The wolf murmured. "Learned how to dance."

Dawn blinked dumbly for a few moments before drawing back from her mate in slight confusion.

“Y-you-?” Dawn stuttered. “Never learned?” The ewe asked, trying her best to hide a rising bemused smirk from making it's way to her muzzle.

The wolf let out a soft, mournful whine.

“I ain't never went to prom.” The wolf shook his head. “I never even planned fer it...so there was no reason to learn...” Vernon sighed. “Me and Gus played Beasts and Battlefields that night instead.”

Dawn had to stifle a giggle, doing her best to hide her amusement from her mate.

“H-How am I supposed to make yer first dance special iffin' I-...”  
The wolf murmured. 

Placing a hoof to the wolf's cheek, Dawn tried to draw the wolf's gaze back onto her.

“But you were all like 'I gotta dance with my mate first'!?" Dawn said with a giggle. "You seemed so confident!"

The wolf offered a meek shrug.

"Heck I 'unno..." The wolf mumbled. "I guess I thought once I got out here I'd just take to it like a fish to water" Vernon rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Bu-But I don't wanna ruin our big night by havin' two left feet..." The wolf shook his head dismissively. "Maybe if we had time, I coulda learned to-."

Dawn placed a finger to the wolf's lips, stopping him mid-ramble.

"Shhh..." The ewe reassured, caressing her mate's cheek. "I'll teach you Puppy."

Vernon's eyes finally met her's the wolf's ears lolling at different angles as he eyed his mate quizzically.

“Teach me?” Vernon asked. “Like now?”

Dawn chuckled. “Slow dancing isn't that hard Puppy love...”

With that the ewe took a step back, gesturing for the wolf to rise to his feet. Reluctantly, Vernon slowly rose to a standing position, albeit a cowed one. The wolf still clearly embarrassed at his lack of dancing prowess. Still, Dawn pressed him forward, reaching her arms upward toward him.

“Just take my hooves.” Dawn assured, flicking her fingers as she awaited her mate's grasp. “Keep your eyes on me, and follow my feet.”

Gingerly taking her hooves in his, both mammals taking extra care not to harm the tender tattooed palms on their alternating palms, Vernon offered the ewe a nervous smile.

"Well..." The wolf replied, rolling his eyes sarcastically. "Weren't like I was gonna be lookin' anywhere else."

Over the quiet ambiance of the autumn evening, the first few soft strums of an acoustic guitar rang out over the speakers, soon joined by the sultry tone of the ewe's favorite llama songstress Suri Nicks. “Crystal”. It was one of Dawn's absolute favorites, a song that would make her heart flutter every-time she heard it. Much in the same way looking into those deep green eyes of her mate was making her heart flutter right now. If there had ever been a more perfect song for this moment, the ewe was at a loss to think of one.

'Do you always trust your first initial feeling...' 

“Left together...” The ewe guided, swaying softly with her mate. “Right together...”

'Special knowledge holds truth bears believing' 

Vernon's first few steps were shaky, almost clumsy. But to Dawn, it seemed more like nerves than anything else.

“L-left together...” The wolf muttered quietly.

'I turned around'... 

“Left together...” Dawn hummed, smiling up at her mate reassuringly. “Right together. 

'And the water was closing all around...'

“Left together...” Vernon muttered, a rising confidence in his tone as the wolf matched his movements with hers. “Right together.”

“That's right Puppy...” Dawn cooed.

'Like a glove ...'

“J-just like that?” The wolf asked, offering the ewe a small smile. 

Dawn nodded softly. “Just like that.” The ewe giggled softly. “See Puppy Love, you're a natural.”

'Like the love that had finally, finally found me...' 

The wolf's confidence rose quickly, his strides growing smoother and more elegant with each pass as the ewe's directions grew quieter and quieter. And with the fading instruction, the ewe was able to lose herself more and more in the actual moment. In the scene, the feeling. Looking into her mates adoring eyes, she could feel he heart swelling within her chest.

'Then I knew...' 

The butterflies were back as Vernon's trepidation slipped away, exchanged for a warm and adoring smile that sent shivers down her spine. 

'In the crystalline knowledge of you... '

“A-and you were nervous...” Dawn cooed weakly.

“Mhh-hmm...” The wolf replied, his tone low and gravely. His eyelids drifting to half-mast as he stared into her own. She was putty in his paws.

'Drove me through the mountains...'

Dawn felt weightless, as if she were merely drifting across the autumn winds itself as the pair swiveled under the spotlight. Dancing up and down the stray leaves as they blustered across the floor. In her haze, it took the ewe a few moments to realize that her feeling of flight had been grounded in reality. At some point she had risen to Vernon's eye-line, and a quick glance downward had shown her that the wolf had lifted her into his arms. One paw still clasped to her hoof while the other arm held her up near his chest, inviting her to lean upon it.

'Through the crystal-like clear water fountain...' 

“Are you sure you don't know how to dance?” The ewe asked dubiously.

The wolf chuckled, planting a ginger kiss on the tip of her snout. 

“I think I got it down Floofs...” Vernon said with a smirk. “Y'all said it yerself...I'm a natural.”

The ewe let out a soft giggle.

'Drove me like a magnet...' 

“Just enjoy the ride Honey Lamb...” Vernon cooed softly. “I know I will.”

'To the sea...'

Leaning her head against his breast, the ewe let out an amorous sigh as the world danced around her. The low shimmering lights swirling like stars in the darkness. Beyond them, she could just barely make out the faces of their friends and family. Of her mother, of Audrey, of Dorian. Their warm smiles and shimmering tears reflected in the pale lighting of the moonlight.

'To the sea...'

“I love you Dawn...” Vernon cooed sweetly, lifting the ewe slightly in order to nuzzle her.

Behind her lenses, hot tears now steadily flowed as she stared back into her mates eyes. Lifting her glasses, the ewe weakly pawed at one of her eyes.

“I love you Vernon...”

Their lips met, and the butterflies were set loose throughout her whole body. Her skin tingling with electricity as she leaned into her mate's kiss. After everything she had been through, they had been through. Somehow, someway, fate had sought put to draw them here. To place them in this perfect moment. A moment in which Dawn could only wish to live in for all eternity.

With great reluctance, the ewe broke the connection to her mate, leaning her forehead gingerly against his own and closing her eyes in an effort to fully savor the moment. To etch this vision, the experience in her memories so that she would never, ever forget this night, under the glow of the harvest moon...

'To the sea...'


	52. Something Old, Something New

A Lamb Among Wolves

Chapter Fifty-Two: Something Old, Something New

It was only after Dawn had twisted the key into the lock of mailbox number four-o'-five, and drew back the door did she realize just what a big mistake she had made. The edge of a stray letter sticking out between the seam of the box should have been a red flag; a warning telegraphing to the ewe to open the box with some degree of care. But the lull in overall mail over the course of the previous week had fooled the ewe into thinking the steady stream of fan letters had finally started to diminish, and in response, the ewe had grown significantly less wary and cautious when opening the box. Her guard had begun to slip, perhaps based on a maligned hope that the frenzy surrounding her and her mate was finally starting to die down now that the 'Last Night' case was beginning to fade from the imminent public consciousness.

Dawn's time spent under parole had afforded the ewe a great deal of privacy thanks to the various security provisions included in Zootopia's criminal rehabilitation and reintegration program. Her address, both when she lived alone, as well as when she first moved in with Vernon, had been largely limited knowledge. The information was only divulged to those to whom knowledge of Dawn's whereabouts was deemed crucial, both for the sake of her own safety and security, as well as the safety of the public at large should she succumb to her previous criminal inclinations. The short list had included her parole officer Don Polaraski, the members of the parole board, key members of the Savannah Central ZPD, and finally, the Savannah Central post office. That was, of course, where the legal use of a 'cover name' was afforded to the ewe. This was the name the post office would be instructed to use for anything associated with Dawn's current address in order to help shield the ewe from harassment through the mail. Any mail received for 'Dawn Bellwether' would be written off as being delivered to a non-existent P.O. Box by the head of the office, but in actuality the mail would be rerouted and delivered in bulk to an 'Abigail Weathers' at the ewe's actual address. The end goal was to leave no mention of Dawn on the postal registry that could lead back to her actual residence should any mammal with a grudge try to dig it up.

Of course, getting that mail rerouted and delivered in the first place was easier said than done. Despite having the legal edict from the mayor's office, which was signed on by every member of the parole board as well as her parole officer, the mammals at the post office had absolutely refused to even handle her mail. Several mammals on the staff had even gone as far as threatening to burn any mail that they received under her name should it turn up at their branch. In the end, it took the a combination of Vernon's silent, but imposing presence, and Don's legal threats over Dawn's Carrot phone to force the few 'problematic' workers into complying with the law, albeit begrudgingly. Don had threatened the mammals that would be directly involved with handling her mail that they were not to so much as 'look at any of Dawn's mail the wrong way', or he would be more than happy to bring the full weight of the law down on ever single mammal working there. All the while Vernon stood in the background, maintaining the most menacing fanged smile he could muster. Looking back, the ewe knew it was rather petty to take such joy in the way the post master general seemed to tremble with each threat from Don or Vernon, but she was more than okay with that.

Of course, now with her parole being lifted in the wake of her 'heroic actions', the previous privacy curtain that was afforded by the cities rehabilitation program had not only been drawn back leaving her naked and exposed, but a blaring spotlight had been cast upon her, drawing the attention of the entirety of Zootopia and beyond. More eyes were on her now than during her career as Assistant Mayor, and perhaps even more than when she was an infamous criminal mastermind. In theory it should have been what she had always wanted: to be appreciated despite being so small and weak. No longer a mere shadow in the corner on the best of days or a punching bag for bigger mammals on the worst. Public opinion of the ewe had taken a near complete one-hundred-and-eighty degree turn overnight. In many mammals eyes, the ewe had managed to earn some form of renewed respect after what she had done for the city. So she could only imagine most would assume she should be happy to receive all the praise and attention she could possibly get, but in truth, the sudden surge of positive attention felt overwhelming at times, especially when it came to the getting her mail.

Dawn had only been out of the hospital for about three days when the first of the letters had shown up. She could never be sure exactly how much time had passed between her parole being 'officially' lifted, and how quickly her address began to disseminate into the public sphere, but checking Zoogle maps that day had revealed that her current address registered among the general listings. She could only assume someone at the post office had done it, perhaps as revenge for all the big talk and bluster from Vernon and Don, or perhaps because they, too, had a change of heart and generally thought they were doing a service. Regardless, the information was out there. And as the days turned into weeks, and the information continued to spread despite their attempts to have it removed, the swath of mail arriving each day continued to swell well beyond the capacity that her and Vernon's little post box could feasibly hold. Fan mail from mammals of every size, filled with pledges of forgiveness and admiration, admissions of new found respect, and even some rather inquisitive and sometimes personal questions. A surprising number of mammals had actually asked her and Vernon for advice; the semi-public knowledge of their relationship spurring mammals in similar couplings to reach out to them for help. And despite the almost dizzying, almost unbearable publicity currently swirling around the pair in the wake of 'Zootopia's Last Night', it was those letters, coupled with Vernon's support and encouragement, that managed to keep the ewe's head above water. It kept her focused on completing her novel, and made her all the more determined to publish it.

With the constant stream of letters, it soon became a weekly event for Vernon and her to take an hour to sit down and read as much of the mail as they could, as well as brainstorming a way to even begin to reply to it all. Of course there were still more than a few letters spattered with hate, either regarding Dawn's past actions, or her current public perception as an open 'crosser'. However, so long as they didn't arrive attached to mysterious ticking package, Dawn was more than happy to take her mate's advice and simply shred the letters without reading beyond the first sentence.

The door of the post box was only a quarter of the way open by the time her grievous error in judgment became visibly apparent; her eyes widening sharply as they fell upon the bulging mass of letters swelling from the interior of the mailbox. Her internal warning flags shot up in an instant and her reflexes were screaming as they surged into a panicked attempt to slam the door closed again before the letters began their escape, but by that point it was far too late. The compressed mass of letters that had barely been held back by the flimsy little bronze door began to spray out of the mailbox as though it had been spring-loaded. 

“Mutton chops!” The ewe cursed loudly, frantically trying to catch as many of the letters as she could as they continued to pour from the box, but in the end only a small hoof-full had ended up in her arms, and by the time the pressure began to die down, the bulk of the letters spattering across the floor as though they were a spilled deck of cards.

“Shells preserve us! Seems like you got your hooves full over there Miss Bellwether.” A familiar voice called drawing the ewe's attention to the short, tired looking otter standing a few feet behind her.

Martin Otterley, the couple's landlord, offered the ewe a kind smile as he leaned on the handle of the baby carriage in front of him, running a free paw through his his frayed coif of head fur. Nestled in the crook of his arm the ewe could make out the edge of a swaddled cloth. 

“Surprised that hadn't managed to blow the door off the box with that much mail.” Mr. Otterley laughed.

Dawn rolled her eyes, letting out a dry laugh of her own. “I'm more surprised the post-mammal could even get it closed in the first place.” The ewe sighed in defeat. “I suppose it's my fault for not checking it yesterday.”

“I'd say you could use a helpin' paw lass.” The otter continued, gingerly bouncing the pup resting on his arm.

Dawn let out a chuckle as she crouched to the floor, clasping several of the scattered letters up into the clump already in her arms.

“I'd say the same to you Mister Otterley.” Dawn replied, gesturing her head in the direction of the otter's pups before rising to her feet. There was still more mail on the floor, as well as crammed into the small post box, but if she didn't take a few moments to straighten out the clump of mail she was holding into something a bit easier to grip, most of it would end up back on the floor. 

“And it's Misses Hunter-Bellwether now...” Dawn added proudly, tilting the door of the mailbox nearly shut in order to show off the new label Vernon had stuck on the face of the door. Where once it had simply said 'Hunter & Bellwether', it now read 'The Hunter-Bellwethers.' 

To most mammals, it may have read as a minor change if they noticed a difference at all. A simple change from ampersand to hyphen would have probably meant very little to most, but to Dawn it meant the world. 

With a laugh, the older otter made his way over to Dawn, crouching down as he began to scoop some of the stray letters into his free arm.

“Right, right....O' course deary.” Mister Otterley replied. “I keep forgettin' seein' as how it happened so fast and all.” The mammal shook his head dismissively.

Dawn sighed warmly. “It was a surprise for us, too, considering Vernon's parents sort of sprung it on us.”

Mr. Otterley ceased bouncing the little pup cradled in his arm, the move a clear effort to allow him to gather more of the letters with ease.

“From what Vernon told me the Hunter's pulled out all the stops for ya.” The otter replied, straightening the clump of mail in his arm as best he could. “Not that'd I'd be expectin' any less from 'em based on the stories I've heard.”

Grabbing the last of the stray letters from the ground, Dawn rose to her feet, flashing the older otter a small smile.

“They certainly did, but-.” Dawn stopped, shaking her head dismissively. “But that's far too long a story to tell out here.”

With a laugh, Martin stood, shifting the letters clasped to his chest neatly into his paw as the pup in his other arm began to stir. 

“I suppose me and the misses will have to have ye up fer tea sometime this week.” Martin replied, handing off the stack of letters to the ewe. “And we do still owe ye a wedding present after all.”

Dawn shook her head with a decisive 'no', letting out a soft chuckle. “Talk about owing, I still owe your mate a baby shower gift .”

Mr. Otterley rolled his eyes, the pup in his arm starting to whimper as the otter turned his attention back to gently bouncing it.

“Easy Shaun me boy, easy...” The mammal chuckled before glancing back at Dawn knowingly. “These pups are spoilt enough as it is, trust me! I can't put little Shaun here down for a second without him makin' a fuss!” Martin sighed, running a paw though his head fur. “He's more fussy than both his sisters combined!”

Dawn struggled to hold a hoof to her muzzle around the mound of mail in her arms in an effort to stifle a giggle. It was the best she could muster, but it did little to hide her smirk from the older otter.

Martin lowered his gaze at the ewe. “You laugh, me arms practically ready to fall off over here!” The otter said with a tired sigh. 

Bringing his attention back to the small pup, the otter gently brought his other arm to rest underneath it, shifting from the more erratic bouncing motion to a gentle rocking as he regarded his pup with a warm smile.

“It's worth it though.” The otter chuckled. “No doubt about it.”

Dawn couldn't help but let out a soft 'aww' as she watched Martin attend to his fussy pup. Despite the tiredness in his eyes, she could see the gleam of love and adoration at the little barely furred bundle in his arms. Despite being unable to open his eyes, little Shaun seemed aware enough of his surroundings to effectively grasp his father's finger as Martin brought it close to the pup; the little mammal quickly drawing it into his mouth before he began to chew on it rather fruitlessly. Still, it seemed to be enough to appease the pup, as he let out a rather happy sounding 'coo' as he gummed it.

The sight alone was enough to stir in Dawn a fleeting vision of Vernon tending to an adopted pup or lamb of their very own. While Dawn found herself uncertain with the prospect of making a very good mother, in her mind Vernon was made to be a dad. It was easy to imagine him cuddling and nuzzling their pups regardless of how old they grew. To picture a little lamb swinging from his neck, or a little pup trying and failing to keep him from smothering it with kisses. And it was just as easy to imagine Vernon making their kids feel safe and protected, and knowing just when a situation called for him to be stern. Between Audrey and Dorian, Vernon had been given a head start in terms of the qualities one would think were perfect to raise a child. But where did a mammal from a miserably broken home like Dawn stand?

The ewe was quick to brush the thoughts aside as she turned her attention back to the letters still crammed into the mailbox. There was plenty of time to talk about pups and lambs, and the type of mother she might turn out to be. For the time being, the ewe was more than content to simply enjoy the fact that her and Vernon were together. Emotionally and legally.

Appraising the crumpled letters that lingered in the dim bronze chamber, the ewe let out a tired sigh before reaching a wary hoof inside.

“I think it's time I talked to Vernon about investing in a new P.O. Box, and possibly paying someone to screen our mail.” Dawn shook her head. “If my book gets picked up, I can only assume we're going to get that much more mail, and the last thing we need is to end up getting a shrapnel bomb in the mail like what happened with Gazelle a few years ago.”

“Oh aye, I remember that.” The otter muttered. “ The Gazelle Stalker. Grisly business that was.”

“I'm just surprised her dancer lived through the explosion.” Dawn muttered scraping the remaining letters into the pile clasped to her chest. “If he hadn't received it by mistake, and Gazelle had been the one to open it...” The ewe trailed off, shuddering at the grisly thought. She may not have been a 'Gazelle Head' like Judy, but the ewe was loath to wish death on any mammal aside from maybe Leodore Lionheart.

As the ewe pulled the last letter out of the box, a glimmer of gold caught her eye. There was a large seal emblazoned on the back of the envelope, one the ewe was rather familiar with, but hadn't expected to see so soon after sending out the final draft of her novel.

Dawn had nearly dropped the entire clump of letters she was holding on the ground as she fumbled to bring the business envelope up to her muzzle, inspecting it with a keen eye.

“Serval and Hoofster!” Dawn spat excitedly, the hoof holding the letter starting to tremble as nervous excitement began to take hold of her tiny frame. 

“The publisher?” Martin asked, quirking a brow.

Dawn turned her attention to the otter, waiving the letter in her hoof as she spoke.

“I-It is!” Dawn chirped, biting her lip. “I sent them a c-copy of my book!”

Dawn was desperate to bite a hoof nail to ease her nerves, but even more desperate to open the letter now and find out just what they thought. While Serval and Hoofster hadn't been her first choice in publisher, it was still a largely recognizable and distinguished firm, and out of the four she had spoke to over the phone, they had been the only ones interested in taking a look at her draft.

“I have to go Mister Otterley! Have a good day! Bye!” Dawn said, flashing the mammal a nervous smile before turning on her heels and making a mad dash for the elevator. The faster the ewe had her hooves free, the faster she could find out just what decision the mammals at Serval and Hoofster had made.

“Dawn! Your key! Ya left yer mailbo-!”

The elevator doors had closed before the ewe even had time to register Martin's words, Dawn now bouncing on her heels impatiently as she watched the the numbers slowly shift from one to the next. Never had the ride up to the fourth floor felt so painfully long, and all the while the ewe's mind was in a haze, plagued with endless questions as to just what the letter actually contained. Did they like it? Did they hate it? Would they publish it or tell her to move on to another company? The ewe could feel each chamber in her stomachs twisting into individual knots as the elevator finally opened once more.

Without a moments' hesitation the ewe was barreling down the hall, all the while scrambling to keep the clump of letters pressed tightly to her chest while her eyes remained fixated on that golden seal: the ticket to her big break.

Stumbling to the front door, the ewe finally came to a an abrupt halt, and with a giddy hum allowed the rest of the mail to unceremoniously fall out of her arms and spill onto the floor of the apartment. With Serval and Hoofster's letter now clasped with both hooves, the ewe pushed the door behind her closed with her rump.

“Woah Floofs.” Dawn looked up to find her mate eyeing her from the couch in the living room. The wolf's ears were standing at attention, his expression a mixture amusement and concern. “Where's the fire?”

She was running again, further scattering the crumpled pile of mail as she tore through it and straight into the living room, coming to a stop at her mates side. Dawn could barely compose herself as she jutted the letter toward the wolf so quickly it caused him to reflexively flinch. 

“P-Puppy! Puppy!” Dawn stammered. “I-It's I mean-It-!” 

“E-easy now Mutton Chop.” Vernon replied, placing his paws out defensively. “Take a minute to breath. Get yer thoughts all lined up before ya tell me.” The wolf chuckled.

Dawn tried to stand still, taking a long, deep draw of breath as she began the counting exercise she had learned from Dr. Gnu, but she only managed to make it to three before the building excitement and fear inside forced her to blurt out an awkward explanation.

“My book! Remember my book?!” Dawn spat excitedly, only for the smirk on her face to melt away as she realized just how silly what she had said must have sounded. 

“Yes Honey Lamb.” The wolf chuckled. “I remember yer book.” Vernon pushed himself off the couch, allowing his legs to hang to the floor as he placed his paws on his knees. “If I recall y'all had me help write some of it.” Vernon added with a smirk.

Dawn sighed, pressing the letter to her forehead in slight irritation at her own stupidity.

“Right...” Dawn muttered in a defeated tone. She hadn't even made it one sentence without making a fool of herself. “Of course you know about the book.”

Vernon chuckled. 

“What about it?” The wolf asked, leaning closer to inspect the letter still tightly clasped in the ewe's hoof. “Is this the fellas that were willing to take a look at it?”

Dawn nodded briskly, gulping sharply as she attempted to catch her breath.

A moment of silence passed between the two mammals. With nothing save for the ewe's withering pants and the faint sound of rain-forest fauna acting as the rooms ambient noise the two simply stared at one another. 

“Are y'all gonna open it?” Vernon asked, breaking the awkward silence.

Dawn glanced at the letter in her hooves, the swirling torrent of thoughts assailing her mind and dragging her emotions in every direction now suddenly fixing on the actual source of all the excitement. Dawn had gotten herself so worked up over the letter even being here that she had nearly forgot about actually opening it. 

But now that there was little more than a thin paper cover separating her from a possible fresh start career-wise, the nervous tension began to outweigh the excitement. The thoughts that had muddled her brain had quickly shifted entirely into the negative. And with it, the prospect of open the letter became less and less appealing.

“Oh, now what's wrong Honey Lamb?” Vernon's comment drew the ewe's attention back to him, his deep green eyes laced with concern as he placed a paw on her forearm. “Yer ears are all saggy, and yer frowning now.”

Dawn reached up with a free hoof, running it over her muzzle and into the creases on either side of her frown. The muscles in her face felt so numb she had barely even felt her smile slip away.

“Y'all are lookin' paler than Trenny when he's sick.” The wolf chuckled. “Where'd all that excitement run off to?”

Dawn glanced at her feet uneasily, rubbing one leg against the other as she squirmed in her stance.

“W-what if they didn't like it?” Dawn murmured. “W-what if they don't want to publish-?”

Dawn felt the wolf's paw nestle under her chin, slowly drawing her gaze up to meet his own.

“Then we'll find someone who will Lamb Fry.” Vernon replied, flashing the ewe a comforting smile. “There are plenty more publishers out there.”

“B-but..” Dawn's lip began to quiver. Part of her felt silly for getting this worked up about the possibility of being rejected. Her mate was right after all, there were more publishers. But the fact that this firm had been willing to read her book before deciding whether or not to make an offer on it made her all the more uneasy. To Dawn, what they had to say would actually reflect what they read, and if they had chosen to pass on it then the ewe could only assume it was her writing style that was at fault.

“And...” The wolf gently steered her chin back up, keeping the ewe from averting his gaze as he held up a claw. “All it takes is one publisher to make it a hit, and then all the big publishers will be banging yer door down to get their claws on it.”

Dawn's irises fell back to the shining gold emblem sealing the letter, studying the logo as it glimmered in the mid-day sun light. The ewe bit her lip nervously.

“Honey Lamb...” Vernon cooed softly, placing a paw on her shoulder and squeezing it gently. “The longer y'all drag it out, the more agony yer puttin' yerself through fer no reason.”

It was an expression Dawn had a feeling the wolf had picked up from his mother. Something about it made her picture it being said in the she-wolf's warm and familiar tone. But regardless of where it had come from, it didn't make it any less right. If she opened the letter to find the decided to pass on her novel, then she could mourn afterward, but if not, then it was rather pointless to preemptively mourn what could turn out to be a victory. 

Dawn took in a slow drag of air, holding it for a few moments as she attempted to take a more serious stab at her breathing exercises. All the while the ewe kept her gaze fixed on her mate, his warm and comforting smile helping to stoke the rising courage within the ewe to simply tear the letter open and see what it said.

Dawn averted her gaze as she dug her hoof under the seal, the sound of shredding and tearing paper causing her to wince as she carefully dragged her hoof-nail across the length of the envelope. Flipping open the torn top of the letter, the ewe grasped it's contents between her fingers.

With another deep breath, the ewe slammed her eyes shut, holding her breath as she yanked the letter out of the envelope with far more force than was required. Holding the letter at arms length, the ewe's hoof began to tremble as she mustered the courage to open an eye.

“You can do it Darlin'.” She could hear her mate coo softly. 

Biting down hard on her lower lip, the ewe managed to force an eye open. Her lime colored orb scanning the header of the letter as it wavered in her trembling grasp.

“From the Desks of Cadence Serval and Arnold Hoofster

Dear Misses Hunter-Bellwether,   
After having your manuscript reviewed by several of those on our staff, as   
as well as Mrs. Serval and Mr. Hoofster personally, we are delighted to   
inform you and your mate that your book proposal, tentatively titled 'Predator seeking Prey' has been accepted for publication by...”

The air left Dawn's lungs, and with it all the tension and nervousness that had been wracking the ewe up until that very moment, the moment her shimmering green irises scanned over the word 'accepted'.

“A-Accepted...” Dawn voice wavered as the grin returned to her muzzle. 

Lowering the letter, she could see Vernon's own gleeful expression seemed to match, if not surpass, her own. The wolf's ears playfully skewed as he regarded her with awe.

“No!” Vernon said in clear mock surprise.

Dawn nodded briskly as tears began to spill from behind her lenses.

“They accepted it!” Dawn yelled excitedly. “T-They're going to publish it!”

The room was spinning; Dawn found herself suddenly aloft as her mate leapt from the couch and scooped her into his arms. For a moment they simply spun, the pair lost in a whirlwind of excitement as the wolf pulled her into a tight embrace. In response, Dawn threw her arms around the wolf's neck, squeezing her mate with as tight a hug as she could muster and burying her muzzle into the wolf's thick, luxurious pelt, before letting out a squeal of pure joy.

Over her own muffled squeals, the ewe could hear Vernon's own bellowing, celebratory howl ring out through the sleepy little apartment, and while the wolf had limited himself to two howls total, it didn't take long for the sound of muffled howling to begin filtering in from some of the other apartments. 

Drawing back from her mate's embrace, the ewe placed her hooves on his shoulders as she smiled down at him with glee.

“We did it Puppy!” Dawn yelped. “We did it!!!”

Vernon flashed his fangs. “ I knew you could do it Honey Lamb.”

Turning his attention to the living room wall, the source of some of the loudest howls, Vernon placed a paw to the side of his muzzle.

“Y'all boys hear that!” Vernon announced loudly. “My mate's about to be a published author!”

“That's great Vern!” Came a somewhat muffled reply. “And thanks for getting Gary started by the way!”

Vernon winced, turning to his mate as he flashed the ewe a meek smirk. “Oops.”

Dawn giggled softly before placing her arms around the wolf once more, flashing the wolf an amorous, half lidded gaze as she caressed the side of his muzzle with a hoof.

The wolf barely had time to react before Dawn had drawn him into a kiss so powerful that by the time the wolf had finally managed to draw free of her grasp, he was gasping for air.

“Sweet Sawgrass...” The wolf panted, running a paw though his head fur as he nuzzled Dawn's nose. “What 'ewe' do to me, I swear.” 

The wolf had made sure to emphasize the word 'ewe' before flashing the Dawn a cheesy grin.

“Oh hush.” Dawn giggled, giving the wolf a playful swat with her hoof which only served to make the wolf laugh.

Adjusting his grip around the ewe, the wolf gestured over his shoulder.

“So what do we got to do?” Vernon asked, quirking a brow. “What's the next step?”

Following the wolf's gesture, the ewe's gaze returned to the letter still tightly gripped in her hoof. With a laugh, the ewe brought the letter back up to her eye line, carefully unfolding the rest of the page to read the whole letter.

“Let's see...hardcover, softcover, e-book...” The ewe murmured as she scanned the next few sentences.

“Ideally we would be looking at a November fifteenth release...” Dawn paused, lowering the letter and furrowing a brow at the wolf holding her aloft. “November fifteenth...?” The ewe murmured.

“Vernon...” Dawn shook her head. “T-That's barely a month away!” 

Vernon lurched his head back slightly, raising his eyebrows. “A month?!” The wolf replied. “Do they usually publish books that fast?”

Returning her attention to the letter, the ewe continued to skim.

“It says it's unorthodox, but they also say they believe it has the potential to be a best-seller if it came out in time for Yule.” Dawn's eyes were wide as saucers as her mind began to wander. 

“Best seller?” Dawn murmured to herself. She hadn't even considered such a prospect. Pred-prey romance was a niche genre of literature after all, and Dawn had purposefully remained light on the details of her time working under Lionheart and the first Night Howler case mostly in part to keep the lion from writing a rebuttal in the form of his own biography. Dawn had anticipated a modest career at most with a core group of readers who related to what she wrote, and could maybe glean some sense of solidarity from her works. But just the possibility of the book becoming a best seller, against all odds was practically unfathomable.

“Can ya do it?” Vernon's question drew the ewe from her stupor.

“W-what?” Dawn replied.

“Can we get it out that quick?” Vernon added, his ears skewing inquisitively.

Dawn glanced back at the letter and continued to skim.

“It says they've already passed it through their editing department, and there was very little clean-up to be done....” The ewe murmured, her eyes scanning the most pertinent keywords to find what she was looking for as quickly as possible.

The ewe gasped, drawing the letter down sharply at she stared at her mate in shock.

“T-they want us to come in tomorrow to negotiate and sign the contract.” Dawn muttered, placing a hoof to her brow to steady herself. “Lamb sakes...”

“Movin' faster than a cheetah on prom night.” Vernon replied.

“I-I mean if they edited it...” Dawn murmured. “I-It's mostly ready to go.”

Vernon smiled broadly, giving his mate a tender, albeit it shorter, kiss before gingerly lowering her to the ground.

“Teeth to Tails...” Vernon laughed. “Fast to tithe, fast to publish...” The wolf shook his head. “Maybe Gus ain't wrong about pups considerin' how quickly we're flyin' past these goal posts.”

Dawn took a step away from the wolf, too lost in her own thoughts to really register the wolf's comment as she began to pace. The ewe scratched her head wool as she tried to run through the mental check-list of preparations that needed to be done in order to meet the date.

“I still need to pick a book cover design...” Dawn murmured. “Pick fonts maybe?” Dawn began to pace. “Oh, I'll h-have to write a bio for both of us...”

The ewe turned on her heels to face the wolf, placing a hoof to her forehead.

“We need good pictures for the book jacket!”

Vernon laughed. “We'll get 'em, we'll get 'em. Relax...” The wolf assured, turning his attention Dawn's work station. Dawn watched as the wolf squinted slightly, scratching his chin as he seemingly appraised the area.

“You aren't going to tell me my workspace is messy again are you?” Dawn asked with a dull chuckle.

“Nah, I already heard that 'organized chaos' cover story a million times.” The wolf replied with a chuckle of his own before turning his attention back to the desk. Dawn watched as the wolf placed his arms out toward the computer, framing his paws in the air as though he was shooting a movie and trying to set the scene.

“I think the first thing we should worry about is where we're gonna fit that letter on yer ol' wall o' achievements.”

Dawn blushed, shrinking into her shoulders bashfully.

“Veeernon...” The ewe cooed.

“I'm thinkin' right under the 'key to the city'...” The wolf continued, angling his paws carefully. “Right up next to our partnership license.”

“T-that's our wall of achievements Puppy.” The ewe corrected. “Our key...our license.”

The wolf chuckled. “Well, either way, it needs a nice, proud placement.” Glancing back Dawn's way, the wolf flashed her a smirk. “My Honey Lamb is forging a new career path fer herself, and that ain't no small feat. I want everyone who walks in to be able to see that.”

“Vernon...” The ewe cooed, strolling over to her mate and wrapping her arms around his leg. As Dawn nuzzled into his hip; she felt the wolf's paw come to rest atop her woolly tuft of hair, tussling it gently.

Glancing up to her mate, the ewe flashed him a warm smile.

“Thank you...” Dawn murmured. “I couldn't have done this without you...”

Vernon placed a paw against her cheek, which the ewe proceeded to lean into, holding it with her hooves as she nuzzled into it affectionately.

“Nah...” Vernon replied. “You could have done it.” The wolf sighed. “I'm just glad I got to be the one by yer side to see you do it.”

Dawn scoffed, ready to rebuff her mates claim, but Vernon was quick to cut her off before the words had a chance to leave her muzzle.

“Before y'all get on me about bein' too selfless here, I'm admittin' ahead of time that I'm really looking forward to callin' all the folks and showing off what ya did.” The wolf grinned. “I'm callin' every Hunter relative in my damn contacts list and tellin' them I'm tithed to a future famous author!”

Dawn let out a giggling snort, playfully pushing the wolf away as best she could before flashing him a look of mock surprise that barely hid her amusement.

“Ohh...Bad Puppy...” The ewe shook her head as she sarcastically scolded her mate.

The wolf chuckled, a mischievous gleam forming in his eye as he grinned down at the ewe.

“Ooh...Darlin', keep that kinda talk up and we'll have to move this party to the bedroom sooner rather than later.” The wolf replied, bobbing his eyebrows impishly.

Dawn feigned a shocked gasp, but could barely hide her grin as she sidled up closer to her mate.

“You are awful!” The ewe laughed, playfully swatting the wolf with a hoof.

Vernon feigned a wince, shrinking slightly as he held his paws up in mock defense.

“Ah! Domestic abuse!” The wolf laughed, only to earn a another swat from his mate. The wolf's comment caused the ewe to puff her cheeks in irritation, letting out a huff as she gave the wolf another, firmer swat.

“That's not funny Puppy.” The ewe whined.

Crouching to his mate's level, the wolf's struggled to shake off the last of his laughter, wiping a tear from his eye as he spoke.

“Alright, alright...” The wolf snickered. “Too far...”

Dawn crossed her arms, letting out an irritated huff while at the same time fighting to stifle a smirk.

“I tell ya what...” The wolf continued. “As punishment I'll get to scoopin' up the mail y'all left in front of the door, and you can get started on the calls.”

Dawn was just shy of cracking out a laugh as she gave the wolf an affirmative nod of approval.

Before rising to his feet, the wolf booped the ewe on the tip of her snout, immediately breaking her facade and forcing a spat of giggling out of her as he made way across the room.

Taking her phone out of her pocket, the ewe began unlocking her home screen.

“Oh, I should call Judy first!” The ewe announced excitedly. “Her excited squeals would probably put my performance to shame.”

“Wouldn't bet on it.” She heard to wolf mutter with a gleeful chuckle. “How are they doin' anyway? They back in Zootopia yet?”

Dawn glanced over her shoulder toward her mate as she opened the contacts list.

“The text yesterday said they should be back sometime today.” Dawn replied. “Of course Nick's still going to be in a cast until late November.”

“Fallin' off a Ferris Wheel is bound to do that to ya.” The wolf shook his head as he scooped some of the mail into his paws, clumping it into a fairly neat stack. “Not that I'd expect any less from some dumb fox.” The wolf grumbled.

Pulling up the entry for 'Judy Hopps', the ewe hit the dial button.

“Oh Vernon, be nice.” The eye replied, furrowing her brow at her mate. The wolf let out a soft grumble before shifting his attention back to the pile on the floor and changing the subject.

“He's gonna be off duty that long?” Vernon added, placing the stack of letters on the breakfast bar before crouching back to the floor.

The ewe shrugged. “I think Judy's going back tomorrow. I'll have to ask her about Nick.”

“Imagine his boss won't like him bein' out fer that long...” Vernon muttered. “I ain't no psychic, but I think I see take home desk work in ol' Red's future.” The wolf said with a chuckle.

“Bogo's not that cruel...” Dawn replied, waiving a dismissive hoof. “Well...not always.” The ewe corrected herself, wincing slightly.

“Oh, we definitely need to send them a get well present!” Dawn added as the idea came to her, turning her attention back to her mate for a brief moment. “At the very least we should stop by when they get settled.”

The wolf grumbled something that was barely audible, the only words that managed to stand out were something along the lines of 'Red' and 'dumb jokes', followed by a derisive snort.

Dawn giggled. “Oh hush Puppy.”

The phone rang once, then again as Dawn waited. The ewe barely able to contain the building excitement as she awaited Judy's answer. But as the phone continued to ring, Dawn's enthusiasm began to wane, eventually leading the ewe to let out a disappointed sigh as she hit the doe's voice mail on the sixth ring. Placing her phone into sleep mode, the ewe turned to face her mate.

“Machine?” The wolf asked as he slapped the second stack of letters onto the breakfast bar.

The ewe let out a quiet huff.

“I don't want to leave a message...” The ewe muttered, twisting her foot into the carpet in disappointment. “I want to get her live reaction, you know?”

The wolf chuckled softly as he sidled around the breakfast bar, plopping down on a stool as he began to sift through the mail he had neatly stacked up.

“I know...” The wolf replied. With a ginger swat, the wolf tapped his paw against the nearest stool, gesturing his mate to join him. Dawn let out a small sigh before moseying up to the adjourning stool. As she began to clamber up the side of the stool frame, Vernon halted his sorting and offered a paw to help keep her steady as she made her way up to the seat. It took a few seconds to finally reach the 'summit', but soon enough Dawn had firmly planted herself by her mates side, the ewe leaning into him as she watched the wolf separate the bills from the fan mail.

“Wanna call my Ma?” Vernon asked. “I'm sure she and Pa would be over the moon to hear about the book.” The wolf continued.

Dawn nuzzled softly into the wolf's sweater. 

“I'm not sure if I should call them first or last...” The ewe muttered. “If we call any of your brothers first, they'll likely tell Audrey before I get to calling her.” Dawn shrugged. “But it might have more 'oomph' if we saved the best for last.” The ewe sighed.

“Not to mention Pa's probably at work about now...” Vernon added. “It's what, two in the afternoon?”

“Two-fourteen.” The ewe corrected.

The wolf nodded, placing an arm around his mate and rubbing her upper arm affectionately.

“Even if it's a Friday, police work ain't exactly the kinda work ya'll can just cut out early on without advanced warnin'.” The wolf sighed. “Not everyone has the benefit of havin' a paid internship that only has ya workin' three days a week.” 

The wolf let out a pleasant sigh. “Part of me will miss that if them folks at the city's architecture department decide to take me on full time.”

“I suppose that means Zach and Vanna are out?” The ewe asked, glancing up at her mate with a frown as she balled some of the fabric of his sweater in her hooves.

“Suppose so.” The wolf replied. “They're pa's right hand mammals. So they generally have the same shifts.”

“And Wade..?” Dawn continued, running down the list of Hunters in her head.

“I think he may have moved to a night shift again...” The wolf mused, scratching his chin thoughtfully. “But seein' as how Giz is a barista, and they don't live together, I don't think we got a good chance of catchin' 'em at the same time.”

Dawn let out a defeated sigh, slumping deeper into the wolfs side in disappointment as Vernon continued to sort letters with his free arm.

“Same with Yuri and Ada.” The wolf continued. “At least one of 'em is at work right now, I can guarantee it.” The wolf stopped his sorting, gesturing a paw at nothing in particular as he continued to rattle off the list of remaining Hunters. “Xavier, Trenny...”

The wolf sighed “I figure just like Judy, ya wanna tell 'em all the news in sets.” Vernon continued, running a paw through his head fur. “So even if Qali or Mal were off today...”

“Yeah...” The ewe replied, picking up on just where the wolf's statement was leading. It was frustrating to say the least. Dawn was bursting to tell the news to Vanna, let alone the rest of the Hunters she had grown so attached to in such a short time.

Whereas telling Judy the news would have most likely gone relatively quickly with how busy the rabbit always seemed to be,with Vanna Dawn had expected the call to last an hour or maybe more depending on just how side tracked they grew in all the excitement. Since the wedding, Vanna was first and foremost the sister-in-law she called to simply 'girl out', as it were. To catch up on what was happening in their lives, the local goings on, and keeping each-other up to date on Suri Nick's tour page, waiting patiently for the day 'Zootopia' would be added to the list of venues so they could reserve front row seats for the four of them. Of course, the announcement that her book was being published seemed like the perfect excuse to visit her favorite sister-in-law, along with mister misses Hunter to celebrate over a dinner. But with her and Zach on duty, even if the ewe could get a hold of her, she would be forced to keep the call brief and to the point. And with news this big sitting in the ewe's lap, she knew such a call would be impossible for her to keep short.

From there the diminishing list of family left to call only made the ewe that much more discouraged. She did want to tell her sister-in-laws the good news along side their mates, even if she assumed the Hunter girls would be the more enthused of the lot. Qali alone would probably hit the ceiling with excitement before asking exactly what it means to be published. Giselle would probably hit the ceiling too, but it wasn't exactly hard for the giraffe to do so considering her apartment had low ceilings to begin with. And Malcolm, being at work, would probably go as far as to offer free pie slices or something along the like to the patrons currently at his restaurant. But the nagging knowledge that chances were high that everyone would be far too busy to take the call, or give it the amount of time the ewe hoped for continued to dash Dawn's visions. 

Vernon was right, it was Friday after all. The day which heralded the weekend and the notion relaxation. But it was also one of the busier days of the week for that very reason, especially for mammals in the service industry like Malcolm who was probably elbow deep in batter at this very moment. And from her previous conversations with Qali she could only assume the little vixen was out trimming trees with her father and sister by now, getting them ready for harvest in November. Then there was Ada...

Dawn turned her attention to the strange tribal looking bracelet her mate was wearing on the wrist opposite his tithe-mark. She had thought it strange Vernon had even brought up Yuri when discussing mammals to share the news with, nearly forgetting what the wolf had told her about the strange gift, and Yuri's attempt to start mending the fences between them. In truth, the lamb was a bit dubious that such a plan could ever hope to work considering how she had seen Yuri behave, but Vernon seemed to believe in it. Perhaps due to his 'everyone deserves a second chance' creed he liked to live by. It had been true in her case after all, hadn't it? And at the very least it meant the ewe stood a chance of seeing her second favorite sister-in-law more often than just reunions.  
Throwing another bill on the significantly smaller stack, Vernon glanced down at his mate, offering her a playful smirk.

“Ully's probably not doin' nothin'.” Vernon chuckled.

The ewe rolled her eyes. 

“He's last.” Dawn decided. “Yep, I've decided, he's last.” 

Vernon snickered in response as the ewe continued to toy with the hem of his sweater with her hooves, tilting her head curiously and flashing him a pleading expression. “Actually....do we even have to tell him at all?”

“Do y'all want to be open and honest?” The wolf quirked a brow. “Or would you rather he find out on his own and see how that goes?”

Dawn winced, her head drooping slightly as she gave her mate a weak and defeated nod in agreement. As with the letter regarding whether or not her book was to be published, it was best to pull of the Ulric band-aid in one swift motion rather then try to delay it by simply not telling him. One prolonged, accusatory phone call was probably better than the wolf blowing up his brother's cell phone for days on end. 

Dawn sighed as she turned her attention back to her phone, idly scrolling through her contacts list for a few moments as she considered which of her friends should be the first to hear the news.

“Oh, duh.” The wolf chuckled, slapping his head with a paw as if whatever had just come to him had seemed elementary. “You should call-.”

The wolf paused, stopping mid-sort as he began to inspect the letter in his paws. Dawn watched his deep forest green eyes shrink as his eyelids tightened around them, his irises intensely scanning to envelope for a few moments before turning his attention back to the ewe and quirking a brow.

“Hey Hon?” The wolf asked. “What was that er...fella's name who was with my ex-girlfriend at the fair? The fancy, all trussed up fella?”

Dawn blinked a few times in surprise, the question seeming bizarre, almost out of nowhere.

“Uh...Kendrick Loupon.” Dawn replied, tilting her head in confusion. “The Assistant Representative of the North Meadowlands, remember?” 

Vernon bit his lip as an uneasy expression crossed his muzzle, the wolf's eyes shifting back to the letter in his paws.

“What is it Puppy?” The ewe asked.

The wolf rubbed the back of his neck uneasily, averting his gaze from the ewe as he spoke.

“I-I'm purty sure this letter is from him.” The wolf replied.

Dawn grimaced slightly as she eyed the letter in the wolf's paws, hesitating for a moment before taking it into her hooves. Scanning the return address proved the letter had indeed come from the Ken's office. It bore the official government seal from the district, distinct with it's own special imprint bearing the wolf's name and position, but confirming it with her own eyes only managed to baffle the ewe that much more. After how events had played out at the Harvest Festival, and the sizable scene the wolf and his mate had been at the center of, she could scarcely conceive of a reason the wolf would have for contacting the couple.

Unlike the letter from her publisher, the ewe opened this letter with much less anticipation and fanfare, making quick work of the envelope with her hoof before slipping the letter out. Gently the ewe opened the neatly folded letter, gesturing to her mate with a nod to lean in and read over her shoulder as she held the paper in a way that made it easily visible to both of them.

Dear mister and misses Hunter-Bellwether.

I would like to start this letter by profusely apologizing for my behavior at the harvest festival two weeks ago. I'm not sure any amount of apologizing on paper will truly encapsulate just how regretful and ashamed of my behavior I am, but it felt even more inappropriate to try and call or visit your residence despite my intentions. Call it an abuse of power, but to be honest I fear I was more afraid that should I have attempted any other methods, you both may not have been willing to even hear me out this far along.'

“Got that right.” Vernon said, letting out a derisive snort. Clearly the wolf had been reading along about as quickly as Dawn had been.

Grabbing the letter with a paw, Vernon tugged on it gently as he glanced down at Dawn. The wolf expression a mixture of annoyance and ire.

“I think we should just toss it right now.” The wolf said, giving the letter another gentle tug. “That's as much as that smug 'native' politician deserves.”

Dawn frowned, pulling the letter free of Vernon's paws.

“Vernon, that's our hate mail policy.” Dawn replied. “So far I haven't read any hateful remarks and we are several sentences in.”

Vernon drew back slightly, crossing his arms and turning his snout up at the letter.

“I ain't never met a native wolf that grew out of the belief system.” The wolf retorted. “And any mammal dumb enough to hitch himself up to Ana at his age-.”

“Aren't you the same mammal who told me 'everyone deserves a second chance, especially if they are trying?'” Dawn cut the wolf off, placing a hoof on her hips and cocking her stance in the chair. Her muzzle turned up in a knowing smirk.

Vernon's expression faltered slightly, his ears skewing at two different angles as a look of mild surprise overtook his features.

“W-well...” Vernon stumbled. “I-I mean...”

“Ruddy was a part of that too, and look at what he did for us.” Dawn continued, holding up a finger as to emphasize her point.

With a defeated sigh, the wolfs slumped in his seat, his ears sagging sharply as he regarded his mate.

“I know, I know...” The wolf muttered. “Yer right...”

Bracing his neck with a paw, the wolf turned his snout up toward the ceiling.

“It's just after how Ana was threatinin' us, I mean...” The wolf shook his head. “I just figured this is some fake olive branch er somethin', and he's buried threats of a lawsuit in there behind his pretend flowery words.”

Dawn rolled her eyes, letting out a soft chuckle.

“Well...” Dawn replied. “The only way we are going to find that out is by reading on.” The ewe raised a hoof, idly waving it in a small circles. “So far all he's done is apologize.”

With a another sigh, the wolf leaned his elbows on the counter, reluctantly turning his attention back to the letter as the ewe held it steady once more, Dawn slumping back into the wolf's side as she continued to read.

'I would apologize for Ana's sake as well, had we not decided to separate shortly after the incident.'

“Well I'll be...” Vernon muttered, letting out a soft chuckle.

Dawn pat the wolf on his arm affectionately.

“I don't think any case Ana could try and make for herself would have a chance of standing up in court without any help from Loupon.” The ewe said with a snicker.

“Provided he's tellin' the truth.” Vernon mumbled.

The ewe gave her mate a playful swat with her hoof.

“Oh Hush!” The ewe chided.

'The break up was not on good terms. Not in the slightest.   
I will keep it brief by saying that it had absolutely everything to do with her childish behavior at the fair, and her inability to admit she was wrong.

Of course, this does not excuse my inaction by letting her lead that mob,and failing to intercede. But if I'm being honest, for all the claims by Ana of me being 'alpha materiel', In actuality, I've lead the life of a meek, timid wolf, one often so afraid of being pulled into confrontation that I let others speak on my behalf regardless whether I truly agree or not with what comes out of their mouths. And I think that Mister Hunter-Bellwether knows just how a mammal like Ana can take advantage of such traits.'

The ewe could here her mate let out a soft, muttering whine. It was a sound of discomfort, almost as if he had recalled something particular painful.

'That said, I wish to congratulate you both on your tithe. Forgive me, I don't know how personal you want to keep that information, but I had seen Mister Ruddy officiate the license the day after he had apparently been at the ceremony, and I would be remiss not to wish you all the best. I don't believe it could happen to a nicer couple, or a more respected ewe.'

“Respected huh?” Dawn murmured. “I suppose he was just as moved by the 'Last Night Case' as everyone else.”

Vernon tightened his grip around the ewe, pulling her in for a side hug.

“Well, it's not every day a mammal literally tried to sacrifice herself to save a city of fifteen-million plus mammals.” The wolf replied with a chuckle. “Who wouldn't be impressed by that?”

The ewe let out a soft giggle, nuzzling against the wolf's side.

“Still, if I didn't have that I'd be just as hated as before.” Dawn murmured.

Dawn felt herself being drawn back from the wolf's side, her mate placing a paw on her shoulder as he looked down to meet her gaze, his forest green eyes filled with affection.

“Ya already had my heart Darlin'.” The wolf shook his head. “Far as I'm concerned that little stunt of yers was just proof of what I've seen in ya since day one.” The wolf smiled warmly. “This here is one mammal ya earned the love of without needin' to do anythin' but be you.”

Dawn placed the letter down on the counter before wrapping her arms around the wolf's torso, burying her face in his side as she gave him the tightest hug she could muster. The wolf reacted quickly, squeezing the ewe in a hug that matched her own in vigor and enthusiasm as she felt the wolf's lips press down through her woolly poof and place a tender kiss atop her head.

Drawing back, the ewe lifted her lenses as she lamely swabbed at her eyes with her forearm.

“Oh Puppy stop.” The ewe sniffled. “You're going to make me cry.”

The wolf chuckled. “Sorry Darlin'...” Vernon replied, rolling his eyes slightly as though he were mulling things over. “Although you do look purty when you cry.”

“O-Oh stop.” The ewe rebutted, wafting a hoof at her eyes in an effort to stem the tears as she grasped the letter with the other. “L-let's get back to the letter...”

The wolf nodded.

'I must confess, as stated at the fair i was quite enamored with your career as a politician before the...'incident', and I would feel remiss to pass up the chance to expound on it without Ana talking over me. It is a shame so much of your diligent work for Zootopia went unnoticed and un-credited considering it was no secret among political circles that Lionheart was little more than a pretty face. While studying for my own political degree, I watched your role in his campaign, as well as the debates that you were a part of, and was quite impressed. And...well, I would be lying if I said I didn't end up developing a bit of a...crush on you.'

“A crush?” Dawn murmured, a slight blush forming on her muzzle as she re-read the sentence. 

“A crush huh?” Vernon growled. Dawn could feel the wolf's arm wrap around her once again, this time a clearly possessive gesture as the wolf sneered at the letter. “I mean the fella seems to have some taste...but...”

Dawn let out a giggle.

“Oh Puppy stop.” The ewe murmured, giving the wolf's paw a rub. Still, the wolf's brow remained furrowed, which only prompted the ewe to reach out and pull his left paw over to her side of the counter. The ewe gingerly flipped it over, revealing the wolf's crimson 'tithing' mark before turning her right hoof over next to it to display the same.

“We're tithed, see?” The ewe chuckled before slipping her marked hoof gingerly on top of his matching paw, completing the moon between them. “I'm not going anywhere.”

The wolf let out a soft huff. “I -I know...” Vernon winced slightly. “H-he just better not try anything if I ever...”

The ewe laughed that much harder, gingerly patting the wolf's paw with her hoof.

“Ooh...Possessive Puppy.” The ewe cooed, fluttering her eyelids suggestively at the wolf. “I kinda like it.”

Vernon quirked a brow, his expression a mixture of concern and confusion as his ears sagged.

“I-...” The wolf uttered..” Really?”

Dawn smirked. “It's kinda hot...”

All hints of the wolf's previous sour expressions dissolved as a beaming smile over took his muzzle, and his tail became a blur as it wagged frantically against the seat, which only made the ewe giggle that much harder.

“O-Oh don't tease me like this Floof's...” The wolf whined, the hint of a blush forming on his muzzle. “At this rate we ain't gonna be making any calls till tomorrow!”

The ewe flicked her hoof at the wolf playfully.

“Okay, okay...” The ewe cooed. “No more flirting until we finish the letter, we're on the last page anyway.”

Vernon nodded briskly, his tail continuing to wag against the seat as though it were keeping rhythm for a band.

'I guess, I've always sort of harbored feelings for....carpid folks if I'm being honest. It was just something I tried to suppress, to bury deep down because it conflicted with my family roots, and my future goals, at least I thought so. But watching Mister Hunter-Bellwether stand up for the both of you, to proudly announce to the world his unabashed love for you regardless of species, well...it made me reflect on those old dormant feelings and gave me the courage to explore them.

And so, it may surprise to learn that I am in fact currently seeing a ewe. Granted we've only been an official couple for about a week, but it already feels like we've known each other forever.'

Dawn placed a hoof to her muzzle in an effort to stifle a gasp.

“Wait? Really?” The wolf muttered, clasping the edge of the letter with his paw as he leaned in to inspect it. “Loupon's crossin'?”

“T-that's what it says.” The ewe uttered in mild surprise.

'I realize this might jeopardize my position depending on how this information plays with my constituents, but in all honesty, I really can't find it in me to care. It's such a relief to just...let it go. To embrace my feelings and see where the road takes me. I'll tell you dating a mammal like Claire is probably the first time I've felt 'happy' in a relationship, even if it is a tentative one.

And so from myself, and my mate Claire Chilver, we wish you all the best. And the next time you visit the Meadowlands, I hope we can meet for tea some time and really patch things up.

Hopefully your friend,  
Kendrick Loupon,  
Assistant Representative to the North Meadowlands'

“Wow...” Dawn murmured. “I-mean...”

Turning to her mate, the ewe rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.

“I-I don't even know how to take that...”

The apology was surprising enough, but the fact that Loupon had admitted that her and Vernon had inspired the wolf to actually date outside his species had blown her away. The ewe was fairly new to the 'crosser' life, her feelings for Vernon being the first of their kind for a mammal outside her species. But here was a mammal like Loupon admitting to having been struggling with long term feelings of attraction and desire toward those outside his species, let alone a prey mammal, for years. The idea was something she had only scratched the surface of in her writings; those mammals out there who lived in a quiet sort of misery as they forced themselves to suppress those feelings and live a 'normal' life. But, Loupon was the first mammal who had actually told her about dealing with such an issue to any degree. 

With all the fan mail the ewe had received, most of those inquiring about life as a cross species dater, or being a pred/prey couple had come from those already established. Those mammals who partook in such a relationship but were hiding it from family and friends, or the public at large. But Loupon's admission had the wheels turning in her mind; a quiet realization dawning on her as she scratched her chin thoughtfully.

Just how many mammals were hiding? How many thought they were alone in their feelings, or are just to afraid to simply indulge them? Would her book serve to help them too? She could only hope. By Loupon's own words he was 'happy' for the first time in a long time, and perhaps her book would not only give courage to those in inter/crosser relationships to step out of the shadows, but maybe give those mammals hiding alone the courage to seek out others like them. To find that same happiness that Loupon had found, and that she had found in Vernon.

“Clair Chilver?” Vernon muttered, drawing the ewe from her thoughts.

“What?” Dawn muttered, inspecting the name in the letter once more curiously.

“Claire Chilver...” The wolf scratched his chin. “Not our Claire Chilver?”

Dawn tilted her head curiously as she regarded her mate.

“'Our' Claire Chilver?' The ewe questioned, quirking a curious brow.

Turning his attention to his mate, the wolf scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“Back in high school there was this ewe that was part of our friend group with the same name.” The wolf muttered. “We were all real tight, she even dated Gus fer a bit.”

“Oh?” The ewe added. She was starting to recall something regarding the name as well. She had definitely heard of her at least once before.

“Wait...” Dawn recalled. “Is this the ewe that basically stopped talking to everyone in your B&B group a few months back?”

Vernon nodded briskly.

“Granted she was still livin' in the Meadowlands, but she kept in touch on Furbook.” Vernon ran a paw through the tuft of fur on his head. “Talked to me more than Gus.” The wolf shrugged. “Least till she decided to block me.”

“Messaged you a lot huh?” The ewe muttered, eyeing the wolf suspiciously.

Vernon laughed. “Hey now Floofs, it wasn't like that.” The wolf shook his head dismissively. “I told y'all, you're the first and only ewe I've ever been attracted to.”

Dawn scratched her chin thoughtfully.

“That doesn't mean she wasn't harboring feeling for you though, does it?” Dawn asked.

The wolf scoffed. “Who, Claire? Pft...” The wolf waived a paw in the air dismissively. “No way. I woulda' been able to tell.”

Dawn crossed her arms, flashing the wolf a smirk.

“If I recall, you told me Gus had told you that there were a bunch of ewe's in high-school begging for your 'attention'.” The ewe chuckled. “And you admitted you were oblivious to all of it.”

Vernon rubbed the back of his neck, an uneasy expression lacing his features.

“Y-Yeah but I mea...” The wolf's eyes became focused on the counter top in such a way that told the ewe the gears in his head were starting to turn.

“They called you 'Sheep dog' Vernon.” Dawn added.

“Yeah but it's because I had so many caprid friends, not cause-!” The wolf stopped himself, placing a paw to his muzzle as he seemed to return to his thoughts. The ewe shook her head dismissively.

“When did you put the fact that you were in a relationship with me on your Furbook Vernon?” Dawn asked, the ewe now almost one-hundred percent sure the theory she was building was correct.

Vernon rubbed the back of his neck, that uneasy expression returning as the wolf now seemed reluctant to answer.

“I-Er...” The wolf muttered. “Around the time Claire blocked me...”

Dawn rolled her eyes. There was no need to say what she could only assumed had happened with Claire, she could see in the wolf's eyes that he was quickly coming to the same realization.

“Damn...” Vernon muttered. “I guess wolves are as dumb as they say.” The wolf chuckled weakly.

Dawn giggled, giving the wolf a reassuring pat on the knee.

“You aren't dumb.” The ewe chided.

The wolf's ears dipped sharply, a sorrowful look overtaking his features as he glanced down at the floor.

“I feel awful...” Vernon whined. “I mean, the feelin's weren't mutual but she must'a felt terrible tryin' to get my attention over and over again and failin'.” The wolf shook his head. 

“Vernon.” The ewe cooed softly.

“Is that why she dated Gus?” Vernon asked, seemingly to himself. “Was she tryin' to get closer to me?”

“Puppy Love.” The ewe finally had the wolf's attention, rubbing his knee affectionately as she looked up into his deep green eyes.

“She's okay now.” Dawn replied, nodding in the direction of Loupon's letter. “She's with Ken, and from what he said they are happy.”

The wolf whined softly.

“I-I know...” Vernon muttered. “I-I just feel guilty.”

The ewe shook her head.

“Hey, if we ever meet them for tea, you can apologize.” Dawn added.

The statement seemed to earn a weak smile from the wolf, his tail wagging lamely as he eyed his mate hopefully.

“Really?” Vernon asked.

“Of course.” Dawn replied, patting the wolf's knee playfully before drawing her hoof back. “Just don't get to close to her now.” The ewe chuckled, flipping her right hoof palm side up and displaying it once more to the wolf. “Remember which ewe you're tithed to.”

Vernon chuckled, the wolf rolling his eyes in response.

“Now who's bein' possessive?” The wolf snickered.

Dawn crossed her arms, flashing the wolf a smug grin.

“You know it's cute when I do it.” The ewe retorted.

Vernon rolled his eyes, seemingly mulling over what he was going to say in his head.

“Somewhere between cute and sexy I'd argue...” The wolf chuckled. “But it is harder to take you seriously Misses Hunter-Bellwether.”

“Oh-ho-ho?” The ewe smirked, placing a hoof on her hip. “Do I need to get the leash and collar out of the bedroom drawer and remind you who you belong to Mister Hunter-Bellwether?”

Vernon let out a playful growl, before suddenly lurching forward and scooping the ewe into his arms, smattering her in a playful flurry of kisses as she giggled and flailed in an attempt to resist.

“Ooh you know just how to bring out the 'alpha' in me.” The wolf growled playfully. “The calls can wait, we're headin' to be right now!”

“V-Vernon, n-no!” The ewe let out a giggling snort as the wolf continued to kiss her. “N-not yet! C'mon.”

The wolf chuckled before burying his snout in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply before drawing back, throwing the ewe a mischievous glance.

“You say 'no', but them pheromones are screamin' 'yes'!”

Dawn rolled her eyes before clasping her hooves around the wolf's muzzle, effectively silencing the wolf and stymieing his efforts to kiss her.

“Oh, c'mere my big, fluffy Sheep Dog.”

With that, the ewe drew him in for a powerful passionate kiss, one that demanded the playful dancing of tongues the moment their muzzles touched. Dawn could feel the fire inside begin to roar as she drank deeply of her mate, caressing his cheek and holding him tightly to her muzzle with her other hoof. 

However, the passionate, frenzied kiss was short lived as the familiar sound of Vernon's ring tone began to rise from somewhere on his body. The wolf seemed rather keen to ignore it, but despite her great reluctance, the ewe managed to break the kiss.

“They'll call back.” The wolf was quick to spit out, running his tongue along his muzzle.

“Vernon.” The ewe shook her head, patting the side of the wolf's muzzle affectionately. “Who calls these days unless it's important? They'd text otherwise.”

Vernon scoffed. “Telemarketers!”

The ewe rolled her eyes.

“Vernon you have a private number.” Dawn retorted.

“Still...”

Dawn merely furrowed her brow at the wolf, her less than intimating glare she had tried to crib from Audrey at least managing to put an end to her mate's protest as the wolf let out a tired sigh.

Placing the ewe back on her stool, the wolf scooped his phone at of his pocket, answering it without even looking at the screen.

“This better be-”

The wolf immediately pulled the phone away from his face as a loud howl emanated through the speakers. It was a call so loud that Dawn could easily hear it despite the volume, and apparently so could the neighbors as the wolves next store started up again.

“C'mon Vern!” Came the muffled cry through the wall. “Damnit Gary!”

“Sorry, sorry!' The wolf announced before shifting his attention back to the phone. Vernon briefly scanned the face before a look of confusion overtook his features.

“Ma?” Vernon asked.

“Audrey?” The ewe quirked a brow. The fact that she had opened with a howl showed the she-wolf was clearly excited, but that lead the ewe to question why. Was Audrey so good at reading mammals that she had become somehow psychic, and divined that Dawn had landed her book deal from across the county?

“Get Dawn in the room and turn on muzzle time!” Audrey chirped through the phone. “Iv'e got a surprise fer y'all!”

“I'm here Misses Hunter” Dawn replied as her mate took his place back at the stool next to her. Lowering the phone to the counter, the wolf held it far enough out so both of them could easily see the screen. Hitting the muzzletime button, the camera connected on Vernon's end, however Audrey's screen remained black.

“Dori, how in the-sweet sawgrass.” The she-wolf cursed. “What button was it?”

From the other end, Dawn could hear Dorian groan, and after a few moments both wolves were finally on screen revealing a very tired looking Dorian with an arm around a positively beaming Audrey. Both wolves flashed the couple a smile.

“Howdy you too!” Audrey practically sang.

“Hi mom and dad.” Dawn replied, offering a weak wave amidst her confusion and excitement.

“Pa, yer home?” Vernon asked.

“I took the day off to take yer mom out to the docs.” Dorian replied.

“Don't spoil it!” Audrey snapped, giving the wolf a playful swat.

“Spoil what?” Dawn asked, leaning in closer to the phone.

“The doctors?” Vernon asked. “Is everythin' alright?”

Audrey nodded so briskly her head looked like little more of a blur as the connection struggled to keep up with the speed. 

“Everythin' is great!” Audrey replied cheerily. “Heck it's more than great! It's a miracle!”

Vernon scrunched is muzzle in confusion.

“A miracle?” The wolf repeated. “Ma, what's goin' on exactly?”

Audrey turned to her mate, the wolf quirking a brow.

“Should I tell them?” Audrey asked.

“That's why we called.” Dorian shook his head.

“Noooo!” The she-wolf replied sarcastically. “I mean should I tell them, or do you want to?”

Dorian scratched his chin. “I think you should tell 'em.”

Audrey lolled her head indecisively. “But it might be more fun if you do it.”

“It's your surprise.” Dorian replied.

“Our surprise!” Audrey corrected, giving her mate a tap on the nose. “ Which is why I-!”

“Could someone just tell us somethin' already?” Vernon cut the wolfess off.

Dawn had expected Audrey to flash Vernon a glare for his retort, but the she-wolf simply looked at her mate, tilting her head curiously.

“Together?” Audrey asked.

Dorian sighed. “Count of three?”  
Audrey nodded briskly.

“One...” Audrey said.

“Two...” Dorian added, building the anticipation.

“We're expecting!” The two wolves announced, Dorian pulling Audrey into a tighter hug and kissing the top of her head before relaxing the hug.

Dawn placed her hooves to her muzzle in surprise. But for Vernon it seemed to take a little longer for the expression to click.

“Expectin' what?” Vernon muttered, drawing the ewe's attention. Dawn looked up to her mate in disbelief, which only drew an expression of confusion from the wolf. Vernon looked as though he was about to ask the ewe 'what?' when the realization seemed to dawn on him, his eyes growing wide in shock as he suddenly snapped his attention back on the phone.

“Wait!? Y-Y'all mean!?” Vernon stammered. “I-Is Ma on the nest?”

Audrey nodded excitedly ,flashing the couple and ear to ear smile.

“I'm pregnant!” The she-wolf replied before breaking into a squeal of joy, one that Dawn couldn't help but join in on as both Vernon and Dorian's ears flattened in response.

“I can't believe that!” Dawn spat excitedly.

“I can't believe it either!” Vernon replied, running a paw through his head fur. “A-aren't y'all too...er...?”

“Old?” Audrey asked, the hint of a glare permeating her expression as she eyed Vernon. Dawn watched as her mate seemed to shrink in response.

“I mean...y'know...?” Vernon muttered. “Pup-bearin' wise?”

“I thought so too!” Audrey chirped, wrapping an arm around Dorian and squeezing him tightly. “But it turns out there was a few good eggs left in yer Ma's den!”

Dawn could see Vernon cringe visibly at the comment, but it wasn't enough to stop Dawn from asking a question that was sure to make her mate feel that much more uncomfortable. 

“How?!” Dawn had simply blurted it out without even thinking, which earned a wide-eyed glare from her mate.

Audrey chuckled.

“Well, after the weddin' wrapped up, and all yer brothers and sisters went home, well...” Audrey blushed slightly. “Me and yer Pa got to mendin' thangs.” Audrey gave Dawn a sly wink. “I mean, really got down to mendin' thangs.”

“Ugh..” Vernon murmured.

“Multiple times.” Dorian added. “All over the house, includin'-”

“By the gods Pa stop!” Vernon pleaded, the wolf bringing his finger to hover directly over the disconnect button. “Don't make me have to hang up!”

Dorian and Audrey shared a knowing laugh.

“Alright, alright...” Audrey cooed. “The no details deal goes both ways, I remember.” The she-wolf chuckled. “I just figured me and yer pa would get a little revenge fer yer antics in the cornfield.”

Both Vernon and Dawn blushed sharply, the two mammals briefly making eye contact before averting their gazes bashfully.

“Incidentally, we did do it in the cornfield.” Dorian added.

“Oh gods, I'm hanging up!” Vernon snapped.

“Wait, wait!” Audrey held up her paws defensively, stopping Vernon just shy of hitting the button. 

“We weren't gonna be long anyway, we got the rest of the pups to tell.” Dorian spoke, running a paw through his silvery mane of head fur. “But before we let ya go, we should tell ya it's triplets.” Dorian smirked. “All girls.”

“Girls?” Vernon muttered. “Y-y'all mean I'm gonna have sisters?”

Audrey cocked a brow. “Well, y'all already have sisters.” The she-wolf replied, cocking a brow. “Better to think of it as gettin' to be a big brother as not to offend yer sister-in-laws.”

“Big brother?” Vernon murmured softly. “I ain't barely been a mammals big brother before.”

Dawn quirked a brow. “What about Trenton and Ulric?” Dawn asked.

“Well, I mean if y'all count older by minutes.” The wolf replied, shaking his head. “But I mean, I was the smallest remember? Weren't no one in the family small enough to look up to the runt of the litter.”

Dawn chuckled softly, grasping the wolf's paw and giving it a gentle squeeze.

“That means y'all get to be a big sister too Dawn!” Audrey added, flashing the ewe a warm smile.

“A big sister?” Dawn felt a warm smile crawl across her muzzle as she mulled over Audrey's words. While Vernon had never gotten to opportunity to be some in his families big brother, at least the wolf had brothers. Dawn had grown up with no other siblings, and so the thought of any mammal looking up to her as part of there family was an alien concept, but a welcome one.

“I can't wait to have y'all back up for the shower!” Audrey let out another excited squeal, pumping her fists in the air and displacing her mate in the process. Dorian nearly tumbled off the couch, the camera shaking and stuttering as the wolf clambered to steady himself. “It's gonna be a hoot!”

As the camera grew steady again, Dorian sidled up back next to his wife, the wolf letting out a relieved sigh.

“How d'y'all know it's gonna be girls?” Vernon asked, quirking a brow. “Isn't it a little early to tell?”

Audrey lowered her gaze at her son. “A mother always knows.”

Dorian chuckled. “Mother's intuition is the one thing that puts the 'Hunter Family' intuition to shame.”

“Welp, we'll let you go.” Audrey said, wrapping her arm around her mate once again and kissing him on the cheek. “We got more calls to make, and we're sure y'all got things to do so-”

“Wait!” Dawn blurted out, suddenly remembering her own small victory in the wake of all the she-wolf's excitement. “Vernon and I have something to tell you too!”

Audrey crooked her head, her ears lolling at skewed angles as she regarded the ewe.

“Oh ya do?” Audrey asked. “What is it?”

“Wait a minute!” The she-wolf suddenly snapped to attention, her curious expression gone in a flash, over taken by an even wider, beaming smile.

“Don't tell me you two are already fixin' to adopt are ya!?” Audrey seemed to practically swoon as she spoke, clasping her paws together almost as if she were praying. “Oh sweet Freyja, I don't think my heart could stand so much joyful news at once!”

Dawn blushed sharply, exchanging a rather bashful, timid expression with her mate. For the second time today the ewe's mind had shifted back to the idea of Vernon as a father, and her uncertainty as a mother. But in Vernon's case, while the wolf was wearing a bit of a blush himself, his smile was warm and inviting as he took the ewe's tithing hoof, gently clasping it in his own as he gently stroked the top of it with his thumb. The adoration in his eyes, the warmth in his smile, it was more than clear the wolf was happy with the idea. And that same feeling of confidence quickly began to spill into the ewe, slowly, but surely, silencing those lingering fears of what kind of parent she might make. 

She and Vernon had each other, even before the tithe. They were a team, and together they had braced themselves for whatever life could throw at them. But glancing back to the face of Vernon's phone, and the older wolves smiling back at them, Dawn realized she had so much more now. No longer did Dawn have just Vernon in her corner to rally her onward, and to turn to when the chips were down. But she had the entire Hunter family; her family. 

Audrey, a mother who's sweetness rivaled her own mothers. Dorian, the father she never had. Vanna, her best girlfriend, Qali and her boundless enthusiasm, Ada and her snark, and her other sisters. Her countless brothers, even the likes of the less than pleasant Yuri and Ulric. For better or worse they became her pack from the moment she had officially became a Hunter. And with her family by her side, she could surely rise to the challenge of motherhood when she and Vernon were ready to adopt.

Turning his attention back to the phone, the wolf offered his mother a soft smile.

“Not yet ma, but soon.” The wolf replied.

“We promise” Dawn added, squeezing Vernon's paw affectionately, once again making the two half moons whole.


End file.
